Autonomy Embedded Software Engineer Site; State College

Position: Autonomy Embedded Software Engineer – On‑Site (State College)

We are searching for a motivated and technically strong Embedded Software Engineer to join our Embedded Software Department within the Guidance and Control Technologies Division at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State University. This position supports the development of advanced autonomous undersea systems and contributes directly to national defense research initiatives.

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

You will:

• Design, implement, integrate, and test embedded software supporting autonomous vehicle guidance and control, including sensor monitoring, actuator and motor control, and algorithms for signal processing, detection, classification, tracking, and decision‑making

• Develop and integrate autonomy‑related capabilities such as sensor fusion, perception, and embedded signal‑processing pipelines

• Collaborate within a multidisciplinary team to integrate complete embedded software systems and support hardware‑in‑the‑loop testing and bench‑level validation

• Prepare documentation, technical reports, and presentations

• Support occasional travel to remote test locations as part of a small engineering and research team

Required skills/experience areas include:

• Writing software for an embedded system

• Proficiency in C or C++ for embedded environments

• Effective interpersonal communication skills, demonstrated through previous success in collaborative, multidisciplinary engineering environments

• Ability to clearly convey technical information in presentations, documentation, and design discussions

Preferred skills/experience areas include:

• Embedded communication protocols such as UART, SPI, I2C, CAN, and Ethernet

• Microcontroller programming and low‑level embedded development

• Linux experience

• Scripting with Python or MATLAB

• Autonomy‑related algorithms such as sensor fusion, Kalman filtering, state estimation, or embedded perception/tracking

• Autonomy frameworks (e.g., ROS 2, MOOS‑IvP, JAUS‑based middleware)

• Real‑time embedded systems or RTOS environments

• Hardware‑in‑the‑loop (HIL) environments or lab‑based hardware integration

• Use of AI‑ or LLM‑assisted workflows to improve software development efficiency, code quality, or documentation

• Agile development methods and toolsets such as Atlassian

• Unit testing frameworks

• 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

This position will be fully on‑site in State College, PA. Questions related to flexible work should be directed to the hiring manager during the interview process. This role requires periodic travel to remote locations.

MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS

If filled as Research and Development Engineer - Intermediate Professional, this position requires:

Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science2+ years of relevant experience

Required

Certifications:

None If filled as Research and Development Engineer - Professional, this position requires:

Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science No prior relevant work experience required

Required

Certifications:

None

BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.

All positions at ARL require candidates to possess the ability to obtain a government security clearance; you will be notified during the interview process if this position is subject to a government background investigation. You must be a U.S. citizen to apply. Employment with the ARL will require successful completion of a pre-employment drug screen.

SALARY & BENEFITS

The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $76,700.00 - $.
** THE PROPOSED SALARY RANGE MAY BE IMPACTED BY GEOGRAPHIC DIFFERENTIAL**

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…