Electrical Research and Development Engineer

The Pennsylvania State University; State College (Centre County); On-site; USD 109,300 - 191,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision benefits

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Tuition discounts

Job summary

The Pennsylvania State University is searching for an Electrical Research and Development Engineer to join the Agile Systems Engineering Department. This role involves developing engineering systems and interfacing with project stakeholders to ensure success. Candidates should have a strong technical background in Electrical or Systems Engineering, excellent communication skills, and the ability to work independently.

The position offers a competitive salary range of $109,300.00 to $191,000.00, along with comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, and retirement plans.

Qualifications

• 14+ years of experience for Senior Professional role.
• 5+ years of experience for Advanced Professional.
• Ability to obtain a government security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Interface with project stakeholders to understand requirements.
• Perform systems engineering activities across DoD lifecycle.
• Travel for stakeholder engagements as needed.

Skills

Technical background in Electrical or Systems Engineering

Excellent communication skills

Experience with electrical circuits

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or Science

Advanced Professional: 5+ years experience

Senior Professional: 14+ years experience

Tools

Oscilloscopes

Function generators

Job description

Position Overview

We are searching for a highly motivated, self‑starting Electrical Research and Development Engineer to join our Agile Systems Engineering Department at the Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State. The ASE Department mission is to support research, design, and application of engineering development methodologies supporting the strategic advancement of warfighter capability at the speed of relevance. Focus is on rapid development of complex engineering systems requiring the integration of cross‑disciplinary solutions and expertise.

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

Responsibilities

• Interface with project stakeholders to understand their requirements and ensure project success
• Work closely with senior engineers and subject matter experts
• Define system control and data architectures
• Perform systems engineering activities spanning typical DoD product development lifecycle
• Travel for stakeholder engagements as needed

Additional Responsibilities for higher level positions

• Indirect supervision and mentorship of other engineers
• Monitoring and tracking of funding and budgets
• Work independently on moderately complex work assignments, review progress, and evaluate results
• Communicate with external audiences for scheduling/coordination
• Communicate with external audiences for business purposes

Required Skills / Experience

• Technical background in Electrical or Systems Engineering
• Previous experience with detailed design and implementation of electrical circuits, software, and firmware
• Excellent communication, writing, and presentation skills

Preferred Skills / Experience

• Controls, simulation, and hardware‑in‑the‑loop test set development and operation
• Hands‑on experience with electrical design, simulation, and test
• Working with standard laboratory test equipment such as oscilloscopes, function generators
• Model Based Systems Engineering training and experience
• Systems engineering fundamentals and project management
• Experience contributing as a team player
• Current eligibility for access to classified information at the Secret level or higher
• May be subject to a government background investigation to upgrade clearance eligibility, if required

Working Location

Full‑on‑site in State College, PA.

Minimum Education, Experience & Certifications

• Senior Professional: Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or Science with 14+ years relevant experience. Certifications: None.
• Advanced Professional: Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or Science with 5+ years relevant experience. Certifications: None.

Background Checks / Clearances

• All positions require successful completion of background check(s) and a U.S. citizenship.
• Ability to obtain a government security clearance; clearance may be upgraded during interview.
• Pre‑employment drug screen required.

Salary & Benefits

The salary range for this position includes $109,300.00 to $191,000.00, subject to geographic differential.

Full‑time employees receive comprehensive benefits: medical, dental, vision, retirement, paid time off, tuition discounts (75% for employees, spouses, children). See Benefits Page for details.

EEO Statement

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.