Software Architect

• Flight Management Systems

Position Information

Date Posted: 2026-02-05

Country: United States of America

Location: US-IA-CEDAR RAPIDS-106 ~ 400 Collins Rd NE ~ BLDG 106

Role Type: Onsite

Immigration Status: The company will offer immigration sponsorship for this position, if needed. The company will not seek an export authorization for this role.

Security Clearance: Not Required

Salary Range: $132,400 USD - $251,600 USD

About the Role

Collins Aerospace is looking for a Software Architect ready to shape the future. Join our Integrated Flight – Advanced Flight Management Engineering team in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and play a key role in building the next era of aviation. We're a team of engineers, innovators, and aviation enthusiasts who thrive on solving complex problems with elegant, high-impact solutions. Our culture blends deep technical rigor with a startup-like energy—rapid iteration, hands-on experimentation, and a passion for building things that fly.

Our Next Generation engineering team is redefining what's possible in modern avionics, building next-generation flight technologies that push the boundaries of speed, safety, autonomy, and intelligence. From advanced flight-management software and high-performance embedded systems to intelligent sensor fusion, real-time avionics networks, and autonomous mission platforms, we design the systems that power the aircraft of the future.

Our technology sits at the crossroads of aerospace, AI, and high-reliability computing—turning bold ideas into dependable systems trusted in the sky every day. As a Senior Principal Software Engineer, you'll leverage the latest in AI-driven development to build the precision, safety, and intelligence behind tomorrow's commercial, business, and military Flight Decks. You won't just be supporting technology; you'll be shaping it—engineering avionics solutions trusted in the most demanding environments on the planet.

This is an onsite position based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop and optimize embedded flight management software applications used in commercial and military platforms
• Design and implement modular and reusable Flight Management product line software
• Lead teams through certification reviews with customers and/or authorities
• Collaborate closely with systems engineers, hardware teams, AI/ML specialists, and flight-test personnel to deliver integrated avionics solutions that meet stringent aviation safety, performance, and certification requirements

Required Qualifications

• Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) and minimum 10 years prior relevant experience or an Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 7 years of experience
• Experience in software design and development of large complex aircraft application
• Experience with designing and implementing a large-scale modularized, reusable product line software
• Applied experience of software development using C++, design patterns, Unified Modeling Language (UML) and Object-Oriented Analysis and Design (OOA/D)
• Experience in leading the DO-178 certification activities for software development in C++

Preferred Qualifications

• Understanding of standard system engineering design artifacts such as Use Cases and SysML diagrams
• Working Experience with DevOps, Jenkins and automated testing
• Familiar with tools such as GIT, JIRA, Visual Studio Code, Docker, Jama

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Three weeks of vacation for newly hired employees
• Generous 401(k) plan that includes employer matching funds and separate employer retirement contribution, including a Lifetime Income Strategy option
• Tuition reimbursement program
• Student Loan Repayment Program
• Life insurance and disability coverage
• Optional coverages: pet insurance, home and auto insurance, additional life and accident insurance, critical illness insurance, group legal, ID theft protection
• Birth, adoption, parental leave benefits
• Ovia Health, fertility, and family planning
• Adoption Assistance
• Autism Benefit
• Employee Assistance Plan, including up to 10 free counseling sessions
• Healthy You Incentives, wellness rewards program
• Doctor on Demand, virtual doctor visits
• Bright Horizons, child and elder care services
• Teladoc Medical Experts, second opinion program
• Annual short-term and/or long-term incentive compensation programs (dependent upon position level and performance factors)

About Collins Aerospace

Avionics delivers advanced cockpit displays, vision systems, and comprehensive digital solutions for global government, commercial and business aviation customers. We provide connectivity and managed data services to ensure safety and seamless communication for passengers, crews, and militaries, from aircraft and airports to air traffic management.

Work Environment

Employees in onsite roles will work primarily onsite. This includes all production and maintenance employees, as they are essential to the development of our products. Regardless of your role type, collaboration and innovation are critical to our business and all employees will have access to digital tools so they can work with colleagues around the world – and access to Collins sites when their work requires in-person meetings.

Candidates may be asked to attend select steps of the interview process in-person at one of our office locations, regardless of whether the role is designated as on-site, hybrid or remote.

Additional Information

RTX considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role, function and associated responsibilities, a candidate's work experience, location, education/training, and key skills.

Hired applicants may be eligible for benefits, including but not limited to, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, flexible work schedules, employee assistance program, Employee Scholar Program, parental leave, paid time off, and holidays. Specific benefits are dependent upon the specific business unit as well as whether or not the position is covered by a collective-bargaining agreement.

RTX anticipates the application window closing approximately 40 days from the date the notice was posted. However, factors such as candidate flow and business necessity may require RTX to shorten or extend the application window.

RTX is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other legally protected status.