Software Applications Developer

Overview

A talented, experienced and highly‑motivated Software Developer is needed for the Visualization and Decision Support Division of the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State. The Software Developer will assist in providing customers with state‑of‑the‑art visualization and decision support software‑based solutions.

• Design, develop, test, and deploy scalable software solutions.
• Lead complex software development projects from architecture to delivery.
• Work with data scientists to transition research‑level code into production‑level software applications using sound software development principles.
• Conduct code reviews and provide mentorship to junior developers.
• Identify performance bottlenecks and optimize system efficiency.
• Maintain and improve existing codebases and development practices.
• Ensure software follows modern security and compliance best practices.
• Stay current with emerging technologies and propose their adoption when applicable.
• Execute tasks within an Agile development process.

• Coordinate software engineering related research and development activities between disciplines involving exploration of subject area, definition of scope and selection of problems for investigation and development of novel concepts and approaches.
• Mentor and train employees in the development of software related technical, project, and business development skills.

• Background in database design (SQL and No
  
  SQL).
• Strong knowledge of APIs (RESTful and/or Graph
  
  QL).
• Fluency in Python.
• Fluency in JAVA.
• Fluency in SQL.

• Current eligibility for access to classified information at the Top Secret level or higher and may be subject to a government background investigation to upgrade clearance eligibility, if required.
• Experience with microservices architecture.
• Exposure to AI/ML frameworks or tools (e.g., Tensor Flow, PyTorch).
• Solid experience with CI/CD pipelines and Dev Ops practices.

The working location will be fully on‑site located in either State College, PA or Reston, VA.

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s Degree.

Minimum Experience:

6+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted.

The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $76,700.00 – $. The proposed salary range may be impacted by geographic differential.

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.

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 .