Principal Engineer, Manufacturing Engineering

Date Posted:2026-01-12Country:United States of AmericaLocation:A01: Rockford - Aerospace 4747 Harrison Avenue, Rockford, IL, 61125 USAPosition Role Type:OnsiteU.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. Security Clearance: None/Not RequiredJoining Collins Aerospace isn’t just about finding a job; it’s about embarking on a journey to redefine the future of aerospace technology.As a Manufacturing Engineering Lead, providing direction, coordination, and technical expertise across manufacturing operations without direct people management. You will lead manufacturing engineering activities by partnering closely with production, factory personnel, and the Factory Automation team to ensure seamless transitions from development into production.Your influence will be felt through the processes, tooling, automation, and work instructions that enable safe, efficient, and high-quality manufacturing.In this position, you will drive continuous improvement and automation initiatives, use data-driven problem solving to resolve complex manufacturing challenges, and ensure manufacturing readiness across the product lifecycle. This role is ideal for an experienced manufacturing engineer who enjoys leading through influence, owning technical outcomes, and driving operational excellence in a collaborative production environment.What You Will DoProvide day-to-day mentorship and coordination for Manufacturing Engineering activitiesCollaborate closely with the Factory Automation team to ensure production alignment and seamless transitions from development to manufacturingPartner with production and factory personnel to develop, implement, and sustain lean manufacturing processes and toolsDevelop, maintain, and ensure accuracy of job instruction sheets in accordance with current manufacturing requirementsCreate, review, and maintain manufacturing routings within SoluminaDesign, specify, and procure new or replacement tooling to support production and operational needsLead systematic continuous improvement efforts to reduce manufacturing costs and improve efficiency, quality, and throughputUtilize manufacturing data to identify process issues, perform root cause analysis, and implement corrective and preventive actions, including mistake-proofing solutionsIdentify, evaluate, and lead process improvement and automation projects across manufacturing operationsDrive and ensure achievement of manufacturing readiness levels (MRLs) for all activities supporting product development and production readinessQualifications You Must Have Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) unless prohibited by local laws/regulations and minimum 8 years prior relevant experience or an Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 5 years of experienceQualifications We PreferAbility to lead task planning and executionExperience in mentoringSAP ExperienceExperience in an aerospace or manufacturing environmentWhat We OfferSome 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 And more May be eligible for relocationWe make modern flight possible for millions of travelers and our military every second. Our major product lines are on-board virtually every aircraft flying. Be it keeping passengers safe with our emergency power generation systems or creating a positive in-flight experience through reliable cabin pressure controls and quieter engines, Power & Controls focuses on delivering a best-in-class experience to our customers. We hire the top people in the industry. Their ideas drive our performance, and their integrity keeps our customers happy. Join us as we take flight *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. Regardless of your role type, collaboration and innovation are critical to our business and all employees will have access to digital tools so they can work with colleagues around the world – and access to Collins sites when their work requires in-person meetings. The salary range for this role is 107,500 USD - 204,500 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.