Sustainment Information Systems Software Engineer

Position Overview

Sustainment Systems Research and Development Engineer – Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State. The ARL delivers innovative engineering and technology solutions in support of the Department of Defense (DoD). The engineer will leverage Dev Ops, enterprise architecture, and digital transformation skills.

• Lead and support the design, development, and deployment of advanced sustainment information systems.
• Define enterprise information system architectures and implement digital transformation best practices.
• Prototype and demonstrate enterprise systems architectures using modern cloud‑native and Dev Ops approaches such as Kubernetes, Docker, and CI/CD pipelines.
• Apply cloud, container orchestration, and software lifecycle automation to enterprise sustainment challenges.
• Investigate and implement emerging technologies to enhance logistics, training, and sustainment systems.
• Deliver professional reports and executive‑level presentations documenting findings and recommendations.
• Contribute to technical proposals, risk assessments, and cost/effort estimates for research initiatives.
• Collaborate with government and industry sponsors as well as Penn State faculty on applied research projects.
• Mentor junior engineers in software engineering, Dev Ops practices, and project execution.

• Lead and mentor a team of engineers in the development and implementation of software systems.
• Engage with the sponsor and external collaborators to coordinate the development of complex software systems.

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering or related discipline (advanced degree preferred).
• 7+ years of professional experience in software engineering, Dev Ops, and enterprise systems development.
• Experience deploying solutions in NAVSEA cloud environments.
• Experience working with and modernizing current sustainment information systems used by Trident Refit Facilities.
• Proven ability to collaborate with DoD stakeholders to define requirements, evaluate solution paths, and deliver technical capabilities.
• Demonstrated success driving digital transformation initiatives using cloud‑native architectures and CI/CD automation.
• Hands‑on experience with Kubernetes, Docker, Git Lab CI/CD, Helm, and supporting enterprise sustainment platforms.
• Background in developing sustainment software solutions for defense applications.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work independently or in multidisciplinary teams.
• U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain a government security clearance.
• Successful completion of background checks in accordance with University policies and governmental clearance process.
• Successful completion of a pre‑employment drug screen.

• Certifications in Kubernetes, Azure, Scrum, and Security+.
• Published research or technical documentation in enterprise sustainment or digital engineering.

This position will be fully on‑site located in State College, PA, with periodic travel to remote locations for testing as part of a small research team.

Salary range: $ – $. Salary may be impacted by geographic differential. Employees receive a competitive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, retirement plans, paid time off, and a 75% tuition discount for employees and eligible family members.

All positions require successful completion of background checks and a government security clearance. Candidates must be U.S. citizens. Pre‑employment drug screening is required.

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 .