AI​/ML Computer Science Research and Development Engineer

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.

We are seeking a highly motivated researcher to join our Comprehensive Software Solutions (CSS) Department at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State. CSS applies a wide variety of software concepts, techniques, and languages to solve challenging problems for ARL's sponsors as well as internally for ARL's needs. The ideal candidate will have a strong record of innovative research and a demonstrated ability to transition concepts into impactful technical capabilities especially with respect to Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Deep Learning (DL) and Generative AI but more specifically in the areas of adversarial, safe, and/or agentic AI.

ARL is an authorized DoD Skill Bridge partner and welcomes all transitioning military members to apply.

• Conduct advanced research in AI/ML, software engineering, computational systems, or related fields
• Develop novel methods, models, and technologies that address emerging challenges with respect to AI relevant to our sponsor base
• Communicate results through technical reports, publications, and presentations to stakeholders, scientists, and/or software engineers both within the laboratory and external sponsors
• Contribute to publications, white papers, technical memos, and/or study plans especially in the field of AI/ML
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to design, prototype, and evaluate mission focused solutions
• Perform larger tasks individually or as part of a group, and leading tasks

• Strong foundation in machine learning concepts, including supervised, unsupervised, and reinforcement learning
• Hands-on development of models using frameworks such as PyTorch, Tensor Flow, or JAX
• Proficiency in Python and scientific computing libraries (Num Py, Pandas, Sci Py)
• Data preprocessing, feature engineering, and working with structured and unstructured datasets
• Solid understanding of statistics, probability, optimization, and linear algebra
• Design and implement ion deep neural networks, including CNNs, RNNs, or Transformer-based architectures
• Familiarity with training and evaluating models on GPU-accelerated hardware
• Ability to build reproducible experiments and maintain clear documentation
• Integrating AI/ML models into software systems or prototypes
• Best practices for model validation, benchmarking, and performance tuning
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to formulate research questions into practical ML tasks
• Version control, testing, and modern software engineering practices
• Ability to clearly communicate technical concepts to interdisciplinary teams
• Demonstrated track record of research, publications, or impactful project contributions in AI/ML

• Master's or Doctorate degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Mathematics or a closely related field
• Explainable AI, trustworthy AI, or robust/adversarial ML
• Background working with large-scale datasets, streaming data, or multimodal sensor data
• Deployment practices (Docker, containerized ML services, ML pipeline tools)
• Applied research environments or mission focused systems development
• Current eligibility for access to classified information at the TS/SCI level or higher and may be subject to a government background investigation to upgrade clearance eligibility, if required.

Your working location will be fully on-site, located in State College, PA. This position may also require periodic travel to remote locations in support of testing. Questions related to flexible work should be directed to the hiring manager during the interview process.

If filled as R&D Engineer
- Software (ARL) - Senior Professional, this position requires:

Bachelor's Degree
- Engineering or Science

14+ years of relevant experience

Required

Certifications:

None

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

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.