Senior Systems Engineering - Position, Navigation & Timing; Onsite

Senior Systems Engineer

Join a small, high-impact team in Collins Aerospace's Applied Research & Technology organization focused on pioneering alternative position, navigation, and timing (PNT) solutions for next-generation defense platforms. As a Senior Systems Engineer, you will develop and field innovative PNT technologies designed to operate in contested and GPS-denied environments, turning emerging research into mission-ready capabilities.

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 future aerospace and defense systems. You get the freedom to experiment and move fast, with access to world-class labs, data, and 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.

What You Will Do

• Architect and deliver advanced PNT software and system solutions that balance performance, SWaP, cost, reliability, and security.
• Rapidly develop prototypes across simulations, lab environments, and hardware-in-the-loop setups to evaluate concepts and reduce risk.
• Run experiments and simulations, analyze results, and iterate quickly to mature concepts into robust implementations.
• Capture designs, architectures, and test insights to ensure your work can be reviewed, validated, and extended across teams.
• Work with project and program leads to manage technical risk, align plans, and communicate status and tradeoffs clearly.
• Support lab, field, and flight test activities to demonstrate capability, validate performance, and inform design improvements.
• Contribute to proposals, white papers, and technical briefings that drive future opportunities and research directions.
• Ability to travel up to 15% as required to support project, customer, and business needs.

What You Will Learn

• How to rapidly develop advanced technologies within agile, startup-like teams while leveraging the resources, expertise, and flight heritage of a leading aerospace company.
• How to drive innovation across the full product lifecycle—from concept development and threat analysis to prototyping, demonstration, and transition into operational systems.
• How to solve complex Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) challenges through the integration of embedded software, satellite communications, signal processing, and systems engineering.
• How to collaborate effectively with leading engineers, researchers, academic partners, government laboratories, and innovative small businesses to advance cutting-edge technologies.
• How to influence the future direction of technology through system architecture development, strategic road mapping, proposal efforts, intellectual property creation, and technical publications.

Qualifications You Must Have

• Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) and minimum 5 years prior relevant experience or an Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 3 years of experience
• 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
• Experience with PNT systems or navigation algorithms, including sensor fusion, timing architectures, estimation techniques (e.g., Kalman filtering), inertial navigation integration, or related GNSS technologies.
• Familiarity with GNSS fundamentals and with PNT techniques for resilient or GPS-denied operation, including methods that use RF signals or satellite communications.
• Proficiency in algorithm development and implementation using tools such as MATLAB/Simulink, C/C++, Python, HDL languages, or AI/ML frameworks (e.g., Tensor Flow,…