Prin. Software Test Architect (Contingent)

RTX•Aurora, CO

1d•$107,500 - $204,500•Onsite

About The Position

At RTX, the world's 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. Collins Aerospace, an RTX company, is a leader in technologically advanced and intelligent solutions for the global aerospace and defense industry. Collins Aerospace has the capabilities, comprehensive portfolio, and expertise to solve customers’ toughest challenges and to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving global market. Collins is seeking Engineers to be part of an engineering team for the AF DCGS High Band Mission Applications Software (HBMAS) Sustainment and Development program. Under this effort, RTX Collins personnel will oversee/perform software development and sustainment for cloud-enabled systems that ingest, tag, and audit data sets, while maintaining security, integrity, and availability of data. The team, working with our customers and users, will focus on developing and fielding operationally relevant system capabilities in the most effective and efficient manner. The team will apply best practices across the engineering continuum, with a focus on improved software quality and process efficiency. THIS ROLE IS CONTINGENT: Employment is based on contract award and customer funding This candidate must have an active TS/SCI – Current security clearance. position is an onsite role in Aurora, CO and is contingent on contract award. Travel to customer CONUS & OCONUS sites as required, but no more than 25%. This position is an onsite role in Aurora, CO and is contingent on contract award. Sign-on Bonus Eligible

Requirements

Extensive experience architecting test strategies and automated test frameworks for cloud‑native, microservice‑based applications
Strong proficiency with Kubernetes, container orchestration, and testing distributed systems deployed in modern CI/CD environments
Ability to design scalable, maintainable test solutions aligned with engineering architecture, coding standards, and secure development workflows
Expertise in validating security requirements, enforcing security gates in CI/CD pipelines, and ensuring compliance with DevSecOps best practices
Demonstrated success driving code quality through automated testing, continuous integration, API validation, and contract‑testing patterns
Ability to collaborate closely with software leads, product owners, QA, security, and operations teams to ensure reliable, performant software delivery
Skilled in identifying system‑level defects, diagnosing complex issues, and driving long‑term quality improvements through root‑cause analysis
Proficiency with observability and distributed tracing tools to evaluate system behavior, resiliency, and performance (Prometheus, Grafana, Jaeger, OpenSearch, etc.)
Experience supporting both new feature development and sustainment activities, ensuring test coverage remains aligned with product priorities and architectural direction
Strong understanding of Agile delivery practices, team cadence, and how testing integrates into predictable and iterative workflows
Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) and minimum 8 years prior relevant experience or an Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 6 years of experience.
Active and transferable TS/SCI - Current clearance is required prior to start date
U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance

Nice To Haves

Experience with containerization and orchestration platforms (Docker, Kubernetes, etc.)
Experience architecting test solutions for service meshes (Istio, Linkerd), multi‑cluster deployments, and hybrid cloud environments
Familiarity with Kubernetes‑native testing and policy enforcement tools (Sonobuoy, Kyverno, OPA, Chaos Mesh, LitmusChaos)
Experience supporting Agile teams as a quality coach, helping mature engineering flow, shift‑left testing, and continuous quality practices
Knowledge of performance, scalability, and load‑testing tools for distributed cloud systems (Locust, k6, JMeter)
Strong communication skills to clearly convey system risks, testing strategies, and quality metrics to technical and non‑technical audiences
Relevant certifications (CKA, CKAD, CKS, cloud provider certifications, or equivalent)
Experience collaborating across multiple Agile teams or product lines, especially in scaled frameworks such as SAFe, LeSS, or Scrum@Scale

Responsibilities

Architect, maintain, and optimize automated test frameworks for cloud‑native applications running in Kubernetes environments.
Design and implement automated testing across CI/CD pipelines, including integration, regression, API, contract, performance, and security testing.
Integrate security, resiliency, and quality controls directly into the pipeline to support secure and reliable software delivery.
Collaborate daily with software engineering, DevOps, SRE, security, and product teams to ensure alignment with architecture and product objectives.
Use observability and distributed tracing tools to validate system behavior and diagnose issues within microservices and distributed systems.
Identify systemic quality gaps, lead root‑cause analysis, and drive long‑term improvements in reliability, scalability, and performance.
Support both sustainment and new feature development by ensuring test coverage evolves with changing architecture and requirements.

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