AI/ML Computer Science Research and Development Engineer

Penn State University; State College (Centre County); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Penn State University’s Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) seeks a highly motivated researcher to join the Comprehensive Software Solutions Department. The role focuses on AI/ML/DL/Generative AI with emphasis on adversarial, safe, and agentic AI.

On-site in State College, PA, with potential travel to remote test sites.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or Science is required.
• 14+ years of relevant experience for the Senior track.
• 5+ years of relevant experience for the Advanced track.

Responsibilities

• Conduct advanced research in AI/ML, software engineering, computational systems, or related fields.
• Develop novel methods, models, and technologies addressing AI challenges for sponsors.
• Communicate results through reports, publications, and presentations to stakeholders.

Skills

ML concepts

Supervised learning

Unsupervised learning

Reinforcement learning

PyTorch

TensorFlow

JAX

Python

NumPy

Pandas

SciPy

Data preprocessing

Feature engineering

Structured data

Unstructured data

Statistics

Probability

Optimization

Linear algebra

CNNs

RNNs

Transformer architectures

GPU training

Reproducible experiments

Documentation

Model integration

Model validation

Benchmarking

Performance tuning

Version control

Testing

Software engineering practices

Communication

Publications

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or Science

Master's or Doctorate in CS/SE/AI/Math

Tools

Docker

Containerization tools

ML pipelines

Job description

POSITION SPECIFICS

We are seeking a highly motivated researcher to join our Comprehensive Software Solutions (CSS) Department at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State. CSS applies a wide variety of software concepts, techniques, and languages to solve challenging problems for ARL's sponsors as well as internally for ARL's needs. The ideal candidate will have a strong record of innovative research and a demonstrated ability to transition concepts into impactful technical capabilities especially with respect to Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Deep Learning (DL) and Generative AI but more specifically in the areas of adversarial, safe, and/or agentic AI.

ARL is an authorized DoD SkillBridge partner and welcomes all transitioning military members to apply.

You will:

• Conduct advanced research in AI/ML, software engineering, computational systems, or related fields
• Develop novel methods, models, and technologies that address emerging challenges with respect to AI relevant to our sponsor base
• Communicate results through technical reports, publications, and presentations to stakeholders, scientists, and/or software engineers both within the laboratory and external sponsors
• Contribute to publications, white papers, technical memos, and/or study plans especially in the field of AI/ML
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to design, prototype, and evaluate mission‑focused solutions
• Perform larger tasks individually or as part of a group, and leading tasks

Required skills/experience areas include:

• Strong foundation in machine learning concepts, including supervised, unsupervised, and reinforcement learning
• Hands‑on development of models using frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, or JAX
• Proficiency in Python and scientific computing libraries (NumPy, Pandas, SciPy)
• Data preprocessing, feature engineering, and working with structured and unstructured datasets
• Solid understanding of statistics, probability, optimization, and linear algebra
• Design and implemention deep neural networks, including CNNs, RNNs, or Transformer-based architectures
• Familiarity with training and evaluating models on GPU-accelerated hardware
• Ability to build reproducible experiments and maintain clear documentation
• Integrating AI/ML models into software systems or prototypes
• Best practices for model validation, benchmarking, and performance tuning
• Strong problem‑solving skills and ability to formulate research questions into practical ML tasks
• Version control, testing, and modern software engineering practices
• Ability to clearly communicate technical concepts to interdisciplinary teams
• Demonstrated track record of research, publications, or impactful project contributions in AI/ML

Preferred skills/experience areas include:

• Master's or Doctorate degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Mathematics or a closely related field
• Explainable AI, trustworthy AI, or robust/adversarial ML
• Background working with large-scale datasets, streaming data, or multimodal sensor data
• Deployment practices (Docker, containerized ML services, ML pipeline tools)
• Applied research environments or mission‑focused systems development
• Current eligibility for access to classified information at the TS/SCI level or higher and may be subject to a government background investigation to upgrade clearance eligibility, if required.

Your working location will be fully on‑site, located in State College, PA. This position may also require periodic travel to remote locations in support of testing. Questions related to flexible work should be directed to the hiring manager during the interview process.

MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS

If filled as R&D Engineer - Software (ARL) - Senior Professional, this position requires:

• Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science
• 14+ years of relevant experience
• Required Certifications: None

If filled as R&D Engineer - Software (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 chall