- 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
We are searching for self-motivated, detail-oriented, positive, and quality-conscious Undersea System Analysts to join our Operations Research and Systems Analysis Department at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL), Penn State. If you enjoy breaking down complex technical problems, synthesizing insights from subject-matter experts, and collaborating with decision makers across government and the U.S. Navy, then this is an opportunity for you.
ARL is an authorized DoD SkillBridge partner and welcomes all transitioning military members to apply.
You will:
Lead Small Teams of Engineers – track, develop, and manage the technical performance of 2 – 4 Research and Development (R&D) Engineers
Aggregate Subject Matter Expertise – work with a diverse group of experts, including Navy officers, engineers, scientists, and mathematicians, to understand problems from many perspectives
Shape Direction of Analysis – resolve questions about complex or ill-defined systems and deliver concrete findings and guidance to customers
Perform Concept Assessments – leverage modeling and simulation to evaluate technologies and concepts for current and/or future, next generation undersea systems
Deliver Clear Results – communicate technical findings to community stakeholders and to sponsors within the Department of Defense (DoD) or Intel Community (IC) in honest and compelling ways
Pursue Future Work – promote our identify as a technically competent research center and propose work opportunities to DoD and IC sponsors
Additional responsibilities for the higher-level position include:
Managing larger teams of 3 – 10 people
Providing inputs to strategic planning for the department
Required skills/experience areas include:
Knowledge of computing languages or frameworks for scientific/engineering analysis such as C++, MATLAB, Simulink, R, or Python
Creativity in environments where the problem is not initially well-defined
Demonstrated ability to absorb a broad array of information from scientific and/or mathematical fields
Demonstrated ability to identify relationships between a system and its operational usage - logistics, planning, environmental, and risk factors
Demonstrated ability to express yourself and ideas successfully to others in order to provide understanding
Previous success in providing ideas in written form for clear comprehension to an audience
Previous success with collaborations in a multi-disciplinary, team-oriented culture
Preferred skills/experience areas include:
Undersea systems and the ability to apply this experience to assess new concepts
Modeling and simulation, particularly to resolve questions of interacting systems, applied physics, or mathematics
Demonstrated experience in task management for small teams
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
Your working location will be fully onsite, located in State College, PA. This role requires periodic travel to remote locations.
MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS
If filled as Research and Development Engineer - Simulation and Modeling (ARL) - Senior Professional, this position requires: Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science 14+ years of relevant experience Required Certifications: None If filled as Research and Development Engineer - Simulation and Modeling (ARL) - Advanced Professional, this position requires: Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science 5+ years of relevant experience Required Certifications: None
ARL’s purpose is to research and develop innovative solutions to challenging scientific, engineering, and technology problems in support of the Navy, the Department of Defense (DoD), and the Intel Community (IC).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION on ARL, visit our web site at www.arl.psu.edu
BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES
Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.Notice regarding employment at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL): Employees must be eligible to obtain a government security clearance, participate in the ARL drug testing program, and comply with electronic and physical monitoring requirements applicable to federal contractors. ARL operates in a secure information environment involving Unclassified, Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), and Classified information. Personal electronic devices brought onsite must be registered and may be restricted from certain areas. You must be a U.S. citizen to apply.
SALARY & BENEFITS
The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $121,704.00 - $231,000.00.
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.
Federal Contractors Labor Law Poster
PA State Labor Law Poster
Penn State Policies
Copyright Information
Hotlines
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Science
- 5+ years relevant experience (14+ years if filled as Senior Professional)
- Knowledge of C++, MATLAB, Simulink, R, or Python
- Ability to lead and manage small teams of engineers (track technical performance of 2-4 engineers)
- Creativity and ability to solve ill-defined technical problems
- Ability to synthesize information from diverse scientific/mathematical fields
- Ability to identify system relationships including logistics, planning, environmental, and risk factors
- Strong written and verbal communication; ability to present clear technical findings
- Demonstrated collaboration in multidisciplinary, team-oriented environments
- U.S. citizenship and eligibility to obtain a government security clearance
- Willingness to participate in drug testing and comply with electronic/physical monitoring requirements
- Periodic travel to remote locations
- Modeling and simulation experience for interacting systems, applied physics, or mathematics
- Undersea systems experience and ability to assess new concepts
- Demonstrated experience in task management for small teams
- Current eligibility for access to classified information at Secret level or higher
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
