Senior Signal Processing R&D Engineer (On-Site)

Penn State University; United States; Hybrid; USD 95,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

Penn State University’s Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) seeks analytical engineers in the SSO Division for advanced signal processing and communications system development. This role involves research, design, integration, and testing across DoD-aligned projects and field tests, with travel to various sponsor locations.

The role emphasizes cross-disciplinary collaboration, prototype-to-deployment work, and the ability to translate MATLAB algorithms to near-real-time C++ implementations.

Qualifications

• Advanced understanding of electrical engineering principles related to communications and signal processing.
• Knowledge of beam-forming and ambiguity function processing.
• Familiarity with time-, frequency-, and amplitude/phase-difference of arrival for geolocation.
• Understanding of adaptive signal processing methods (Kalman, Wiener, RMS, LMS).
• DSP techniques for tuning, filtering, and sampling RF signals.
• Experience in SDR IQ data processing and acquisition.
• Software algorithm design and implementation in C/C++, MATLAB, Python.
• Data analysis, statistics, probability, and machine learning applied to IQ signals.
• Sensor design and/or evaluation of sensor data.
• Handling noisy datasets and implementing noise reduction techniques.
• Familiarity with Nyquist sampling theory and signal processing concepts.
• Experience or familiarity with statistical signal processing.
• Field test experience in data evaluation and RF troubleshooting.
• Ability to simulate signal processing block-diagrams and prototype design.
• Converting prototype algorithms from MATLAB to C++ for real-time processing.
• Experience with time or frequency domain datasets.
• Understanding of OSI stack and UDP/TCP/IP protocols.
• Familiarity with 4G/5G cellular, WiFi (802.11), BLE (802.15).
• Troubleshooting experience.

Responsibilities

• Apply signal processing and communications expertise to programs with national or international impact.
• Ensure technical excellence and on-time completion of project tasks.
• Develop and deliver clear program status updates to Fleet-level personnel.
• Interact and collaborate with the engineering team, sponsors, and stakeholders.
• Contribute as a key member of a multi-disciplinary engineering team.

Skills

Signal processing

Kalman filter

LMS

SDR IQ processing

Python

C/C++

MATLAB

Data analysis

Machine learning

Geolocation methods

DSP techniques

Noise reduction

Algorithm design

OSi networking UDP/TCP/IP

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Master's degree in a related field

PhD in a related field

Tools

MATLAB

Python

C/C++

Job description

Penn State University’s Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) seeks analytical engineers in the SSO Division for advanced signal processing and communications system development. This role involves research, design, integration, and testing across DoD-aligned projects and field tests, with travel to various sponsor locations.

The role emphasizes cross-disciplinary collaboration, prototype-to-deployment work, and the ability to translate MATLAB algorithms to near-real-time C++ implementations.