Software Research and Development Engineer
About The Position
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.
Requirements
- 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
- Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science
- Must be a U.S. citizen
Nice To Haves
- 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.
Responsibilities
- 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
Benefits
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
- Robust retirement plans
- Substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time
- Generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
