Principal Electrical Hardware Design Engineer (Onsite)

Date Posted:

2026-01-02

Country:

United States of America

Location:

CA222: 2006 E El Segundo Blvd BldgE04 2006 East El Segundo Boulevard Building E04, El Segundo, CA, 90245 USA

Position Role Type:

Onsite

U.S. Citizen, U.S. Person, or Immigration Status Requirements:

Active and transferable U.S. government issued security clearance is required prior to start date. U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance

Security Clearance:

DoD Clearance: Secret

We are seeking a Principal Electrical Engineer to play a critical technical leadership role within the Resilient Connectivity Products (RCP) Hardware Technologies Department in Mission Systems. In this role, you will help shape and deliver mission-critical communication solutions that enable defense customers to operate in the most demanding environments.

Our team thrives on innovation, collaboration, and solving complex problems that matter. We push boundaries to design resilient, secure, and high-performance hardware that directly supports the Warfighter across Ground, Airborne, and Space applications.

As a Principal Electrical Engineer, you will serve as a hands-on technical authority, leading the design and development of advanced digital hardware used in high-performance communication products critical to our nation’s defense. This is an onsite position located in El Segundo, California.

Successful candidates can expect to be immersed in a fast-paced, highly collaborative, and technically challenging environment where initiative, technical depth, and leadership are valued—and where your contributions will have visible impact.

What You Will Do

• Lead and execute the full circuit card design lifecycle, including requirements capture, schematic design, design documentation, signal integrity analysis, board stack-up definition, routing guidance, layout reviews, test planning, integration, and root cause analysis.
• Design complex digital hardware incorporating FPGAs, processors, DDR memory, and industry-standard interfaces such as Ethernet, I2C, SPI, and UART.
• Develop PWB layout constraints and oversee routing, fabrication, and assembly of sophisticated, high-speed designs.
• Act as a technical authority for high-speed digital designs, applying advanced principles to address signal integrity (SI) and power integrity (PI) challenges and ensure robust, reliable performance.
• Collaborate closely with software, firmware, mechanical, and systems engineers to deliver hardware solutions that meet system-level performance and operational requirements.
• Test and troubleshoot electronic circuitry, including hands-on support of design verification and lab testing for circuit card assemblies.
• Conduct trade studies, select components, and support system architecture discussions as needed.
• Prepare and present technical information to engineering peers, program leadership, management, and customers, including design documentation, specifications, and test plans.
• Mentor engineers and, as needed, lead small teams to successful execution across schedule, budget, and technical objectives.
  
  

What You Will Learn

• Deepen your role as a subject matter expert in high-speed digital circuit design, influencing architecture and design decisions across programs.
• Expand your technical leadership and mentoring impact while shaping solutions for complex, next-generation defense systems
• Build skills and visibility that support continued growth—whether toward greater technical authority, systems influence, or people leadership. We’re growing, and this role grows with you.
  
  

Qualifications You Must Have

• 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 5 years of experience
• Active and transferable U.S. government issued security clearance is required prior to start date. U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance
• Prior experience acting as a hardware technical lead on Digital circuit card developments (including hardware designs with processors, FPGAs, memory, and industry standard interfaces).
• At least 3 years Experience with all aspects of circuit card design from concept through delivery to higher level assemblies as evidenced by successful design completion.
• At least 3 years experience with schematic capture of electrical circuit designs. Includes familiarity with a schematic capture tool (examples may include Mentor Graphics xDxDesigner and/or Xpedition, Altium, Cadence Allegro, EAGLE, KiCAD, etc.) for creation of circuit card designs.
• Hands-on experience testing circuit card assemblies and performing design verification activities.
  
  

Qualifications We Prefer

• Signal integrity (SI) and power integrity (PI) experience with ability to perform pre- and post-layout simulations and analysis to ensure reliable signal transmission and power delivery for high-speed interfaces like PCIe, DDR, and high-speed Ethernet.
• Ability to prepare bids and proposals.
• Project management experience using Earned Value Management System (EVMS). Includes experience performing cost, schedule, and risk management for hardware development projects.
• Experience with Agile for Hardware Development, including planning, tracking, and managing hardware development projects in JIRA is a plus.
• Familiar with the latest technology and trends in the area of high-speed digital design, as well as microprocessor, memory, FPGA and interface protocols.
• Experience with signal integrity and timing analyses for creation of robust circuit card designs.
  
  

What We Offer

Some of our competitive benefits package includes: 

• 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
• This role may be eligible for relocation
•  And more! 
  
  

Do 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.

• Please ensure the role type (defined below) is appropriate for your needs before applying to this role.
  
  

Onsite: 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.

At 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.

Apply now and be part of the team that’s redefining aerospace, every day.

As 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.

The 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.

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