Rapid Prototyping Project Manager at RTX

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Rapid Prototyping Project Manager

Company: RTX

Location: Tucson, AZ, USA

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Project Management (within Engineering/Fabrication)

Date Posted: 2025-06-12T00:00:00

Experience Level: 5+ years

Remote Status: Onsite

🎨 Role Summary

Oversee and manage the full lifecycle of rapid prototyping projects, from initial estimation and planning through fabrication and final delivery within a fast-paced, high-volume, low-mix manufacturing environment.
Ensure timely and cost-effective project execution by effectively communicating with customers and fabrication teams, negotiating technical requirements, and managing schedules.
Utilize internal shop floor management systems for project documentation, bill of materials creation, and maintaining traceability for key project elements.
Coordinate procurement activities for raw materials, hardware, and machine tools, closely tracking orders and managing supply chain constraints to support fabrication schedules.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title is "Project Manager," the detailed responsibilities indicate a significant focus on the technical aspects of rapid prototyping, fabrication, and manufacturing processes. This role requires a blend of project management skills and a deep understanding of mechanical and electrical fabrication environments, which is crucial for design professionals involved in hardware development or physical product design.

🖼️ Primary Responsibilities

Develop accurate and timely estimates for fabrication tasks, including labor hours, material costs, and lead times, while proactively identifying potential manufacturability issues and necessary tooling.
Effectively communicate and negotiate technical requirements, project scope, and fabrication schedules with both internal customers and the rapid prototyping fabrication teams.
Leverage the internal shop floor management system (RAPID) to establish and maintain project folders, generate bills of materials (BOMs), create shop travelers, and ensure comprehensive traceability of project documentation.
Initiate the quoting and ordering process for essential raw materials, hardware components, and specialized machine tools required for each prototyping project, collaborating closely with the procurement department to monitor receipts and mitigate supply chain constraints.
Actively manage multiple rapid prototyping projects concurrently, meticulously monitoring the progress of each part and project through the various shop processes to ensure adherence to timelines and quality standards.
Conduct thorough final inspections of fabricated parts and completed projects to verify compliance with specifications before initiating project closeout activities.
Collaborate with shop leadership and project customers to proactively manage project priorities, identify and address constraints, and develop effective mitigation strategies for technical challenges, scope creep, and potential schedule delays.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a need for a candidate who is not just a project manager but also possesses a strong understanding of fabrication processes. This blend of skills is critical for bridging the gap between design concepts and physical prototypes, a key area for design professionals in hardware-focused industries. The emphasis on identifying manufacturability issues early is particularly relevant to design for manufacturing (DFM) principles.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: A Bachelor of Science degree in a relevant technical field such such as Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) is typically required, providing a foundational understanding of the principles behind the fabrication processes and project management methodologies used in this role.

Experience: A minimum of five (5) years of practical experience working within a manufacturing or machine shop environment is essential. This experience should include hands-on exposure to fabrication processes, project coordination, and interacting with technical teams. Experience in estimating fabrication tasks and managing project timelines is crucial, and candidates should be prepared to demonstrate this through relevant project examples or a portfolio of completed work.

Required Skills:

Demonstrated experience in estimating fabrication tasks, including accurate assessment of labor hours, material requirements, and lead times.
Proficiency in reading and interpreting complex fabrication drawings, including a solid understanding of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) principles.
A strong understanding of various materials used in rapid prototyping and fabrication, different machining processes, plating techniques, hardware components, and inserts.
Active and transferable U.S. government issued security clearance is a mandatory requirement prior to the start date.

Preferred Skills:

Strong computer skills, including proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), for documentation, analysis, and communication.
Exceptional organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, prioritize tasks effectively, and consistently meet deadlines in a dynamic environment.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, enabling effective collaboration with diverse teams, customers, and stakeholders.
Experience utilizing 3D CAD software for reviewing designs, understanding part geometry, and potentially identifying manufacturability concerns.

📝 Enhancement Note: The combination of a technical degree and significant manufacturing/machine shop experience underscores that this role is not a traditional design role but requires a strong technical background to effectively manage prototyping projects. The emphasis on GD&T and material knowledge directly relates to design for manufacturing considerations, which is a valuable skill for design professionals in this domain.

🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

While not a traditional design portfolio role focused on aesthetic design, candidates should prepare a portfolio or case studies demonstrating their experience managing complex fabrication projects. This should include examples of projects from initiation to completion.
Highlight successful project outcomes, including adherence to schedule and budget, and how fabrication challenges were overcome.
Include documentation that showcases your process for estimating tasks, managing bills of materials, and tracking project progress within a manufacturing environment.
If applicable, include examples of how you utilized 3D CAD software to review designs or identify manufacturability issues.

Process Documentation:

Document examples of your project planning process, including how you define project scope, create schedules, and allocate resources for fabrication tasks.
Provide examples of how you managed communication and negotiation with customers and fabrication teams regarding technical requirements and timelines.
Showcase your methods for tracking material procurement, managing inventory constraints, and ensuring material availability for fabrication projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the focus on project management within a fabrication environment, the "portfolio" here is less about visual design and more about demonstrating successful project execution, technical understanding, and process management. Candidates should frame their experience through the lens of managing the technical aspects of bringing a design to reality through prototyping and fabrication.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: The advertised salary range for this position is 82,000 USD to 164,000 USD per year. This range is presented as a good faith estimate representative of all experience levels. The final offer will be determined by factors including the specific role responsibilities, the candidate's work experience, education, training, key skills, and location. This range aligns with industry standards for project management roles within the defense and aerospace sector, particularly for positions requiring a security clearance and significant technical expertise in manufacturing environments in the Tucson, AZ area.

Benefits:

Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans are offered to support employee health and well-being.
Life Insurance, Short-term Disability, and Long-term Disability coverage provide financial security and support during unforeseen circumstances.
Participation in a 401(k) plan with a company match to support retirement savings goals.
Access to Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) for pre-tax savings on healthcare and dependent care expenses.
Potential for Flexible Work Schedules, depending on the specific role and business needs, to support work-life balance.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) providing confidential support for personal and work-related challenges.
Employee Scholar Program offering educational assistance for continued learning and professional development.
Parental Leave benefits to support new parents.
Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) and company-observed Holidays.

Working Hours: This is a full-time, onsite position, typically involving a standard 40-hour work week. The nature of supporting rapid prototyping operations may require flexibility to address urgent project needs or fabrication timelines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is directly from the job posting and is broad, indicating that experience level and specific qualifications will significantly impact the final offer. The benefits package is comprehensive and standard for a large defense contractor like RTX.

🎯Team & Company Context

🏢 Company & Design Culture

Industry: RTX operates within the Aviation and Aerospace Component Manufacturing industry, a sector characterized by rigorous engineering standards, complex product development cycles, and a strong emphasis on innovation and defense applications. The design and engineering culture within this industry is highly collaborative, often involving cross-functional teams working on cutting-edge technologies.

Company Size: RTX is a very large organization, with over 10,001 employees globally (133,141 on LinkedIn). Working within a large company means established processes, significant resources, and opportunities for collaboration across diverse teams. For a role in a rapid prototyping "Bike Shop," this suggests access to advanced equipment and a structured approach to project execution, potentially offsetting some of the typical agility challenges of a large organization by operating as a more focused internal service.

Founded: While a specific founding date for RTX isn't provided in the LinkedIn data, it is described as bringing "the strength of more than 100 years of experience," indicating a long history through its legacy companies (Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon). This history signifies a deep-rooted culture of engineering excellence and a commitment to defense and aerospace innovation.

Team Structure:

The role is within the Engineering Prototyping and Fabrication department (the "Bike Shop"), which is part of the Systems Integration and Test directorate's Environment Center. This suggests the team is a specialized internal service supporting various engineering teams.
The Rapid Prototyping Project Manager will work closely with the "Front-End team" and "shop leadership," indicating a structured team environment with clear roles for project intake, planning, and execution.
Collaboration with "customers" (internal engineering teams) and "fabrication teams" is central to the role, highlighting a highly collaborative, service-oriented team dynamic.

Methodology:

The "Bike Shop" provides "rapid prototyping, early demonstration, product development support," which implies an agile and iterative approach to bringing concepts to tangible form.
The process involves estimation, planning, fabrication, and inspection, suggesting a structured workflow for managing prototyping requests.
The emphasis on meeting "customer schedule and cost targets in a fast-paced high volume, low mix, dynamic manufacturing environment" points to a methodology focused on efficiency, responsiveness, and quality control.

Company Website: https://www.rtx.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The description of the "Bike Shop" as providing "rapid prototyping, early demonstration, product development support" suggests a culture that values quick iterations and tangible results, which can be appealing to design professionals who enjoy seeing their concepts materialize quickly. The structure within a large defense contractor implies a balance between innovation and adherence to strict quality and security standards.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Design Career Level: This role appears to be positioned at a mid-to-senior level within the engineering/manufacturing support track, requiring a minimum of five years of relevant experience. While not a traditional design role focused on visual or interaction design, it is critical for the successful execution of physical product development, which involves design implementation. The responsibilities suggest a significant degree of autonomy in managing projects and interacting with various stakeholders.

Reporting Structure: The Rapid Prototyping Project Manager reports to "shop leadership" within the Engineering Prototyping and Fabrication department. This indicates a reporting line within the technical/manufacturing support organization, separate from core design teams but integral to their work. Understanding this structure is key for design professionals applying for this role to understand their place within the broader product development ecosystem.

Design Impact: While not directly involved in the initial conceptual design, this role has a significant impact on the realization and validation of designs. By efficiently managing the prototyping process, the Project Manager directly contributes to the speed and quality of product development, enabling designers and engineers to test and refine their concepts rapidly. Success in this role directly influences the feasibility and manufacturability of designs.

Growth Opportunities:

Advancement opportunities likely exist within the Rapid Prototyping and Fabrication department, potentially moving into leadership roles overseeing larger teams or more complex projects.
Developing expertise in advanced manufacturing techniques, materials, and rapid prototyping technologies could open doors to specialist roles or technical leadership positions.
Given the cross-functional nature of the role, there may be opportunities to transition into broader project management roles within the Systems Integration and Test directorate or other engineering departments within RTX.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a design professional, this role offers a unique opportunity to gain deep expertise in the manufacturing and fabrication aspects of product development. This knowledge is highly valuable for designers who want to improve their design-for-manufacturability skills and understand the practical challenges of bringing a physical product to life. It could serve as a stepping stone into roles focused on hardware design, industrial design implementation, or even technical program management within a hardware context.

🌐 Work Environment

Studio Type: This is an onsite position located within a manufacturing facility ("AZ505: 6880 South Tucson Blvd. 6880 South Tucson Boulevard Building B, Tucson, AZ"). The work environment is primarily a machine shop/fabrication setting, focused on the physical creation of prototypes.

Office Location(s): The primary location is Tucson, AZ. Tucson is a major city in Arizona with a significant presence in the defense and aerospace industries. The specific address suggests a dedicated facility for manufacturing and prototyping activities.

Design Workspace Context:

The workspace will be within or closely connected to the rapid prototyping and fabrication shop floor.
Proximity to manufacturing equipment, materials, and technical staff is expected, fostering a hands-on and practical work setting.
Collaboration spaces will likely be geared towards technical discussions, project reviews, and problem-solving related to fabrication challenges.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time and onsite. While the job description mentions potential for flexible work schedules within RTX, the onsite nature of this specific role strongly suggests a standard daily presence at the Tucson facility to oversee and manage fabrication activities.

📝 Enhancement Note: This is a hands-on, technical work environment, distinctly different from a typical design studio focused on digital interfaces or conceptual design. Design professionals applying should be comfortable working in a manufacturing setting and collaborating closely with engineers and technicians focused on physical production.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Design Interview Process:

Initial screening interview to assess basic qualifications, relevant experience in manufacturing/project management, and security clearance status.
Technical interview(s) with members of the Rapid Prototyping and Fabrication team, focusing on your understanding of fabrication processes, GD&T, materials, and estimating techniques. Be prepared to discuss specific examples from your past projects.
Behavioral interview(s) to evaluate your project management style, communication skills, ability to manage multiple tasks, and experience working collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
Potential for a case study or technical challenge related to estimating or managing a hypothetical rapid prototyping project.
Final interview(s) with leadership to assess overall fit with the team culture and the strategic importance of the role within the organization.

Portfolio Review Tips:

Focus your portfolio or presentation materials on demonstrating successful project management and technical oversight within a manufacturing or fabrication context.
Structure case studies around specific rapid prototyping projects you managed, highlighting the initial requirements, estimation process, challenges encountered during fabrication, and how you successfully navigated them to deliver on time and within budget.
Include documentation like project plans, schedules, examples of BOMs you managed, or reports on project progress and outcomes.
If you have experience with 3D CAD software, be prepared to discuss how you used it to understand designs or communicate with fabrication teams.

Challenge Preparation:

Review your experience with estimating labor and material costs for fabrication tasks. Be prepared to walk through your methodology and provide examples of your accuracy.
Brush up on your understanding of GD&T and how it applies to manufacturing drawings.
Prepare to discuss how you manage competing priorities and constraints in a high-volume, fast-paced environment.

ATS Keywords: Project Management, Rapid Prototyping, Fabrication, Manufacturing, Machine Shop, Estimation, Quoting, Shop Floor Management, BOM (Bill of Materials), Shop Travelers, Traceability, Procurement Coordination, Schedule Management, Cost Management, Technical Requirements, Fabrication Drawings, GD&T, Materials, Machining Processes, Plating, Hardware, Inserts, 3D CAD, Microsoft Office Suite, Organizational Skills, Communication Skills, Interpersonal Skills, Security Clearance, US Citizen, Defense Industry, Aerospace, Technical Project Management, Manufacturing Operations, Process Improvement, Supply Chain Coordination, Quality Control.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process and portfolio review will heavily emphasize technical knowledge of fabrication and manufacturing processes, alongside project management capabilities. Design professionals applying must tailor their application materials to highlight relevant experience in bringing physical products to life and managing the complexities of the production process.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Design Tools:

Internal Shop Floor Management System (RAPID): This is a critical internal tool for creating project folders, managing bills of materials, generating shop travelers, and maintaining traceability throughout the fabrication process. Proficiency or the ability to quickly learn such internal systems is essential.
Microsoft Office Suite: Used for documentation (Word), data analysis and tracking (Excel), and presentations (PowerPoint) related to project planning, budgeting, and reporting.
3D CAD Software: While not required for creating designs, experience with 3D CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks, CATIA, Creo, etc.) is preferred for reviewing engineering designs, understanding part geometry, and potentially identifying manufacturability issues.

Collaboration & Handoff:

Internal Communication Platforms: While not explicitly named, expect to use internal email, messaging, and potentially project management platforms for communication with engineering teams, fabrication staff, and procurement.
Documentation Systems: Tools for managing project documentation, specifications, and potentially design revisions.

Research & Testing:

While this role is focused on fabrication management, understanding the purpose of the prototypes (early demonstration, product development support) implies interaction with teams involved in testing and validation. Familiarity with how prototypes are used in testing environments could be beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: The toolset is heavily weighted towards manufacturing management and technical communication rather than creative design software. Design professionals comfortable with the technical aspects of production and using systems for tracking and documentation will be well-suited for this role. Experience with 3D CAD for viewing and understanding designs is a valuable bridge between the design and fabrication worlds.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Design Values:

While not a traditional "design team" with a focus on user experience or visual aesthetics, the rapid prototyping team's values are likely centered around efficiency, accuracy, and responsiveness to internal customer needs.
A strong value is placed on quality control and adherence to specifications, given the defense industry context and the need for reliable prototypes.
Collaboration and effective communication are key values, as the team acts as a service provider to various engineering groups.
Problem-solving and adaptability are likely valued, as the team operates in a "fast-paced high volume, low mix, dynamic manufacturing environment."

Collaboration Style:

The collaboration style is likely highly interactive and cross-functional, requiring close coordination with internal "customers" (engineering teams) to understand their prototyping needs and with the internal fabrication teams to ensure timely and accurate production.
Expect a direct and technical communication style focused on project requirements, fabrication challenges, and schedule adherence.
Collaboration will involve managing expectations, negotiating timelines, and finding solutions to technical roadblocks during the fabrication process.

📝 Enhancement Note: The team culture is driven by the demands of a rapid prototyping environment within a large defense contractor. It prioritizes technical execution, efficiency, and meeting internal customer needs. Design professionals interested in this role should be comfortable with a more engineering-centric, process-driven collaborative style.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Design Challenges:

Managing multiple rapid prototyping projects concurrently with competing priorities and tight deadlines is a significant challenge, requiring strong organizational and time management skills.
Estimating fabrication tasks accurately in a dynamic environment with varying project complexity and material requirements can be challenging, requiring continuous learning and refinement of estimating techniques.
Identifying and mitigating manufacturability issues early in the process requires a deep understanding of various fabrication techniques and their limitations, demanding continuous technical knowledge updates.
Effectively communicating technical challenges and negotiating solutions with both internal customers and fabrication teams requires strong communication and problem-solving skills.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

Opportunities to deepen expertise in advanced rapid prototyping technologies and manufacturing processes, staying at the forefront of fabrication techniques.
Potential for training and development in project management methodologies and tools specific to manufacturing environments.
Exposure to a wide range of engineering projects across different defense and aerospace applications, broadening technical knowledge.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges in this role are primarily related to the operational and technical complexities of managing a high-volume rapid prototyping facility. For design professionals, these challenges represent opportunities to gain invaluable experience in the practicalities of bringing designs to life and understanding the constraints and possibilities of physical production.

💡 Interview Preparation

Design Process Questions:

Be prepared to discuss your experience managing projects in a fast-paced, technical environment. Focus on specific examples where you successfully navigated challenges and delivered projects on time and within budget.
Articulate your approach to estimating fabrication tasks. Provide details on how you assess labor, materials, and lead times, and how you account for potential risks or complexities.
Explain your understanding of GD&T and how you use it when interpreting fabrication drawings. Be ready to discuss how GD&T influences the manufacturing process and quality control.

Company Culture Questions:

Research RTX's values (Trust, Respect, Accountability, Collaboration, Innovation) and be prepared to discuss how your past experiences and work style align with these values.
Discuss your experience working collaboratively with engineering teams and manufacturing staff. Provide examples of how you have effectively communicated technical information and managed expectations across different departments.
Showcase your ability to work effectively in a structured, process-driven environment while also being adaptable to dynamic project needs.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

Structure your presentation around 2-3 key projects that best demonstrate your rapid prototyping project management and fabrication oversight experience.
For each project, clearly articulate the initial scope, the estimation process you followed, the fabrication challenges encountered, the steps you took to resolve them, and the final outcome in terms of schedule, cost, and quality.
Include visual aids such as project timelines, examples of documentation you created (e.g., simplified BOMs or process flows), or photos of the fabricated prototypes (if permissible and not classified).

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should heavily focus on demonstrating technical knowledge related to fabrication and manufacturing, alongside proven project management skills. Emphasize your ability to bridge communication between design/engineering and production teams and your experience navigating the practical realities of bringing physical products from concept to prototype.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this design position:

Submit your application through this link.
Carefully review the job description and tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your specific experience in rapid prototyping, fabrication management, project estimation, and working in a manufacturing environment. Use keywords from the job description, particularly those related to fabrication processes, GD&T, and project management tools.
Prepare a portfolio or presentation that showcases your experience managing rapid prototyping or fabrication projects. Focus on demonstrating your process for estimating, planning, executing, and delivering technical projects on time and within budget. Include case studies that detail the challenges you faced and how you overcame them.
Begin the process of obtaining or confirming your active and transferable U.S. government issued security clearance, as this is a mandatory requirement prior to the start date. Understand the clearance process requirements and timelines.
Research RTX and its role in the defense and aerospace industry, particularly its focus on engineering and innovation. Understand the types of products they develop and how rapid prototyping contributes to their mission.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and design industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

Rapid Prototyping Project Manager