- 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 looking for Research Data Scientist, to join our Geospatial Data Science team in the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State. You will aid our research efforts in this unique problem area that has applications in defense, law enforcement, security, disaster relief, human geography, disaster preparedness, and first response.
ARL is an authorized DoD SkillBridge partner and welcomes all transitioning military members to apply.
You will:
- Lead programs and teams and be part of a highly collaborative environment
- Collaborate with geospatial data analysts to understand and automate workflows and improve human processes to advance the discovery and modeling of associations, trends, patterns and system dynamics
- Support the creation of processes and algorithms to transform traditional GEOINT and open-source data into spatiotemporal information describing places, events, and activities
- Combine full spectrum source data with modeling capabilities that associate real world objects to known signatures and doctrines
- Develop the ability to discover and capture information from geospatial data to better represent the most advanced understanding of world events, systems, and discrete entities
- Apply the scientific method across multiple disciplines to advance data and geospatial sciences and develop data analytics through systematic experimentation
- Support scientific research projects and develop geospatial algorithms while collaborating among diverse domains to further scientific understanding and the use of analytic tools
- Grow in career and capabilities, plan and conduct applied research, provide technical guidance and oversight, lead small-to-medium research efforts, report results, foster trusted relationships with sponsors, and advise on new and evolving technology and techniques
- Engage in research efforts ranging from proof-of-concept through integrated production systems
Required skills/knowledge areas include:
- Relevant work in Data Sciences, Computer Sciences, or Geospatial Sciences
- Work within DoD/IC Analysis or Operational environments
- Ability to design experiments, perform analysis, and design or apply meaningful metrics to measure results
- Adapt and learn new skills, to execute specific research projects, and to meet task deadlines and goals
- Computer programming in one or more of the following: Python, R, Java, C++, or Matlab
- Highly adaptable, creative, lateral thinkers that enjoy a collaborative environment
- Excellent communication skills, be dependable, responsive, curious, collaborative, and have high interpersonal skills
- Active TS/SCI Clearance
Preferred skills/knowledge areas include:
- A Doctorate degree
- Git, GUI development, open source scientific computation, computer vision, modeling, or machine learning tools
- High performance computing
Your working location will be in State College, PA. Questions related to flexible work should be directed to the hiring manager during the interview process.
MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS
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 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 $80,100.00 - $132,204.00.
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 or equivalent combination of education and experience with 3+ years relevant experience
- Active TS/SCI clearance
- U.S. citizenship (must be a U.S. citizen to apply)
- Relevant work in Data Sciences, Computer Sciences, or Geospatial Sciences
- Experience working within DoD/IC analysis or operational environments
- Ability to design experiments, perform analysis, and design or apply metrics to measure results
- Computer programming in one or more of: Python, R, Java, C++, Matlab
- Highly adaptable, creative, collaborative with excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability to grow in capabilities, plan and conduct applied research, and lead small-to-medium research efforts
- Willingness to complete background checks, participate in drug testing, and comply with electronic/physical monitoring requirements
- Doctorate degree
- Git
- GUI development
- Open-source scientific computation
- Computer vision
- Modeling or machine learning tools
- High performance computing
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.
