Principal Software Engineer - Lead DevOps Engineer (Onsite)

Date Posted: 2026-05-21 Country: United States of America Location: US-VA-STERLING-291 22640 Davis Dr DAVIS 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 Type: DoD Clearance: Secret Security Clearance Status: Active and existing security clearance required on day 1 Principal Software Engineer - Lead DevOps Engineer (Onsite) At RTX, the world 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. At RTX, the world 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. This position requires an active US security clearance. Many aspects of the job must be accomplished in a lab environment, so this position requires regular onsite presence. This position is located onsite at our Sterling, VA site. What You Will Do: • Serve as lead DevOps engineer for a team developing new simulation systems - supporting the full lifecycle of product development, from architecture and design, through integration, test, and field support. • Coordinate with Systems, Software, and Cyber teams to develop, mature, and update build processes and deployment environments based on requirements and designs. • Support and develop automation solutions that enable teams to build and deploy code efficiently and consistently. • Take ownership of the program’s release process, establishing consistent and reliable change-management processes for the delivery of artifacts to the customer. • Identify and maintain the program’s software toolchain, ensuring the right tools are available when required. 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 • Strong problem-solving skills to identify issues quickly and develop effective solutions. • Ability to serve as DevOps focal with program leaders, customers, and contributors. • Ability to create implementation plans from requirements and designs. • Experience deploying, configuring, and supporting CI/CD pipelines. • Experience with common software development and management tools such as GitLab, Coverity, and Artifactory. • Familiarity with Docker/Podman containers or Kubernetes orchestration. • Experience with continuous integration for real-time testing and diagnostics within a virtualized environment. Qualifications We Prefer: • Experience with modeling and simulation frameworks. • Understanding of the design, implementation, and deployment of training systems. • Experience developing and working with requirements, including the usage of Jama. • Understanding of standard system engineering design artifacts such as Use Cases and SysML diagrams, including the usage of Cameo. • Understanding of network principles, such as TCP/IP, VLANs, along with practical experience in configuring network devices or virtualized network environments. • Experience with Agile Development Methodologies (e.g. Scrum, SAFe). • Experience working in Linux environments. • Development IDEs such as Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code, or other related. • Certifications: Security (Security+, CISSP, or equivalent); Networking (CCNA or equivalent) • Experience in application development and integration with Cloud (Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, VMware Cloud) infrastructure or services. 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. 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 • Eligible for relocation assistance • And more!  Learn More & Apply Now! • 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 eligibl