- 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
Your working location will be fully on-site located in State College, PA. This role requires periodic travel to remote locations.
We are searching for talented and motivated Mechanical Engineers to join the Specialized Hardware and Rapid Prototyping Department (SHARP) of the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State. We are seeking an individual with knowledge across a range of competencies including developing tangible solutions to maintenance and manufacturing problems in a shipyard/depot level environment. ARL has a decades long reputation of excellence and demonstrated history of developing systems and technologies currently used by the US Navy and Industry.
ARL is an authorized DoD SkillBridge partner and welcomes all transitioning military members to apply.
You will:
- Assist or manage concept development and participate in the design analyses of engineering systems independently evaluating, selecting, and applying scientific or engineering procedures and techniques
- Recognize discrepancies/identify problems and related technical issues leading to long term, generic solutions; identify technical approach for solving problems and meeting customer needs
- Perform tasks of a moderate to larger scope and lead specific tasks within the project scope; assemble and collaborate with research team members to work on specific research areas
- Initiate, contribute to, or author/co-author papers, technical proposals, presentations, and reports; present as necessary
- Conduct independent and collaborative research, development, testing, and evaluation activities to solve complex scientific and engineering challenges supporting Department of Defense sponsors and national security missions
- Investigate, evaluate, and apply established and emerging engineering principles, scientific methodologies, and advanced technologies to develop innovative technical solutions
- Plan, perform, and lead analytical studies, modeling and simulation, laboratory experimentation, field testing, and prototype demonstrations to validate engineering concepts and system performance
Additional responsibilities for higher-level position includes:
- Collaborate with and provide technical leadership to other team members to accomplish organizational goals; provide innovative ideas to improve organizational efficiency at group and department levels
- Support research conducted within Unclassified, Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), and Classified environments while safeguarding sensitive technical information and government-furnished data
- Participate in technology transition activities, including system integration, operational demonstrations, customer evaluations, manufacturing support, and field implementation
- Identify technical risks and develop mitigation strategies to improve program execution, system performance, reliability, maintainability, and mission effectiveness
- Initiate and contribute to business development activities through technical concept development, customer engagement, proposal preparation, Independent Research and Development (IRAD) initiatives, and strategic technology planning
- Mentor and provide technical leadership to junior engineers, engineering technologists, engineering support personnel, interns, and students
- Maintain technical expertise through continued professional development, participation in technical working groups, awareness of emerging technologies, and engagement with the defense research community
Required skills/experience areas include:
- Experience collaborating in multi-disciplinary, team-oriented cultures
- Candidates should be inquisitive, proactive, and interested in learning new tools, and technologies
- Past success providing ideas in written form for clear comprehension
- Past success working in an environment where problems are often not initially well-defined
- Designing, installing, and debugging automation and control systems in the field, including upgrading legacy hardware to modern standards
- Past success working both in an office and shop environment fabricating prototype equipment
- Past success safely using large fabrication equipment including lathes, welders, mills, and soldering irons
- Generating formal drawings and three-dimensional models
Preferred skills/experience areas include:
- Professional Engineering license
- Past success leading teams of engineers on various projects
- Solidworks, Siemens, NX, AutoCAD, and Arduino
- Integrating various analog and digital sensing technologies
- Previous Military and classified work
- 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
MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS
If filled as R&D Engineer - Mechanical (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 - Mechanical (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 - Mechanical (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.
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
- No prior relevant work experience for the Professional level
- At least 2 years of relevant experience for the Intermediate Professional level
- At least 5 years of relevant experience for the Advanced Professional level
- Experience collaborating in multidisciplinary, team-oriented environments
- Experience designing, installing, and debugging field automation and control systems
- Experience fabricating prototype equipment in office and shop environments
- Safe use of lathes, welders, mills, and soldering irons
- Experience generating formal drawings and three-dimensional models
- U.S. citizenship
- Eligibility to obtain a government security clearance
- Professional Engineering license
- Experience leading engineering teams
- Experience with SolidWorks, Siemens NX, AutoCAD, and Arduino
- Experience integrating analog and digital sensing technologies
- Previous military or classified work experience
- Current eligibility for Secret-level or higher classified access
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.
