Mechanical Systems Engineer — Undersea Prototyping & Testing

Penn State University; Ferguson Township (PA); On-site; USD 47,000 - 103,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

75% tuition discount

Medical, dental, and vision benefits

Generous paid time off

Job summary

Penn State University’s Applied Research Laboratory is seeking a Technical Engineering Specialist, Mechanical (ARL) to support the Manufacturing, Fabrication and Assembly Department in State College, PA, working on electro-mechanical systems for undersea applications.

You will design support, fabrication, assembly, testing, and documentation; coordinate machining, ensure safety, and contribute to experimental setups and field tests in collaboration with engineers and sponsors.

Qualifications

• Proficient with mechanical tools and basic electrical components.
• Able to read engineering drawings and identify parts.
• Detail-oriented with strong documentation and writing skills.

Responsibilities

• Apply mechanical engineering principles to support R&D activities, including design support, layout, fabrication, machining coordination, assembly, integration, and testing of experimental hardware.
• Assist in development and refinement of experimental setups and subsystems to meet sponsor objectives.
• Perform inspection, calibration, testing, and troubleshooting of mechanical systems and subsystems.
• Ensure safe operation of laboratory and field test equipment by following safety protocols and standards.
• Support field test environments, instrumentation integration, and post-test recovery.
• Maintain accurate documentation of designs, configurations, fabrication records, and test results.
• Identify failures; conduct root-cause analysis; implement corrective actions with engineering staff.
• Communicate project status and technical findings to leadership.
• Participate in multidisciplinary teams for planning, system integration, and testing in lab and field.
• Support fabrication and machine shop coordination translating drawings to components.

Skills

Mechanical tools

Attention to detail

Minimal supervision

Engineering drawings

Electrical components

Communication

Technical writing

MS Office

Education

Associate degree in electro-mechanical or mechanical field

Tools

CAD programs

Non-CNC machine shop equipment

Job description

Penn State University’s Applied Research Laboratory is seeking a Technical Engineering Specialist, Mechanical (ARL) to support the Manufacturing, Fabrication and Assembly Department in State College, PA, working on electro-mechanical systems for undersea applications.

You will design support, fabrication, assembly, testing, and documentation; coordinate machining, ensure safety, and contribute to experimental setups and field tests in collaboration with engineers and sponsors.