- 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, please login 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
The Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) at Penn State is seeking an Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Data Science Engineer to join our Research Innovations with Scientists and Engineers (RISE) team.
ICDS works with researchers from more than 70 academic departments from nearly all of Penn State’s academic colleges and campuses, facilitating new collaborations, funding new areas of research, collaborating to overcome computational and data science challenges, building a diverse community of scholars, and providing a robust supercomputer for the Penn State community, called Roar. ICDS seeks to equip researchers with the most cutting-edge computing tools and resources to further their science, and as a part of ICDS, you will be contributing to this goal.
The position will report to the RISE Team Manager.
Work Arrangement: This position requires on-site work at University Park and is not supportive of remote work.
As the RISE AI/ML Engineer, your responsibilities include the following:
Provide technical expertise to university constituents in research, specification, design, development, and implementation of AI/ML/DL solutions, combining disciplinary knowledge and technical expertise.
RISE AI/ML Engineers use their skills in machine learning, deep learning, AI, big data and software application and development to provide these skills to assist researchers in developing solutions for their research projects and grants.
Using a software engineering approach, our AI/ML engineer will formulate and define scope and objectives and detailed specifications for assigned projects; provide guidance or develop program design, coding, testing, debugging, and documentation; advance researchers' goals by providing or enabling scientific data solutions through technical consulting.
Required qualifications and skills include the following:
Applicants must demonstrate knowledge of Linux-based computing, high-performance computing, GPU-enabled environments, distributed or cluster-based systems, and AI infrastructure, along with experience developing or supporting computational platforms, research software, or technical workflows.
Candidates should have professional or research experience applying artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, large language models, predictive analytics, or related methods, including application development in Python and experience with modern AI/ML frameworks such as TensorFlow.
The successful candidate will be able to develop, implement, test, troubleshoot, and optimize AI/ML solutions; automate analytical workflows; investigate complex computational or system issues; work productively with interdisciplinary researchers; and communicate technical information clearly through documentation, consultation, presentations, and user training.
Desired skills and experience include the following:
- Experience applying AI, machine learning, statistical modeling, or predictive analytics in health research, healthcare operations, biomedical data, or other applied research settings is desirable.
- Experience operating, maintaining, upgrading, validating, benchmarking, or optimizing GPU clusters and other AI research infrastructure; working with AI systems; collaborating with hardware, software, cloud, or systems vendors; and establishing deployment, testing, validation, security, or performance-monitoring procedures.
- Experience with large language models, generative AI, multimodal models, AI agents, reinforcement learning, optimization-based machine learning, scientific computing, SQL, R, MATLAB, C/C++, Power BI, or related tools is welcome.
- Candidates who have developed technical documentation, delivered workshops or training, supported researchers directly, or contributed to reproducible and reliable research software are especially encouraged to apply.
Preferred Education:
A PhD in Machine Learning, Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Computer Science, Statistics, Data Science, or a related field is preferred.
Candidates must also have impeccable ethics and integrity with a strong work ethic as well as strong interpersonal and written skills and the ability to work well in a team environment.
Application Instructions: Applications should include a current Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Resume, and a cover letter expressing the candidate’s interest in the role to receive full consideration.
MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS
Bachelor's Degree 1+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted Required Certifications: None
BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES
Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.Penn State does not sponsor or take over sponsorship of a staff employment Visa. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S.
SALARY & BENEFITS
The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $81,312.00 - $122,016.00.
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 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. For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page.
CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS
Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here.
EEO IS THE LAW
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 814-865-1473.
Penn State is committed to and accountable for advancing equity, respect, and belonging. We embrace individual uniqueness, as well as a culture of belonging that supports equity initiatives, leverages the educational and institutional benefits of inclusion in society, and provides opportunities for engagement intended to help all members of the community thrive. We value belonging as a core strength and an essential element of the university’s teaching, research, and service mission.
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Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree and at least 1 year of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
- Knowledge of Linux-based computing, high-performance computing, GPU-enabled environments, distributed or cluster-based systems, and AI infrastructure
- Experience developing or supporting computational platforms, research software, or technical workflows
- Professional or research experience applying artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, large language models, predictive analytics, or related methods
- Application development experience in Python
- Experience with modern AI/ML frameworks such as TensorFlow
- Ability to develop, implement, test, troubleshoot, and optimize AI/ML solutions
- Ability to automate analytical workflows and investigate complex computational or system issues
- Ability to work productively with interdisciplinary researchers and communicate technical information clearly
- PhD in Machine Learning, Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Computer Science, Statistics, Data Science, or a related field
- Experience applying AI, machine learning, statistical modeling, or predictive analytics in health research, healthcare operations, biomedical data, or applied research
- Experience operating, maintaining, upgrading, validating, benchmarking, or optimizing GPU clusters and AI research infrastructure
- Experience with large language models, generative AI, multimodal models, AI agents, reinforcement learning, optimization-based machine learning, scientific computing, SQL, R, MATLAB, C/C++, or Power BI
- Experience developing technical documentation, delivering workshops or training, supporting researchers, or contributing to reproducible research software
Penn State University Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Penn State University and has not been reviewed or approved by Penn State University.
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Retirement Support — Employer contributions to SERS and the TIAA Alternate Plan are described as significant, with supplemental retirement options available. Feedback suggests these choices and contributions create strong long‑term value.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Full‑time employees accrue over 24 sick and vacation days annually, with additional university holidays and a winter break. Feedback suggests this depth of leave supports work–life balance.
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Inclusive Benefits Coverage — A 75% tuition discount extends to employees, spouses, and dependent children up to age 26 across resident instruction, World Campus, and Penn College courses. Feedback suggests this broad eligibility meaningfully enhances total rewards, especially for families.
Penn State University Insights
What We Do
There’s a reason Penn State consistently ranks among the top one percent of the world’s universities. Across 24 campuses, our nearly 88,000 students and 17,000 faculty and staff know the real measure of success goes beyond the classroom—it’s the positive impact made on communities across the world. From access to state-of-the-art resources to interdisciplinary pursuits in collaborative atmospheres, a Penn State degree is more than an education. The experiences and knowledge gained here will form the foundation for the lives our students build. Their contributions to the world begin with a Penn State degree. We Are Penn State.
