Internship Vanguard Software Engineer Jobs in Iowa

Date Posted:

2026-08-12

Country:

United States of America

Location:

US-IA-CEDAR RAPIDS-193 ~ 1120 Collins Rd NE ~ BLDG193

Position Role Type:

Onsite

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

U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are authorized to access information under this program/contract.

Security Clearance Type:

None/Not Required

Security Clearance Status:

Not Required

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.

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. 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.

Collins Aerospace’s Flight Controls products have been flying and landing airplanes for over 30 years. Our customer base is a who's who of aircraft manufacturers and they demand systems which satisfy the highest levels of criticality at the lowest cost possible. This dichotomy provides a continuous challenge to our engineering team to employ new technology and methods in developing our complex systems.  We are looking for an early career Software Engineer to join our team in Cedar Rapids, IA and contribute to the development of flight control products for the next generation of business, regional, military, and air-transport fixed and rotary wing platforms. This position represents a great opportunity to apply your software engineering skills to real-time embedded systems with critical safety requirements. 

This is an onsite position based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

What You Will Do:

• You will be a software engineer, applying critical thinking to problems we solve every day and continue the development of our flight control systems and products - included but not limited to flight guidance, auto throttle, autopilot, maintenance, and auto land systems.
• You will be integrated into an agile team, develop software requirements, implement the requirements in code, and test that code per our industry compliant processes. 
• You will solve some of the toughest problems in the avionics world today - designing and certifying the next generation of modern avionics solutions. 

What You Will Learn:

• An engineer joining the Flight Controls Software team will learn how to develop and verify real‑time embedded software that supports critical aircraft functions such as flight guidance, autopilot, autothrottle, maintenance, and autoland.
• They’ll gain hands‑on experience writing and reviewing software requirements, implementing control and signal‑processing algorithms through a mix of hand‑coded C and integrated MATLAB/Simulink‑generated code, and executing requirements‑based testing in a safety‑critical environment. They will also learn how to work within DO‑178B/C certification processes, collaborate closely with systems and hardware teams, and use industry‑standard tools for configuration management and software quality.
• Through this work, they’ll build a strong foundation in creating highly reliable aerospace software for next‑generation aircraft platforms.

Qualifications You Must Have:

• Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) and less than 2 years prior relevant experience
• U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are authorized to access information under this program/contract.
• Experience developing in modern programming languages (e.g. C++; C)
• Experience with object oriented design

Qualifications We Prefer:

• Good working knowledge of data structures and how to efficiently use them to solve problems
• Experience with agile methodologies
• Experience with model based development in Matlab/Simulink
• Experience with or passion for avionics systems
• Experience collaborating in a team environment
• Experience providing primary communication of technical information to management, customers, and other engineering team members

What We Offer:

• 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!  

Learn More & Apply Now!

Avionics delivers advanced cockpit displays, vision systems, and comprehensive digital solutions for global government, commercial and business aviation customers. We provide connectivity and managed data services to ensure safety and seamless communication for passengers, crews, and militaries, from aircraft and airports to air traffic management. Join us in creating solutions that connect the world, one flight at a time. Start your application today.

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.

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 57,200 USD - 108,800 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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