Software Engineer Co-op - Winter/Spring 2027

Date Posted:

2026-09-16

Country:

United States of America

Location:

US-IA-CEDAR RAPIDS-124 ~ 400 Collins Rd NE ~ BLDG 124

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

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

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).

The Intelligent Aerospace Technologies Development Sandbox team within Applied Research & Technology (ART) is seeking a high‑energy, inquisitive, and motivated student co‑op with academic or personal project experience in Artificial Intelligence or Generative AI.

As a co‑op, you will contribute to defining disruptive new development processes for Collins Aerospace, helping enable faster cycle times, lower lifecycle cost, reduced tech debt, and improved reuse across next‑generation avionics systems.

This position is on-site in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

• Support the development, design, and execution of experiments exploring Generative AI for safety‑critical development

• Work collaboratively within the Sandbox environment to investigate new tools, workflows, and prototype solutions

• Apply curiosity and problem‑solving skills to real engineering challenges

• Assist in creating documentation, demos, or prototype integrations related to AI/ML technologies

• Collaborate with engineers across multiple sub‑projects and contribute to technical discussions

Qualifications You Must Have

• Must be pursuing Bachelor's or Advanced degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) and actively enrolled through the completion of the internship/co-op session.

• Must have a minimum of 60 hours of credit by the start of the internship / co-op session.

• Coursework or personal project experience in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, or Generative AI

• Familiarity with Python development and Linux/Unix environments

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

• Ability to communicate clearly and work effectively in a collaborative environment

• Experience experimenting with LLMs, Generative AI models, or AI‑driven tools

• Understanding of basic software engineering concepts (via coursework or projects)

• Exposure to full‑stack concepts or API‑driven development

• Familiarity with frameworks such as LangChain, Haystack, or similar technologies

• Prior RTX internship, co-op, or work experience.

What We Offer

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

• Relocation Eligibility

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.