Principal Mechanical Engineer, Air Vehicle Engineering Lead

Role Overview

We are currently hiring a Principal Mechanical Engineer to join the Precision Control Actuation Systems (PCAS) Department of the Hardware Engineering organization, located in Tucson, AZ. The position supports the Air Vehicle (AV) integrated product team (IPT) within the Strategic Strike SSBU and requires a high level of technical and schedule execution expertise.

• Provide technical leadership and oversight to develop, test, verify, and qualify hardware associated with various control mechanisms and major missile subassemblies within the scope of the Air Vehicle IPT.
• Lead a team of engineers to plan and prioritize all tasking, identify roadblocks, and determine mitigation steps to brief the Office of the Chief Engineer, Program Management, Quality, Finance, and the Customer on critical task status.
• Communicate both to Raytheon leadership and the customer community to provide critical task status, next steps, accomplishments, issues, and assistance needed, while influencing other IPTs to ensure program alignment and efficient teamwork.
• Provide leadership, mentoring, and guidance to a team of engineers within the program.
• Direct and coordinate missile‑level structural qualification testing, including leading a team of multidisciplinary engineers to meet test milestones such as plan generation, test equipment design and procurement, risk‑reduction dry runs, test execution, data review, and report submission.
• Work autonomously, demonstrate expert‑level knowledge within the control mechanism development domain, and assist in developing strategic vision for functional and organizational strategies of the PCAS organization beyond assigned program work.

• Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) and a minimum of 8 years of prior relevant experience; or an advanced degree in a related field with a minimum of 5 years experience.
• Experience in airframe, controls, and/or mechanisms design and/or verification, including electro‑mechanical, spring, and/or pyro‑energetic activated mechanisms.
• Experience with reading and/or applying GD&T to a variety of engineering drawings, including mechanism piece parts and large airframe castings.
• Experience leading a team or projects.
• Ability to obtain Secret Special Access government clearance (required prior to start date).

• Advanced degree in controls or a related engineering field.
• Experience working with complex mechanisms in air‑launched platforms.
• Experience managing cross‑functional teams in a technical capacity.
• Experience leading or supporting complex technical failure investigations.
• CAM certification / PM Level 7 certification.
• Basic knowledge of DOORS, CAMEO, and/or other requirements management tools.
• Experience leading a team through task execution and mechanism design maturity and testing/verification.
• Top Secret Special Access clearance.

Salary range: $107,500 – $204,500 USD. Eligible for medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short‑term and long‑term disability, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, paid time off, holidays, and other standard company benefits.

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.