{"id":3445533,"url":"https://alion.io/job/rtx-principal-systems-engineer-athena-control-systems-onsite","title":"Principal Systems Engineer - Athena Control Systems (ONSITE)","company":{"id":1162,"name":"RTX","domain":"rtx.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/raytheon-technologies","size_band":"5000+","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Workday","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":83,"open_postings":493,"ghost_share":0.002,"stale_share":0.671,"repost_share":0.032,"time_to_fill_p50_days":29,"computed_at":"2026-11-06T05:58:05Z"}},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"lead","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Sterling, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":118300,"max":224900,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":224900},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":8,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"C++","optional":false},{"name":"Git","optional":false},{"name":"Jira","optional":false},{"name":"MATLAB","optional":false},{"name":"Path Planning","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-22T00:00:00Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-09-22","last_verified_at":"2026-11-06T06:20:03Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":45,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":45},"description":"Date Posted:\n2026-09-22\n\nCountry:\nUnited States of America\n\nLocation:\nUS-VA-STERLING-291 ~ 22640 Davis Dr ~ DAVIS\n\nPosition Role Type:\nOnsite\n\nU.S. Citizen, U.S. Person, or Immigration Status Requirements:\nThe 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\n\nSecurity Clearance Type:\nDoD Clearance: Secret\n\nSecurity Clearance Status:\nActive and existing security clearance required after day 1Collins Aerospace, an RTX company, 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.\nCollins Aerospace is looking for a Principal Systems Engineer with a passion for engineering and desire to join the Athena Control Systems Team. With a wide variety of Flight Controls, Autopilot, Engine Control, Sensing and Estimation products, the Athena Controls System Team is responsible for architecting, designing, and developing systems that serve manned and unmanned systems for commercial and military customers. As a Principal Systems Engineer on the Athena Control Systems Team, you will be leading the development, certification, and maintenance of systems for safety-critical commercial and military applications. In this role, you'll work with a team of highly motivated world class engineers, ensuring our solutions meet the highest standards of quality and safety.\nYou will be asked to apply your knowledge in the following areas to a variety of products/applications that are relevant to both military and commercial industries:\nSystem dynamics and state estimation (linear/nonlinear, navigation/PNT, cooperative PNT, distributed PNT, inertial sensor modeling, oscillator modeling)\nGuidance (path planning, mission planning, cooperative teaming, tactical maneuvering)\nControl (Fixed Wing, VTOL, HVTOL, Rotorcraft)\nPerception (Classification, Identification, SLAM, Feature tracking, Automatic Target Recognition)\nThis role requires a focus on innovation and strong execution with extensive experience developing, integrating and testing software for safety critical embedded systems.\nThe ideal candidate for this role has an embedded and application software development background, experience using MATLAB or other tools to run software in the loop testing and analyze data, experience running on target hardware in the loops simulations, experience with developing certified safety critical systems and experience with system integration testing on hardware in a lab environment.\nhttps://www.rtx.com/collinsaerospace/what-we-do/industries/military-and-defense/navigation/airborne-products/attitude-and-heading-reference-system/athena-gs111r-uas-autopilot-adahrs-pnt-hub\nWhat You Will Do\nLead and participate in software design, system design and program reviews to ensure team progress against milestones are met and tracking project schedules\nWrite integration and test plans; conduct and lead integration and verification testing to deliver safe high-quality solutions\nLead and manage the engineering bid and planning process for a multi-disciplinary engineering team\nWork on multiple programs simultaneously\nProvide communication and status to relevant stakeholders\nSupport verification and traceability of the system requirements\nSupport peer reviews on test procedures & design documentation\nHelp drive resolution for technical issues through problem-solving and coordination across impacted teams and subject matter experts\nOpportunity to help improve our development processes and tools\nThis position will require up to 15% travel\nSign-on Bonus Eligible\nQualifications You Must Have\nExperience with software development with C/C++, embedded systems and real time operating systems\nExperience with development tool sets, for example, Jira, Subversion/Git/Version Management\nKnowledge and experience with the aerospace or related industry, vehicle control, algorithm development, and experience with development and testing in a lab environment\nTypically 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 5 years of experience\nQualifications We Prefer\nExperience evaluating inertial, air data and magnetometer sensors\nWorking knowledge of the Systems Engineering Discipline\nWorking knowledge and experience with GNSS, DGNSS, RTK and WAAS\nExperience working with Requirements Based Development and Requirements Management Tools\nExperience with embedded communications protocols, antennas and Flight Dynamics for Rotary and Fixed Wing Platforms\nExperience troubleshooting and finding solutions for test equipment and automated test failures\nExperience in developing system level solutions that integrate multiple systems into a single offering\nWhat We Offer\nMedical, dental, and vision insurance\nThree weeks of vacation for newly hired employees\nGenerous 401(k) plan that includes employer matching funds and separate employer retirement contribution, including a Lifetime Income Strategy option\nTuition reimbursement program\nStudent Loan Repayment Program\nLife insurance and disability coverage\nOptional coverages you can buy pet insurance, home and auto insurance, additional life and accident insurance, critical illness insurance, group legal, ID theft protection\nBirth, adoption, parental leave benefits\nCarrot Health to hormonal health, fertility, and family planning\nAdoption Assistance\nAutism Benefit\nEmployee Assistance Plan, including up to 10 free counseling sessions\nHealthy You Incentives, wellness rewards program\nDoctor on Demand, virtual doctor visits\nBright Horizons, child and elder care services\nTeladoc Medical Experts, second opinion program\nThis position is eligible for relocation assistance\nAnd more!\nLearn More & Apply Now!\nDo 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.\n*Please ensure the role type (defined below) is appropriate for your needs before applying to this role.\nONSITE: 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.\nAt 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.\nApply now and be part of the team that’s redefining aerospace, every day.\nEmployee Referral Eligible\nAs 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.\nThe salary range for this role is 118,300 USD - 224,900 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.\nPrivacy Policy and Terms:\nClick on this link to read the Policy and Terms","description_format":"text","description_chars":9775,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":8,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":true,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Flexible schedule","Life insurance","Parental leave","Relocation assistance","Vision insurance"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":true,"industries":["Electrical & Electronic Engineering","Missiles","Air Defense","Avionics & Flight Control"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-29T07:51:29Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":20,"band":"cold","label":"Long shot","p_open":1,"p_active":0.544,"p_room":0.36,"age_days":45,"expected_fill_days":29,"reasons":["conf:2","stale_co","velocity","win:tail","crowd:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-11-06T05:58:05Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":224900,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/rtx-principal-systems-engineer-athena-control-systems-onsite","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/rtx-principal-systems-engineer-athena-control-systems-onsite.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-06T06:40:37Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":11783,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-07T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":1162},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=1162"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Frtx-principal-systems-engineer-athena-control-systems-onsite"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Frtx-principal-systems-engineer-athena-control-systems-onsite"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Frtx-principal-systems-engineer-athena-control-systems-onsite"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/rtx-principal-systems-engineer-athena-control-systems-onsite\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Frtx-principal-systems-engineer-athena-control-systems-onsite"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":3445533}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"rtx.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":3445533},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. Docs: https://alion.io/developers"}}