Senior Principal Engineer - Foundation Software (Onsite)

Date Posted: 2026-07-08 Country: United States of America Location: US-IA-CEDAR RAPIDS-131 ~ 5450 C Ave NE ~ BLDG 131 Position Role Type: Onsite U.S. Citizen, U.S. Person, or Immigration Status Requirements: This job requires a U.S. Person. A U.S. Person is a lawful permanent resident as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(20) or who is a protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, U.S. permanent residents, or individuals granted refugee or asylee status in the U.S. are considered U.S. persons. For a complete definition of “U.S. Person” go here. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-22/chapter-I/subchapter-M/part-120/subpart-C/section-120.62 Security Clearance Type: None/Not Required Security Clearance Status: Not Required 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. Do you   want to be part of an   innovative, forward thinking, highly motivated engineering design team ?     The Next Generation Processing Foundational Software team is focused on the development of processing solutions that can be applied across a wide variety of Avionics products in safety critical commercial and military applications .   Our team  is responsible for  the development, certification and sustainment of these processing and graphics solutions.   The foundation software team has an opening for a highly   experienced technical leader   responsible for architecting, implementing, and   validating   the platform control unit   software .   This role spans silicon-level initialization, bootloader development, secure boot, trusted execution environments, hardware root of trust, firmware security, and low‑level board bring‑up. It requires cross‑functional leadership with hardware, systems, and software teams.   What You Will Do:   Define the architecture, requirements, and technical roadmap for PCU firmware and low‑level platform software   Lead   a team through   the design and implementation of secure boot, hardware root‑of‑trust, key provisioning, and platform trust mechanisms   Guide bring‑up efforts for the processing platform, including bootloader initialization, BSP development, driver bring‑up, and hardware validation   Provide technical leadership to a team of embedded software, security, and hardware‑interface engineers   Collaborate closely with hardware designers to define processor initialization flows, power management states, and silicon interaction models   Participate in the development and review of   threat modeling, security reviews, and architectural risk assessments for platform boot and control paths   Drive debugging and root‑cause analysis of complex hardware–software interactions   Oversee integration of PCU firmware with system software, OS, and higher‑level platform components   Help to   e stablish   coding standards, design best practices, and documentation for platform and security software   Serve as   a   technical point of contact for internal and external partners   and   vendors   Mentor engineering teams and set technical direction for platform security   Qualifications You Must Have: Knowledge of   secure boot design, bootloader architecture, cryptographic trust models, and hardware security modules   Extensive experience with embedded systems, firmware development, and low‑level platform software   Hands‑on experience with hardware board   bring ‑up, processor initialization, and debugging tools (JTAG, logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, etc.)   Strong   proficiency   in C/C++ and low‑level software development, including register‑level programming   Deep understanding of processor architectures, SoC subsystems, memory interfaces, and hardware abstraction layers   Experience leading engineering teams, providing architectural direction, and driving complex multi‑disciplinary tasks   Strong written and verbal communication skills   Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) and minimum 10 years prior relevant experience or an Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 7 years of experience Qualifications We Prefer: Experience with ARM   TrustZone , TPM, TEE, or equivalent secure processing technologies   Familiarity with Linux kernel, RTOS bring‑up, and U‑Boot or custom bootloaders   Experience with security certification, compliance, or platform hardening methodologies. Background in safety‑critical or mission‑critical embedded systems   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