Software R&D Engineer
Penn State University· Higher Education / Research· Oct 14, 2026 · 12d ago
Penn State University Park
Hybrid
Full-time
Senior
$106K–$201K
5+ years exp
Job description
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process . Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.
CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.
If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click “Apply” and complete the application process for external applicants .
Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants .
POSITION SPECIFICS
Your working location will be fully on-site located in State College, PA. This role requires periodic travel to remote locations.
We are searching for a highly motivated Robotics Engineer to join the Autonomy and Emerging Technology (AET) Department at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State. AET serves as ARL’s innovation hub for developing and evaluating advanced capabilities in the Subsea and Seabed Warfare (SSW) mission space. This role will work at the intersection of autonomy, underwater robotics, and prototype system integration to rapidly transition new technologies to Navy sponsors. Our team is expanding to support SSW mission area.
ARL is an authorized DoD SkillBridge partner and welcomes all transitioning military members to apply.
You will:
Technical: Develop/contribute to system and sub-system software implementation, test/evaluation and deployment of autonomy for UxVs, including adaptive mission behaviors, environmental awareness, distributed autonomy, multi-vehicle coordination, and integration of autonomy with UxV sensors and payloads. Drive advancements in UxV simulation, field testing, and fleet-relevant autonomy capabilities
Team Work: Work within a multidisciplinary team of software/systems engineers working across undersea navigation, endurance optimization, acoustic communications, environmental modeling, and autonomy-enabled CONOPS
Simulation and Test: Work within a team of engineers to develop and test prototype architecture solutions through testing with: software-in-the-loop (SIL); hardware-in-the-loop (HIL); and on-water testing
Collaboration: Interact and collaborate regularly with software team, project lead and other collaborators throughout the lab
Additional responsibilities for higher-level position includes:
Conduct independent and collaborative research, development, testing, and evaluation activities to solve complex scientific and engineering challenges supporting Department of Defense sponsors and national security missions
Investigate, evaluate, and apply established and emerging engineering principles, scientific methodologies, and advanced technologies to develop innovative technical solutions
Plan, perform, and lead analytical studies, modeling and simulation, laboratory experimentation, field testing, and prototype demonstrations to validate engineering concepts and system performance
Design, develop, integrate, analyze, and evaluate complex hardware, software, embedded systems, sensors, communications systems, electromechanical systems, or other mission-critical technologies within assigned technical disciplines
Apply systems engineering principles throughout the project lifecycle, including requirements development, architecture definition, design trade studies, integration, verification, validation, risk management, and configuration management
Develop experimental plans, test procedures, data collection methodologies, and performance metrics; analyze results to identify technical issues, validate assumptions, and recommend design improvements
Required Skills/Experience areas include:
C/C , Python, Java, or similar
Agile software methodologies
DevSecOps - specifically with GitLab and/or Atlassian tools (JIRA, Bitbucket, Confluence)
Design of software using containerization technologies (Open Container Initiative, Docker, K8s/K3s) and micro-service architectures
Test and evaluation of software
Preferred Skills/Experience areas include:
UxV systems, including platforms, mission payloads, launch and recovery, acoustic comms, and energy management
Oceanography, seabed features, and environmental data used for UxV autonomy
Past success supporting Navy missions, operational training, or UxV fleet experimentation
Development or use of UxV simulation frameworks (e.g., platform, payload, or environmental modeling)
Autonomy for unmanned systems including autonomy architectures, behavior frameworks and mission planning for undersea missions, undersea navigation and perception autonomy behaviors, and autonomy standards for UxVs (e.g., MOSA, A-GRA, UMAA, PCX)
UXV simulation, evaluation, and verification environments
Test and evaluation of maritime platforms
Contribute to research in vehicle autonomy, machine learning, autonomous systems simulation/evaluation, undersea sensors, vehicle systems
Previous Navy systems development as related to unmanned systems
Technical experience related to the development of software for autonomous or unmanned systems is highly desired
Advanced degree in Engineer, Computer Science, Software, Machine Learning
Current eligibility for access to classified information at the Secret level or higher and may be subject to a government background investigation to upgrade clearance eligibility, if required
MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS
If filled as R&D Engineer - Software (ARL) - Advanced Professional, this position requires: Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science 5+ years of relevant experience Required Certifications: None If filled as R&D Engineer - Software (ARL) - Intermediate Professional, this position requires: Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science 2+ years of relevant experience Required Certifications: None
ARL’s purpose is to research and develop innovative solutions to challenging scientific, engineering, and technology problems in support of the Navy, the Intel Community (IC), and other federal government customers.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION on ARL, visit our website at www.arl.psu.edu .
BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES
Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.
Notice regarding employment at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL): Employees must be eligible to obtain a government security clearance, participate in the ARL drug testing program, and comply with electronic and physical monitoring requirements applicable to federal contractors. ARL operates in a secure information environment involving Unclassified, Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), and Classified information. Personal electronic devices brought onsite must be registered and may be restricted from certain areas. You must be a U.S. citizen to apply.
SALARY & BENEFITS
The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $105,900.00 - $200,808.00.
Salary Structure - Information on Penn State s salary structure
Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans and substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time. One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children. For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page .
CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS
Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here .
EEO IS THE LAW
Penn State is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473.
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