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

RTX•Cedar Rapids, IA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

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.

Requirements

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.

Nice To Haves

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.

Responsibilities

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.

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 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