Penn State is hiring a Mechanical Engineering Technologist

Penn State's Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) is hiring a Mechanical Engineering Technologist to join our Department for Uncrewed Systems. In this role, you will leverage hardware and software skills to develop payloads and manage the design, fabrication, and flight testing of various uncrewed aerospace platforms, including fixed-wing and rotorcraft vehicles.

What You'll Do

• Collaborate with project leadership on the conceptual design of complex electromechanical systems and subsystems.
• Work with engineering staff to develop, define, and derive requirements for engineering products.
• Participate in design reviews and project meetings.
• Develop and present technical and project status reports.
• Collaborate to address design, material, and component needs and assist in resolving technical issues.
• Use CAD software to develop electrical, mechanical, and software products.
• Perform design, development, fabrication, installation, and integration of custom electrical, mechanical, and software subsystems.
• Conduct laboratory and field experiments as the remote pilot-in-command (rPIC) for aerospace vehicle testing.
• Maintain all required compliance training for business systems, safety, and security.
• Interact collaboratively with team members, engineers, and scientists.
• Perform a mix of project management and expert-level technical engineering work.
• Develop software to collect and process flight data for analytics.

What We're Looking For

• A Bachelor's degree.
• 1+ years of relevant experience.
• Experience in the operation and maintenance of uncrewed platforms and other systems.
• Knowledge of mechanical systems and components.
• Proficiency with CAD tools and digital engineering principles.
• A current, active FAA Part 107 certification with demonstrated experience.
• Skills in technical writing and presentation.

Nice to Have

• Experience with data collection and processing from flight testing.
• Knowledge of PCB design for custom payloads.
• Experience with Additive Manufacturing for aerospace applications.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Adobe products.
• Programming experience in languages like Python and C++.
• Current eligibility for access to classified information at the Secret level or higher.

Technical Stack

• CAD tools
• Microsoft Office
• Adobe products
• Python
• C++

Team & Environment

You will be part of the Department for Uncrewed Systems within the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL), which conducts research and development for challenging scientific and engineering problems in support of national defense and industrial partners.

Benefits & Compensation

• Salary Range: $61,800.00 - $89,600.00
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Robust retirement plans.
• Substantial paid time off, including holidays, vacation, and sick time.
• A generous 75% tuition discount for employees and eligible family members.

Work Mode

This position is onsite in State College, PA.

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.