Embedded Software Engineer

About the role

We are searching for a motivated and technically strong Embedded Software Engineer to join our Embedded Software Department within the Guidance and Control Technologies Division at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State University. This position supports the development of advanced autonomous undersea systems and contributes directly to national defense research initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, integrate, and test embedded software supporting autonomous vehicle guidance and control, including sensor monitoring, actuator and motor control, and algorithms for signal processing, detection, classification, tracking, and decision-making
• Develop and integrate autonomy-related capabilities such as sensor fusion, perception, and embedded signal-processing pipelines
• Collaborate within a multidisciplinary team to integrate complete embedded software systems and support hardware-in-the-loop testing and bench-level validation
• Prepare documentation, technical reports, and presentations
• Support occasional travel to remote test locations as part of a small engineering and research team

Requirements

• Writing software for an embedded system
• Proficiency in C or C++ for embedded environments
• Effective interpersonal communication skills, demonstrated through previous success in collaborative, multidisciplinary engineering environments
• The ability to clearly convey technical information in presentations, documentation, and design discussions

Preferred skills/experience areas

• Embedded communication protocols such as UART, SPI, I2C, CAN, and Ethernet
• Microcontroller programming and low-level embedded development
• Linux experience
• Scripting with Python or MATLAB
• Autonomy-related algorithms such as sensor fusion, Kalman filtering, state estimation, or embedded perception/tracking
• Autonomy frameworks (e.g., ROS 2, MOOS-IvP, JAUS-based middleware)
• Real-time embedded systems or RTOS environments
• Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) environments or lab-based hardware integration
• Use of AI- or LLM-assisted workflows to improve software development efficiency, code quality, or documentation
• Agile development methods and toolsets such as Atlassian
• Unit testing frameworks

Qualifications

• Current eligibility for access to classified information at the Secret level or higher and may be subject to a government background investigation to upgrade clearance eligibility if required
• Minimum Education, Work Experience & Required Certifications

Benefits

• Salary range: $92,100.00 - $174,708.00
• Competitive benefits package including comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, robust retirement plans, substantial paid time off, and a generous 75% tuition discount for employees and eligible spouses and children.

Pay

$92,100.00 - $174,708.00

Schedule

This position will be fully on-site in State College, PA. Questions related to flexible work should be directed to the hiring manager during the interview process. This role requires periodic travel to remote locations.

Background checks/clearances

Employees must be eligible to obtain a government security clearance, participate in the ARL drug testing program, and comply with electronic and physical monitoring requirements applicable to federal contractors.

Equal Opportunity Employer

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.

Contact Information

If you have questions related to flexible work, please direct them to the hiring manager during the interview process.