Software Engineering Co-op  (Spring/Summer 2027)

Date Posted: 2026-09-29

Country:

United States of America

Location:

US-IA-CEDAR RAPIDS-166 ~ 855 35Th St NE ~ BLDG 166

Position Role Type:

Onsite

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

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

Security Clearance Type:

DoD Clearance: Secret

Security Clearance Status:

Active and existing security clearance required after day 1

Are you ready to explore the world of aerospace and defense? Do you want to learn from and collaborate with some of the greatest minds in the industry? At RTX, our internships, co-ops and full-time careers provide an exceptional foundation to work on complex problems, advance your skills and create a safer, more connected world. Discover opportunities to make a difference at RTX.

What You Will Do

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.

Collins Aerospace is seeking a motivated and innovative Computer or Electrical Engineering student to join our Applied Research and Technology (ART) Microelectronics Technology team. Your work will contribute to the development of cutting-edge defense solutions across Mission Systems, leveraging your skills in the design, implementation, verification, and integration of low-level embedded software hosted on a variety of high-performance processors and system on chips.

Immerse yourself in a full-time, Monday-Friday co-op session, that will run January-August (including the Spring semester; it is expected students will take a semester off from coursework to fully engage with this working mentorship opportunity).

• Design, develop and continuously enhance our customized Linux OS ecosystem and maintain ownership over areas such as build toolchain, kernel, root filesystem, bootloader, device drivers, and board support package (BSP) for a wide variety of hardware boards.
• Contribute to the design, coding, testing, delivery and ongoing support for embedded Linux software systems.
• Participate in root cause analysis and resolution of complex hardware-software issues.
• Prepare software builds for execution in a simulation environment, reference platforms and on the target hardware. Understand and utilize the appropriate Collins Aerospace processes and tools during product development, resulting in increased product quality and improving customer satisfaction.
  

What You Will Learn

• You will work with an experienced team to learn best practices and Collins’ engineering processes for implementing world class embedded solutions.
• You will get to work with cutting edge technologies developed both in house and by external vendors.
• You will learn how embedded Linux and low-level software are used to implement solutions utilized in communications, security, and space-based products.
  

Qualifications You Must Have

• Must be pursuing a Bachelor's or advanced degree in Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science or related Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) major and actively enrolled through the completion of the internship/co-op session.
• Experience as a command line user of Linux
• Experience with embedded C/C++
• Experience with scripting languages (Bash and Python)

Experience may be obtained through on-the-job experience, research, coursework, or projects.

Qualifications We Prefer

• Experience with board bring-up and target hardware integration
• Experience with debugging and root cause investigations using hardware schematics and tools such as logic analyzer and Wireshark
• Experience with version control systems such as GIT and SVN
• Understanding of Agile methodologies and DevSecOps build flows

What We Offer

• Our values drive our actions, behaviors, and performance with a vision for a safer, more connected world. At RTX, we value: Safety, Trust, Respect, Accountability, Collaboration, and Innovation.
• Relocation, if eligible

Learn More & Apply Now!

Please consider the following role type definition as you apply for 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.

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 37,000 USD - 82,000 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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