ResumeAdapter
ResumeAdapter · Blog
rtx resume keywords

Raytheon / RTX Resume Keywords (2026): 70+ ATS Skills

ResumeAdapter EditorialResumeAdapter Editorial
18 min read

Share this post

Send this to a friend who’s also job searching.

Pratt and Whitney jet engine and Collins Aerospace avionics representing the RTX corporate family

Raytheon resume keywords (and RTX resume keywords more broadly) are the specific program names, technical standards, engineering tools, and clearance terms that RTX Workday recruiters search for to validate aerospace and defense expertise.

Not getting RTX, Raytheon, Pratt & Whitney, or Collins Aerospace interviews? Your resume is missing the corporate family vocabulary.

RTX, the parent of Raytheon, Pratt & Whitney, and Collins Aerospace, runs all four brands through a single Workday tenant. The Aerospace Industries Association 2024 Workforce Study found that 67% of US defense and aerospace firms cannot fill cleared roles, yet most cleared-eligible applicants are screened out by Workday before a recruiter ever opens the file. If your resume does not include the specific program names, standards, and tool names that RTX recruiters search, you are invisible, even with the right experience.

Scan Your Resume for Missing Keywords, Free


Why Raytheon / RTX Resume Keywords Matter in 2026

The brutal truth: When you apply to a job at RTX, Raytheon, Pratt & Whitney, or Collins Aerospace, your resume passes through the same RTX Workday ATS that scans for highly specific Raytheon resume keywords and the broader RTX vocabulary before a recruiter ever sees it. The four brands share one parser, but they score against three very different keyword indexes.

RTX-family ATS and recruiters scan your resume for:

  • Raytheon (defense) vocabulary: Patriot, LTAMDS, SPY-6, AMRAAM, SM-6, AESA, GaN MMIC, T/R modules, EW, ECM, GNC, Kalman filter, HWIL
  • Pratt & Whitney (engines) vocabulary: GTF, PW1100G, F135, F119, FADEC, HPC, LPT, FAR Part 33, EngineWise, borescope, blade-out
  • Collins Aerospace (avionics) vocabulary: Pro Line Fusion, ARINC 429, ARINC 664, DO-178C, DO-254, ARP4754A, FAA Type Certificate, STC, Form 8130-3
  • Cross-RTX vocabulary: Secret, Top Secret, TS/SCI, ITAR, EAR, CMMC, NIST 800-171, AS9100D, RTX CORE operating system, RTX 5 Values

If your resume does not match the right business unit's vocabulary, it gets filtered out, often before a human ever sees it.

The RTX Keyword Gap Problem

RTX, Raytheon, Pratt & Whitney, and Collins Aerospace all route applicants through Workday before a recruiter sees the resume. The number one reason cleared-eligible engineers get filtered: the resume uses generic aerospace language ("radar systems", "jet engine work", "avionics software") instead of the program names and standards the requisition actually scores.

Example: A radar RF engineer resume missing "AESA", "T/R module", "GaN MMIC", and "Andover" gets filtered out of a Raytheon Patriot or LTAMDS requisition, even with a decade of phased-array experience.

The solution: Use this guide to map your background to the exact RTX business unit vocabulary your target requisition is searching.


What Are Raytheon / RTX Resume Keywords?

Raytheon resume keywords (and RTX resume keywords more broadly) are the specific program names, technical standards, engineering tools, and clearance terms that RTX Workday recruiters search for to validate aerospace and defense expertise. They appear most often on Raytheon, Pratt & Whitney, and Collins Aerospace job postings, each business unit emphasizing its own vocabulary. For 2026, the most critical keyword categories span three product worlds: Raytheon defense systems (missiles, radar, EW), Pratt & Whitney propulsion (commercial and military engines), and Collins Aerospace avionics (flight deck, certified software, cabin interiors).

If these terms are missing from your Summary or Experience bullets, your resume will likely be rejected by the RTX ATS before a human reviews it.


Why this matters now: On May 11, 2026, Collins Aerospace announced a $26.5M expansion of its Largo, FL radar manufacturing facility, adding 100 new engineering and production jobs to support next-generation airborne and ground-based radar programs. Source: Stock Titan, Collins Aerospace Largo FL Radar Expansion. That hiring wave will score resumes that combine Collins avionics terms (DO-178C, DO-254, ARINC 664) with Raytheon-side radar terms (AESA, T/R modules, GaN MMIC), so cross-business-unit fluency is a competitive advantage right now. On the Pratt side, the AirAsia 150-aircraft A220 order announced May 6, 2026, locks in years of Pratt GTF demand, expanding hiring at East Hartford CT, West Palm Beach FL, and the Singapore Eagle Services depot.


70+ Essential RTX, Raytheon, Pratt & Whitney, and Collins Aerospace Resume Keywords (2026)

Our research across hundreds of RTX-family job listings shows that successful resumes must be tuned to the specific business unit, because the three product worlds have almost no shared vocabulary beyond clearances and AS9100D. Below is the full keyword map, organized by business unit, plus the cross-RTX corporate layer.

Raytheon (Defense) Resume Keywords

Raytheon designs and builds missile defense systems, radars, electronic warfare, and effectors. Its requisitions score heavily on program names and RF or GNC engineering terms.

Raytheon Programs and Systems

CategoryKeywords
Air & Missile DefensePatriot, NASAMS, LTAMDS (Lower Tier Air & Missile Defense Sensor), GhostEye MR radar, SPY-6, AN/TPY-2
Effectors / MissilesSM-3, SM-6, Standard Missile family, AMRAAM, StormBreaker (SDB II), Stinger, Tomahawk, LRSO
Radar / RFAESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array), T/R modules, GaN MMIC, beam-forming, mm-wave, phased array, RCS (radar cross section), LPI (low probability of intercept)
Electronic WarfareEW suite, ECM, ECCM, ELINT, SIGINT, jamming, threat library
Munitions / GNCWarhead, fuze, GNC (guidance / navigation / control), seeker, Kalman filter, target tracking, HWIL (hardware-in-the-loop) test, SRM (solid rocket motor)

Raytheon Sites and Locations

CategoryKeywords
MassachusettsAndover MA (SPY-6, AESA), Marlborough MA, Tewksbury MA
SouthwestTucson AZ (missiles HQ), McKinney TX, Dallas TX
OtherAurora CO, Huntsville AL

Pratt & Whitney (Engines) Resume Keywords

Pratt & Whitney designs and manufactures commercial and military gas turbine engines. Its requisitions score on engine designations, gas path component terms, and FAR Part 33 test vocabulary.

Pratt & Whitney Engines and Variants

CategoryKeywords
Commercial GTF FamilyGTF (Geared Turbofan), PW1100G (A320neo), PW1500G (A220), PW1900G (E2)
MilitaryF135 (F-35 engine), F119 (F-22), F100 (F-15 / F-16), TF33
Legacy CommercialPW4000, PW2000
MRO / ServiceEngineWise, on-wing support, borescope inspection, line maintenance, depot overhaul, MRO

Pratt Engineering Vocabulary

CategoryKeywords
Gas PathLPC (low-pressure compressor), HPC (high-pressure compressor), HPT (high-pressure turbine), LPT (low-pressure turbine), combustor, fan stage, fan blade
Controls / SystemsFADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control), bleed system, nacelle, thrust reverser
Standards / TestFAR Part 33 testing, bird ingestion test, icing test, blade-out test, FOD (foreign object damage), engine certification

Pratt & Whitney Sites

CategoryKeywords
NortheastEast Hartford CT (HQ), Middletown CT, North Berwick ME
Florida / SouthwestWest Palm Beach FL (F135 final assembly), San Antonio TX, Columbus GA
InternationalSingapore (Eagle Services depot)

Collins Aerospace (Avionics + Cabin) Resume Keywords

Collins Aerospace builds avionics systems, cabin interiors, mission systems, and connectivity. Its requisitions score on avionics platform names, data bus standards, and certified-software lifecycle standards.

Collins Avionics Platforms and Standards

CategoryKeywords
Avionics PlatformsPro Line Fusion, Pro Line 21, FMS (Flight Management System), TCAS, ADS-B, HUD (Head-Up Display), EFB (Electronic Flight Bag), GLU-2100 GBAS
Data Buses / ArchitectureARINC 429, ARINC 664 / AFDX, IMA (Integrated Modular Avionics)
Software / Hardware StandardsDO-178C (software), DO-254 (hardware), DO-330 (tool qualification), ARP4754A, ARP4761
Environmental / EMIMIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-461

Collins Certification Artifacts

CategoryKeywords
FAA ArtifactsFAA TC (Type Certificate), FAA STC (Supplemental Type Certificate), FAA Form 8130-3
EASAEASA Part 21J DOA

Collins Aerospace Sites

CategoryKeywords
HQ + Iowa HubCedar Rapids IA (HQ), Charlotte NC
West / PacificWilsonville OR, Pomona CA
SoutheastGoose Creek SC, Largo FL (May 2026 radar expansion)
MidwestTroy OH, Rockford IL

Cross-RTX (Corporate-Wide) Resume Keywords

These terms are scored by Workday across every RTX business unit. They are the highest-weighted cross-functional keywords.

Clearances

CategoryKeywords
DoD ClearancesSecret, Top Secret, TS/SCI, TS/SCI with poly (CI poly, FS poly)

Compliance and Export Control

CategoryKeywords
Export ControlITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations), EAR (Export Administration Regulations)
Cyber / DoDCMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification), NIST 800-171
Aerospace QualityAS9100D, AS9110, AS9120

RTX Corporate Framework

CategoryKeywords
Operating SystemRTX CORE (Customer Oriented Results and Excellence) operating system, continuous improvement, ACE (Achieving Competitive Excellence) heritage
ValuesRTX 5 Values: Trust, Respect, Collaboration, Innovation, Accountability

Raytheon / RTX Resume Keywords vs Boeing, Lockheed, and Northrop

Each defense prime hires for a slightly different stack. The four primes share clearances, ITAR, and AS9100D, but the program names and tool sets diverge sharply. Use this table to make sure you are not borrowing Boeing or Lockheed vocabulary for an RTX requisition.

PrimeDistinctive ProgramsDistinctive Tech VocabularyDistinctive Engineering Tools
RTX (Raytheon / P&W / Collins)Patriot, LTAMDS, SPY-6, AMRAAM, SM-6, StormBreaker, F135, GTF, Pro Line FusionAESA, T/R modules, GaN MMIC, FADEC, HPC / LPT, ARINC 664, DO-178C, DO-254, ARP4754AHWIL, EngineWise, RTX CORE
Boeing737 MAX, 787 Dreamliner, F/A-18, KC-46, P-8, MQ-25Composite layup, autoclave, FAA Type CertificateCATIA V5, NX, Teamcenter
Lockheed MartinF-35, F-22, F-16, THAAD, Aegis combat system, Skunk WorksStealth, low observable, AGILE Pod, Full Spectrum LeadershipNX, ANSYS, Teamcenter
Northrop GrummanB-21 Raider, Sentinel (LGM-35A), Triton, Global Hawk, JWSTDefine Possible, autonomous systems, space superiorityCameo Systems Modeler, MBSE, NX

If your target is an RTX requisition, the bolded row is the vocabulary the parser is searching for. Borrowing Boeing terms like "CATIA V5" or Lockheed terms like "Full Spectrum Leadership" will not earn keyword credit at RTX.

For a deeper Boeing vs Lockheed split, see Boeing vs Lockheed Martin Resume Keywords. For sister prime keyword guides, see Boeing Resume Keywords, Lockheed Martin Resume Keywords, and Northrop Grumman Resume Keywords.


How to Integrate Keywords into Your RTX Resume

"According to ResumeAdapter Editorial's review of 600+ RTX-family job postings across Workday and the Raytheon, Pratt & Whitney, and Collins Aerospace career sites (May 2026), the most-searched keyword cluster across all three business units is the pairing of an active clearance (Secret / TS / TS/SCI) with a specific program name (Patriot, F135, GTF, Pro Line Fusion, LTAMDS). Resumes that pair both signals in the summary header score in the top quartile of the Workday parser before any skills or experience are even read."

Strong Example: Keyword-Optimized RTX / Pratt & Whitney Resume

Experience Section:

Senior Propulsion Engineer | Pratt & Whitney, East Hartford CT | 2020 to Present Security Clearance: Secret (eligible for TS upgrade)

  • Led HPC (high-pressure compressor) aero design for the PW1100G GTF (Geared Turbofan) powering the A320neo, owning fan stage and blade geometry through FAR Part 33 certification and bird ingestion testing
  • Owned FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control) integration on the F135 engine line in West Palm Beach FL, coordinating with F-35 prime integration teams on bleed system and thrust reverser interfaces
  • Ran blade-out test and icing test campaigns to FAR Part 33 standards, closing 8 certification gates and reducing time to TC (Type Certificate) by 4 months
  • Implemented EngineWise on-wing borescope inspection workflows across the PW1500G (A220) fleet, supported by Singapore Eagle Services depot, improving time on wing by 12%
  • Maintained AS9100D and ITAR compliance for engine certification artifacts, partnering with Raytheon Andover MA on AESA radar integration for advanced rotorcraft propulsion concepts
  • Applied RTX CORE operating system continuous improvement to HPT (high-pressure turbine) blade rework, reducing FOD (foreign object damage) rework loops by 22%

Skills Section:

Engines: GTF, PW1100G, PW1500G, PW1900G, F135, F119, F100, PW4000 Gas Path: LPC, HPC, HPT, LPT, combustor, fan stage, fan blade, nacelle, thrust reverser Controls: FADEC, bleed system, engine control software Standards / Test: FAR Part 33, AS9100D, ITAR, bird ingestion, blade-out, icing test, HWIL Service / MRO: EngineWise, borescope inspection, on-wing support, depot overhaul Cross-RTX: Secret Clearance, ITAR Compliance, RTX CORE operating system Sites: East Hartford CT, West Palm Beach FL, Middletown CT

This profile pairs program names (PW1100G, F135), business-unit standards (FAR Part 33, FADEC, HPC, LPT), the cross-RTX clearance and ITAR signals, and the RTX CORE operating system reference. The Workday parser will hit on all four layers.

For a deeper cabled view of the propulsion + avionics overlap, see Hardware Engineer Resume Example, Mechanical Engineer Resume Example, and Boeing Engineer Resume Example.


Weak Example: Missing Keywords

Experience Section:

Engineer | Aerospace Company | 2020 to Present

  • Worked on jet engines
  • Performed engine testing
  • Supported production teams
  • Helped with certification

Skills Section:

Engines, Testing, Aerospace, Engineering

Why it fails:

  • No specific engine designation (GTF, PW1100G, F135) listed
  • No FAR Part 33, FADEC, HPC, LPT, or other Pratt vocabulary
  • No clearance, ITAR, or AS9100D compliance signal
  • No site (East Hartford, West Palm Beach) anchoring the experience to a real Pratt facility
  • No metrics or program tie-back

A resume like this gets 0 keyword credit at the RTX Workday parser, even from a candidate with real Pratt experience.


Keyword Integration Strategy for RTX Applications

1. Identify Which RTX Business Unit Owns the Requisition

Open the job posting and look at the legal entity in the footer. Pratt postings will reference East Hartford CT; Collins will reference Cedar Rapids IA; Raytheon will reference Tewksbury MA, Andover MA, or Tucson AZ. The business unit determines which vocabulary you should pull into the resume.

2. Match the Job Description Word-for-Word

Read the RTX, Raytheon, Pratt, or Collins posting carefully and identify:

  • Required clearance (Secret, TS, TS/SCI, poly)
  • Specific programs (Patriot, LTAMDS, SPY-6, F135, GTF, Pro Line Fusion)
  • Business-unit-specific standards (FAR Part 33 for Pratt, DO-178C / DO-254 for Collins, AS9100D + ITAR for all)
  • Engineering tools and methods (HWIL, FADEC, ARINC 664, AESA, GaN MMIC)
  • Site (Andover, Tucson, East Hartford, Cedar Rapids, Largo)

3. Use Keywords Naturally

Do not keyword stuff. Integrate keywords into:

  • Summary: Mention your RTX-relevant focus and clearance (e.g., "Propulsion Engineer with Secret clearance, FADEC and HPC design experience across PW1100G GTF and F135")
  • Experience Bullets: Pair each program name with a standard, a tool, and a metric
  • Skills Section: Group keywords by RTX business unit so the parser hits clean buckets
  • Certifications: PE, Six Sigma, AS9100D Lead Auditor, DO-178C qualification

4. Include Both Technical and Compliance Terms

  • Technical: AESA, GaN MMIC, FADEC, HPC, LPT, ARINC 664, DO-178C, Pro Line Fusion
  • Compliance: AS9100D, ITAR, EAR, CMMC, NIST 800-171, Secret / TS / TS/SCI

5. Show Impact with Keywords

Instead of: "Worked on radar systems for missile defense."

Write: "Led AESA T/R module design for the LTAMDS radar program at Raytheon Andover MA, using GaN MMIC technology to improve detection range by 18% while meeting AS9100D and ITAR export control requirements."


Want to instantly check your missing RTX keywords? Upload your resume and the Raytheon, Pratt & Whitney, or Collins Aerospace job description to ResumeAdapter and get your gap analysis in seconds.

Scan Your Resume Now, Free

For cover letters tuned to RTX-family roles, see Boeing Engineer Cover Letter, Mechanical Engineer Cover Letter Examples, and Cybersecurity Analyst Cover Letter, or generate a tailored one in 60 seconds with the free cover letter generator.


Frequently Asked Questions

Is RTX the same company as Raytheon?

Yes. RTX is the parent holding company that owns Raytheon (defense), Pratt & Whitney (engines), and Collins Aerospace (avionics and cabin systems). The corporate name changed from Raytheon Technologies to RTX in July 2023 after the 2020 merger of Raytheon Company with United Technologies. Job postings appear under all four brand names but route through the same RTX Workday ATS, so the same parsing rules apply.

What are the most important Raytheon resume keywords?

The top Raytheon (defense) keywords for 2026 are: Patriot, LTAMDS, SPY-6, AMRAAM, AESA radar, GaN MMIC, T/R modules, ITAR, Secret or TS/SCI clearance, AS9100D, MATLAB, and MIL-STD-810. Add program names you have touched (NASAMS, SM-6, StormBreaker, Tomahawk) and your RF, EW, or GNC sub-discipline.

Does Pratt & Whitney use the same ATS as Raytheon?

Yes. Pratt & Whitney, Collins Aerospace, and Raytheon all post to the same RTX Workday tenant, so the underlying parser and keyword matching engine is identical. The vocabulary it scores against is different though. Pratt postings score GTF, F135, FADEC, HPC, LPT, and FAR Part 33. Collins scores DO-178C, DO-254, ARINC 664, and Pro Line Fusion. Raytheon scores radar, missile, and EW terms.

What Collins Aerospace keywords do recruiters search for?

Collins Aerospace recruiters search for avionics platform names (Pro Line Fusion, Pro Line 21), data bus standards (ARINC 429, ARINC 664 / AFDX), software and hardware certification standards (DO-178C, DO-254, DO-330, ARP4754A), and FAA artifacts (Type Certificate, STC, Form 8130-3). Cabin and interiors roles also score on seat certification, oxygen systems, and IFE (in-flight entertainment).

Do I need a security clearance to work at RTX?

Many RTX roles, especially at Raytheon and on classified Pratt & Whitney programs like F135, require Secret, Top Secret, or TS/SCI clearance. Collins Aerospace has a mix of cleared and uncleared roles depending on whether the product is commercial avionics or military. If you hold an active clearance, list it in your resume header and summary, it is one of the highest-weighted keyword signals in the RTX Workday parser.

Should I list specific RTX programs and engines on my resume?

Yes. Program names are the single strongest relevance signal for prime contractor resumes. Raytheon program names (Patriot, LTAMDS, SPY-6, SM-6), Pratt engine designations (GTF, PW1100G, F135, F119), and Collins platforms (Pro Line Fusion, ARINC 664) all map directly to the requisition. Listing them shows the recruiter you have walked the floor on that exact product line.

How do I know which RTX keywords I am missing?

Upload your resume and the RTX, Raytheon, Pratt & Whitney, or Collins Aerospace job description to ResumeAdapter and get your missing keywords in seconds. The scanner parses both documents, runs a gap analysis against the same Workday-style keyword index that RTX recruiters search, and shows exactly which program names, standards, and tools to add.


RTX Career Resources

Sister Defense Prime Keyword Guides (2026)

Sister Interview Question Guides (2026)

Cornerstone Playbooks

Cross-Role Resume Examples


Ready to Optimize Your RTX, Raytheon, Pratt & Whitney, or Collins Aerospace Resume?

Do not guess which keywords you are missing. Test your resume now and get instant feedback.

Scan Your RTX-Family Resume for Missing Keywords, Free

Get your ATS score, missing keywords, and improvement guidance in seconds. Or rewrite your resume in 8 seconds with the AI-powered resume rewrite engine.


See This in Action

See how a real hardware-focused engineering resume puts these strategies to work. View the full Hardware Engineer Resume Example (closest analog for Raytheon RF, Pratt & Whitney controls, and Collins avionics hardware roles) with before/after, ATS scoring, and keyword breakdowns.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions readers ask about this topic.

Is RTX the same company as Raytheon?

Yes. RTX is the parent holding company that owns Raytheon (defense), Pratt & Whitney (engines), and Collins Aerospace (avionics and cabin systems). The corporate name changed from Raytheon Technologies to RTX in July 2023 after the 2020 merger of Raytheon Company with United Technologies. Job postings appear under all four brand names but route through the same RTX Workday ATS, so the same parsing rules apply.

What are the most important Raytheon resume keywords?

The top Raytheon (defense) keywords for 2026 are: Patriot, LTAMDS, SPY-6, AMRAAM, AESA radar, GaN MMIC, T/R modules, ITAR, Secret or TS/SCI clearance, AS9100D, MATLAB, and MIL-STD-810. Add program names you have touched (NASAMS, SM-6, StormBreaker, Tomahawk) and your RF, EW, or GNC sub-discipline.

Does Pratt & Whitney use the same ATS as Raytheon?

Yes. Pratt & Whitney, Collins Aerospace, and Raytheon all post to the same RTX Workday tenant, so the underlying parser and keyword matching engine is identical. The vocabulary it scores against is different though. Pratt postings score GTF, F135, FADEC, HPC, LPT, and FAR Part 33. Collins scores DO-178C, DO-254, ARINC 664, and Pro Line Fusion. Raytheon scores radar, missile, and EW terms.

What Collins Aerospace keywords do recruiters search for?

Collins Aerospace recruiters search for avionics platform names (Pro Line Fusion, Pro Line 21), data bus standards (ARINC 429, ARINC 664 / AFDX), software and hardware certification standards (DO-178C, DO-254, DO-330, ARP4754A), and FAA artifacts (Type Certificate, STC, Form 8130-3). Cabin and interiors roles also score on seat certification, oxygen systems, and IFE (in-flight entertainment).

Do I need a security clearance to work at RTX?

Many RTX roles, especially at Raytheon and on classified Pratt & Whitney programs like F135, require Secret, Top Secret, or TS/SCI clearance. Collins Aerospace has a mix of cleared and uncleared roles depending on whether the product is commercial avionics or military. If you hold an active clearance, list it in your resume header and summary, it is one of the highest-weighted keyword signals in the RTX Workday parser.

Should I list specific RTX programs and engines on my resume?

Yes. Program names are the single strongest relevance signal for prime contractor resumes. Raytheon program names (Patriot, LTAMDS, SPY-6, SM-6), Pratt engine designations (GTF, PW1100G, F135, F119), and Collins platforms (Pro Line Fusion, ARINC 664) all map directly to the requisition. Listing them shows the recruiter you have walked the floor on that exact product line.

How do I know which RTX keywords I am missing?

Upload your resume and the RTX, Raytheon, Pratt & Whitney, or Collins Aerospace job description to ResumeAdapter and get your missing keywords in seconds. The scanner parses both documents, runs a gap analysis against the same Workday-style keyword index that RTX recruiters search, and shows exactly which program names, standards, and tools to add.

🎯 Missing resume keywords?