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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
Your working location will be fully on-site in State College, PA, but options exist for limited hybrid of on-site/work from home, based on project-dependent ability. This role requires frequent travel to sponsor locations in the Beltway area and to contractor and second party locations within and outside the continental United States. Trip lengths may be up to 2 weeks in duration.
We are searching for analytical RF engineers to join the Strategic Systems Operation Division within the Information Advantage Office at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State. This role will collaborate with technical staff to research, design, develop, integrate, and test advanced wireless RF communications systems.
ARL is an authorized DoD SkillBridge partner and welcomes all transitioning military members to apply.
You will:
Apply your expertise in RF to contribute to programs of national or international impact by identifying emerging challenges, research trends, and future opportunities
Ensure technical excellence and on-time completion of all project tasks
Develop and deliver clear updates on program status to Fleet-level personnel at both individual and community meetings
Interact and collaborate regularly with the engineering team, principal investigator, sponsors, and other stakeholders
Embrace ARL’s mission to discover, demonstrate, transition, and educate while contributing as a key member of a multi-disciplinary engineering team
Required Skills/Experience areas include:
Experience in the use and analysis of passive and active RF systems
Experience with troubleshooting, measuring, and designing RF systems
Knowledge in the areas of RF circuit implementation, design, test, and analysis
Experience with electromagnetic and acoustic fundamentals in the areas of Acoustic, VLF, UHF, and microwave frequencies
Agility with link budget theory and RF fundamentals
Facility with conversions from analog to digital domains, or equivalent
Awareness of Nyquist sampling zones and up-down block conversions
Working experience with software radio architectures and RF sensitivity analytics
RF simulation experience in analog and digital domains using tools such as CST, XFdtd, ADS, Genesis, Spice, etc.
Familiarity with breadboard layout and evaluation required in PCB design supporting RF prototype design applications
Knowledge of phased arrays and fundamental electromagnetic theory
Understanding of antenna theory and measurements required for meeting RF systematic requirements
Systematic troubleshooting of operating systems and input-output debugging
Experience in field testing and major exercises supporting prototype transitional efforts
Prior success collaborating with peers from other engineering disciplines to integrate systematic designs and modify RF circuitry to interface with software infrastructure
Preferred Skills/Experience areas include:
Success in environments where various forms of communication and organizational skills were crucial to be effective
Demonstrated capacity to balance detail-oriented thinking while maintaining the ability to see the “big picture”
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 to the TS/SCI level
Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD degree in Electrical Engineering
MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS
If filled as R&D Engineer - Electronics (ARL) - Advanced Professional, this position requires: Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science 5+ years of relevant experience Required Certifications: None If filled as R&D Engineer - Electrical (ARL) - Intermediate Professional, this position requires: Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science 2+ years of relevant experience Required Certifications: None If filled as R&D Engineer - Electrical (ARL) - Professional, this position requires: Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science No prior relevant work experience required 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 Intel Community (IC), and other federal government customers.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION on ARL, visit our website 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 $92,100.00 - $200,808.00.
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.
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Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Science for the Professional level
- No prior relevant work experience required for the Professional level
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Science and 2+ years of relevant experience for the Intermediate Professional level
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Science and 5+ years of relevant experience for the Advanced Professional level
- Experience using and analyzing passive and active RF systems
- Experience troubleshooting, measuring, and designing RF systems
- Knowledge of RF circuit implementation, design, testing, and analysis
- Knowledge of electromagnetic and acoustic fundamentals across acoustic, VLF, UHF, and microwave frequencies
- Knowledge of link budget theory and RF fundamentals
- Experience with analog-to-digital conversion or equivalent
- Knowledge of Nyquist sampling zones and up-down block conversions
- Experience with software radio architectures and RF sensitivity analytics
- RF simulation experience in analog and digital domains
- Familiarity with breadboard layout and PCB design evaluation for RF prototypes
- Knowledge of phased arrays and fundamental electromagnetic theory
- Understanding of antenna theory and measurements
- Experience with operating-system troubleshooting and input-output debugging
- Experience with field testing and major exercises supporting prototype transition
- Experience integrating RF circuitry with software infrastructure and other engineering disciplines
- Strong communication and organizational skills
- Ability to balance detail-oriented analysis with big-picture thinking
- Current eligibility for Secret-level or higher classified access
- Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD degree in Electrical Engineering
- Eligibility to obtain a government security clearance
- U.S. citizenship
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.
