Principal Embedded Software Engineer - Platform and Foundation Software (Onsite)

RTX•Cedar Rapids, IA

8d•$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 is a leader in technologically advanced, intelligent solutions that help redefine the aerospace and defense industry. With a comprehensive portfolio and deep technical expertise, we help customers meet the demands of the global market. Join us and help shape the future of aerospace and defense. Want to lead the development of the embedded platforms that power the next generation of advanced avionics systems? The Advanced Processing Architectures Software organization delivers embedded processing solutions used across a wide range of safety‑critical commercial and military avionics applications. Our team develops, verifies, certifies, and sustains advanced processing and graphics capabilities that uphold the highest standards of reliability and performance. We are seeking a Principal Embedded Platform Software Engineer to lead the development of platform control software for next‑generation processing architectures—including advanced SoCs, MPSoCs, and custom silicon. In this role, you will shape system architecture, guide certification‑aligned development, and drive platform capabilities such as secure boot, system initialization, health monitoring, and hardware bring‑up. You will lead small engineering teams, mentor peers, and provide technical oversight across suppliers, internal partners, and cross‑functional development efforts.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field
Typically 8+ years of embedded software development experience
Strong proficiency in C/C++ and embedded systems architecture
Experience with SoC/MPSoC platform software (experience with ASIC‑based platforms strongly preferred)
Demonstrated experience leading small teams or technical workstreams
Experience with virtual development environments (simulation, emulation, QEMU, FPGA prototypes)
Hands‑on experience with driver development, hardware bring‑up, and system initialization flows
Background in avionics‑related capabilities such as system health monitoring, BIT, redundancy management, or deterministic scheduling
Strong knowledge of secure boot concepts, platform security, and trusted execution fundamentals
Experience working with pipelined build and test environments (CI/CD, automated build/test pipelines)
Solid understanding of register‑level hardware interfaces, interrupts, and reset flows
Strong communication skills and ability to influence cross‑functional teams

Nice To Haves

Experience with Wind River Helix RTOS or similar safety‑critical real‑time operating systems
Experience contributing to or leading avionics certification or safety‑critical development processes
Experience guiding early‑boot or secure startup software development
Experience driving process improvements, workflow automation, or architectural modernization initiatives
Experience coordinating with external suppliers or integrating third‑party bootloaders, BSPs, or RTOS deliverables

Responsibilities

Lead the design and development of embedded platform software for processor control, power management, system health monitoring, and hardware coordination
Architect and integrate secure boot flows, platform security mechanisms, and trusted initialization paths
Develop and guide implementation of low‑level drivers, HAL layers, diagnostics, and bring‑up tools for new processing hardware
Drive early embedded software development using virtual platforms (simulation, emulation, FPGA prototypes) prior to hardware availability
Provide technical leadership and oversight to subcontract suppliers developing bootloaders, BSPs, and secure startup software
Lead integration and validation of RTOS/BSP deliverables, including Wind River Helix components
Collaborate with hardware, systems, and SoC/MPSoC design teams to define hardware–software interfaces and drive architectural decisions
Lead debugging and resolution of complex hardware/software interaction issues across pre‑silicon and post‑silicon phases
Support certification activities by contributing to design documentation, requirements traceability, verification strategies, and safety‑critical artifacts
Drive improvements in software processes, automation, pipelined build/test workflows, and development efficiency
Mentor junior and mid‑level engineers, foster collaboration, and coordinate small team efforts
Identify risks, propose innovative solutions, and influence long‑term platform strategy

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