Associate Director – AI Software, Applied Research & Technology – Defense Technologies (Onsite)

Date Posted:

2026-03-30

Country:

United States of America

Location:

US-IA-CEDAR RAPIDS-108 ~ 400 Collins Rd NE ~ BLDG 108

Position Role Type:

Hybrid

U.S. Citizen, U.S. Person, or Immigration Status Requirements:

The ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government issued security clearance is required.​ U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance

Security Clearance Type:

DoD Clearance: Top Secret

Security Clearance Status:

Active and existing security clearance required after day 1

Associate Director, Engineering – AI Software,  Applied Research & Technology – Defense Technologies (Onsite)

At RTX, the world largest aerospace and defense company, 185,000 great minds are united by purpose and inspired to make a difference solving the world’s most complex problems. With our three market leading businesses, world-class operations and investments in research and development, we offer capabilities and opportunity no one else can. Together, we push the boundaries of known science and find new ways to connect and protect our world.

Join a small, high‑impact team in Collins Aerospace’s Applied Research & Technology organization developing resilient connectivity and command and control technologies for next generation aerospace and defense systems. As a P6 Software Engineer, you will be on the cutting edge of Artificial Intelligence, bringing emerging and innovative solutions out of the lab and into our products in the field.

Collins Aerospace, an RTX business, is a leader in technologically advanced and intelligent solutions for the global aerospace and defense industry. Applied Research & Technology is Collins’ startup‑style innovation engine. Small, focused teams explore, prototype, and demonstrate new technologies for next‑generation aerospace and defense systems. You get the freedom to experiment and move fast, with access to world‑class labs, data, and the product teams that can field what you build.

The Defense Technologies segment turns emerging concepts into mission‑ready capabilities for contested environments. We build resilient communications and navigation solutions, secure and cyber‑resilient avionics, advanced sensing, and autonomous technologies for warfighters. You work close to real missions, with clear paths to prove ideas in the lab, at the range, and on platforms.

Why You’ll Love Working Here: 

• Develop technology rapidly on small teams that operate like a startup, backed by the labs, resources, and flight heritage of a major aerospace company. 
• Innovate end‑to‑end: from whiteboard concepts to prototypes, demos, and product transition.
• Work on hard, open‑ended problems at the intersection of embedded systems, command and control, RF, AI/ML, advanced networking
• Collaborate with sharp engineers and researchers across Collins, RTX, universities, labs, and innovative small businesses. 
• Help shape where the technology goes next by influencing architectures, roadmaps, proposals, patents, and publications.

What You Will Do: 

• Architect and implement AI software algorithms & pipelines that meet performance, SWaP, cost, reliability, and security targets. 
• Build and evolve software prototypes—in simulations, lab setups, and embedded devices. 
• Design and run experiments, analyze data and use the results to iterate fast on concepts, models, and implementations. 
• Mentor junior software engineers and lead software teams
• Capture architectures, designs, test results, and lessons learned so others can review, reuse, and extend your work. 
• Coordinate with project and program leads to manage technical risk, estimate effort, and communicate progress and tradeoffs. 
• Support integration, test, and demo events—lab, field, or flight—to show capability, collect feedback, and refine designs. 
• Contribute to proposals, white papers, and technical briefings that shape future research and development.

Qualifications You Must Have:

• Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) and minimum 12 years prior relevant experience or an Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 10 years of experience
• Must have or be capable of obtaining a US Department of Defense (DoD) security clearance.  Candidate selected will be subject to a government security investigation/reinstatement and must meet eligibility requirements 
• Ability to work in multidisciplinary teams and explain complex technical ideas clearly to both specialists, non‑specialists, and senior leadership. 
• Experience planning and executing experiments or evaluations and using data to drive design decisions. 
• Experience leading technical projects or being the go‑to engineer for a critical subsystem or technology area.

Qualifications We Prefer:

• Advanced degree in Computer Science / Data Science with research or project work in networking or communications and AI. 
• Experience in applied research or advanced development (roughly TRL 3–6) in aerospace, defense or other safety‑critical or cyber‑physical domains. 
• Evidence of Artificial Intelligence application experience.
• Experience collaborating with external partners such as universities, national labs, small businesses or government sponsors. 
• Evidence of technical leadership and influence—driving multi‑disciplinary efforts, mentoring others, or contributing to patents and publications.

Do you want to be a part of something bigger? A team whose impact stretches across the world, and even beyond? At Collins Aerospace, our Mission Systems team helps civilian, military and government customers complete their most complex missions — whatever and wherever they may be. Our customers depend on us for intelligent and secure communications, missionized systems for specialized aircraft and spacecraft and collaborative space solutions. By joining our team, you’ll have your own critical part to play in ensuring our customer succeeds today while anticipating their needs for tomorrow. Are you up for the challenge? Join our mission today.

What We Offer:

Some of our competitive benefits package includes:   

• 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 you can buy 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  
• Eligible for relocation assistance
• And more!  

Learn More & Apply Now!

*Please ensure the role type (defined below) is appropriate for your needs before applying to this role. 

Onsite: Employees who are working in Onsite roles will work primarily onsite. This includes all production and maintenance employees, as they are essential to the development of our products. 

At Collins, the paths we pave together lead to limitless possibility. And the bonds we form – with our customers and with each other -- propel us all higher, again and again.   

  

Apply now and be part of the team that’s redefining aerospace, every day.   

As part of our commitment to maintaining a secure hiring process, 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.

The salary range for this role is 157,200 USD - 298,800 USD. The salary range provided is a good faith estimate representative of all experience levels. 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.

Hired applicants may be eligible for annual short-term and/or long-term incentive compensation programs depending on the level of the position and whether or not it is covered by a collective-bargaining agreement. Payments under these annual programs are not guaranteed and are dependent upon a variety of factors including, but not limited to, individual performance, business unit performance, and/or the company’s performance.

This role is a U.S.-based role. If the successful candidate resides in a U.S. territory, the appropriate pay structure and benefits will apply.

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, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any other applicable state or federal protected class. RTX provides affirmative action in employment for qualified Individuals with a Disability and Protected Veterans in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act.

Privacy Policy and Terms:

Click on this link to read the Policy and Terms