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- 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 seeking a Research Computing Software Engineer to join the Visualization and Decision Support Division (VDS) of the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State. You will work within classified research and development and cloud computing (HPC) environments to develop and maintain software solutions to support the computational and data analysis needs of the research community; design, code, test, and optimize software systems that enhance research capabilities and streamline computational workflows. The mission of VDS is to research, develop, and apply technical innovations that provide Decision Advantage to our sponsors through the use of data science, artificial intelligence, simulation, knowledge communication and virtual collaboration technologies. In this role, you will direct a team of engineers and researchers to fulfill this mission.
The position will be located in either State College, PA or Reston, VA and is not eligible for remote work.
ARL is an authorized DoD SkillBridge partner and welcomes all transitioning military members to apply.
You will:
- Develop, deploy, enhance, and maintain software applications and tools to support research computing needs
- Implement efficient algorithms and data structures to handle large datasets and complex computations
- Write clean, well-documented, and maintainable code using modern programming languages
- Integrate software solutions with existing research computing infrastructure, including cloud platforms
- Collaborate with other engineers and researchers to ensure seamless integration and functionality of software tools within the research environment
- Analyze and optimize the performance of software applications, ensuring they meet the high demands of computational research
- Identify and address performance bottlenecks, memory usage issues, and other technical challenges
- Provide technical support and troubleshooting for software issues, assisting researchers in overcoming obstacles
- Create and maintain comprehensive documentation for software tools, including user guides, technical specifications, and troubleshooting procedures
- Stay up to date with advancements in software engineering and computational research technologies
Additional responsibilities of higher level positions include:
- Propose and implement new features, improvements, and updates to enhance the functionality and usability of software tools
- Lead or participate in software development projects, including planning, development, testing, and deployment phases
- Manage project timelines, deliverables, and milestones to ensure successful and timely completion of software initiatives
- May supervise staff members, including hiring, development, and performance management
Required skills and/or experience include:
- Code analysis
- Cross-team collaboration
- Data Analysis
- Presentation Skills
- Programming
- Software architecture
- Software development
- Software testing
- Technology acumen
- Trend analysis
Preferred skills/experience areas include:
- Active or recently active TS/SCI clearance
- A Master's degree in Geography is preferred
Your work location will be fully on-site located in State College, PA or Reston, VA.
MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS
If filled as Scientific Computing Software Specialist (ARL) - Senior Professional, this position requires: Bachelor's Degree 6+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted Required Certifications: None If filled as Scientific Computing Software Specialist (ARL) - Advanced Professional, this position requires: Bachelor's Degree 3+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted 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 $92,100.00 - $174,708.00.
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
- Code analysis
- Cross-team collaboration
- Data Analysis
- Presentation Skills
- Programming
- Software architecture
- Software development
- Software testing
- Technology acumen
- Trend analysis
- Bachelor's degree
- 3+ years relevant experience (or 6+ years if filled as Senior Professional)
- Experience with cloud and HPC computing environments
- U.S. citizenship
- Eligibility to obtain government security clearance
- Successful background check, drug testing, and compliance with monitoring requirements
- On-site work in State College, PA or Reston, VA (no remote)
- Active or recently active TS/SCI clearance
- Master's degree in Geography
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.
