Sustainment Information Systems Software Engineer

Penn State University • University Park, PA

79d • $109,300 - $191,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State is seeking an experienced Sustainment Systems Research and Development Engineer to join our Sustainment Information Systems Department. ARL's mission is to deliver innovative engineering and technology solutions in support of the Department of Defense (DoD). In this role, you will leverage your expertise in DevOps, enterprise architectures, digital transformation, and sustainment system software engineering to support applied research in defense applications, with an emphasis on NAVSEA environments and submarine platform support.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering or related discipline; advanced degree preferred
• 7+ years of professional experience in software engineering, DevOps, and enterprise systems development
• Experience deploying solutions in NAVSEA cloud environments
• Experience working with and modernizing current sustainment information systems used by Trident Refit Facilities
• Proven ability to collaborate with DoD stakeholders to define requirements, evaluate solution paths, and deliver technical capabilities
• Demonstrated success driving digital transformation initiatives using cloud-native architectures and CI/CD automation
• Hands-on experience with Kubernetes, Docker, GitLab CI/CD, Helm, and supporting enterprise sustainment platforms
• Background in developing sustainment software solutions for defense applications
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work independently or in multidisciplinary teams

Nice To Haves

• Certifications in Kubernetes, Azure, Scrum, and Security+ (as held by strong candidates)
• Published research or technical documentation in enterprise sustainment or digital engineering

Responsibilities

• Lead and support the design, development, and deployment of advanced sustainment information systems for defense applications
• Define enterprise information system architectures and implement digital transformation best practices to optimize defense sustainment processes
• Prototype and demonstrate enterprise systems architectures leveraging modern cloud-native and DevOps approaches (Kubernetes, Docker, CI/CD pipelines)
• Apply expertise in cloud, container orchestration, and software lifecycle automation to enterprise sustainment challenges
• Investigate and implement emerging technologies to enhance logistics, training, and sustainment systems
• Deliver professional reports and executive-level presentations documenting findings and recommendations
• Contribute to technical proposals, risk assessments, and cost/effort estimates for research initiatives
• Collaborate with government and industry sponsors as well as Penn State faculty on applied research projects
• Mentor junior engineers in software engineering, DevOps practices, and project execution

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Robust retirement plans
• Substantial paid time off including holidays, vacation, and sick time
• Generous 75% tuition discount for employees and eligible spouses and children

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Industry: Educational Services
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree