R&D Engineer: Software Engineer

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, pleaselogin 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 in Reston, VA, but options exist for limited hybrid of on-site/work from home, based on project-dependent ability.  This role requires frequent travel to sponsor locations in the Beltway area and to associate contractor and second party locations within and outside the continental United States.  

Trip lengths may be up to 2 weeks in duration.

We are searching for analytical software engineers to join the Strategic Systems Operation Division within the Information Advantage Office at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State.  This role will focus on software implementation, test, and productization.

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

You will:

Apply your expertise in software to contribute to programs of national or international impact by identifying emerging challenges, research trends, and future opportunities

Ensure technical excellence and on-time completion of all project tasks

Develop and deliver clear updates on program status to Fleet-level personnel at both individual and community meetings

Interact and collaborate regularly with the engineering team, principal investigator, sponsors, and other stakeholders

Embrace ARL’s mission to discover, demonstrate, transition, and educate while contributing as a key member of a multi-disciplinary engineering team Required Skills/Experience areas include:

Proficiency in one or more modern programming languages such as Python, C++, Java, or Rust Ability to design, implement, and maintain high-quality, scalable software solutions across the full development lifecycle

Strong understanding of software development principles, including object-oriented design, modular architecture, and version control

Experience developing, testing, and maintaining software in Linux and/or Windows environments

Working knowledge of modern development tools (Git, CI/CD pipelines, automated testing frameworks)
Knowledge of data structures, algorithms, and performance optimization

Experience with cloud platforms, distributed systems, or container technologies (Docker, Kubernetes)
Ability to produce clear, maintainable, and well-documented code Systematic troubleshooting of operating systems and input-output debugging

Understanding of the network protocol stack

Preferred Skills/Experience areas include:

Prior success collaborating with product owners, researchers, system engineers, and other stakeholders to translate requirements into well-architected technical designs

Success in environments where various forms of communication and organizational skills were crucial to be effective

Demonstrated capacity to balance detail-oriented thinking while maintaining the ability to see the “big picture”Demonstrated experience supporting transitional efforts

Current eligibility for access to classified information at the Secret level or higher and may be subject to a government background…