Six Figure Work

Navigation Software Research and Development Engineer

Penn State University

Company websitepsu.edu (Penn State University, opens in new tab)

Base salary $116,496  to $220,884

Employer-published annual base salary, USD. Advertised base range in Warminster, PA

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  • LocationWarminster, PA
  • WorkplaceWorkplace not stated
  • Status at last checkSource accepting applications when checked
  • Last checked (43 min ago) · observed since

About this job

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

  • CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

  • CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

  • If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click “Apply” and complete the application process for external applicants.

Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.

​

POSITION SPECIFICS​

We are searching for a Navigation Software Engineer to join our Tactical Navigation Department of the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State. As part the Navigation Research and Development Division (NRDD), this role will focus on advanced navigation technologies, built around a unique laboratory specially designed to test incredibly sensitive navigation sensors.  The mission of NRDD is to provide expert knowledge in navigation systems for our Navy and other Intel Community and federal government customers. 

ARL is an authorized DoD SkillBridge partner and welcomes all transitioning military members to apply.

You will:

  • Contribute to the design, development, test, and implementation of software products for ARL contracts and within our laboratory
  • Collaborate with an interdisciplinary team of scientists and engineers working together to bring new ideas to fruition
  • Build core competencies in software architecture, implementation, test, and deployment
  • Strengthen capabilities in numerical analysis and algorithm design
  • Develop expertise in navigation sensor and systems technology

Additional responsibilities for higher level position includes:

  • Lead the design, development, testing, implementation, and documentation of software products for ARL contracts and within our laboratory

Required skills/experience areas include:

  • Completed CS Courses: Data Structures, Systems Software, Software Engineering, Object-Oriented Design, and Algorithms
  • Completed Math Courses: Calculus I / II / III, Differential Equations, and Linear Algebra
  • Knowledge of C and C++ programing languages
  • Demonstrated software development experience
  • Experience with POSIX operating systems
  • Ability to express yourself and ideas successfully in order to provide clear comprehension, including technical writing

Preferred skills/experience areas include:

  • Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Engineering Physics, or related field
  • Related software experience
  • Algorithm design, numerical analysis, software optimization, software validation techniques, distributed computing, real-time systems, data science, database systems, and/or networking
  • MATLAB, Python, distributed computing architectures, and middleware
  • 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. 

Your working location will be fully on-site, located in Warminster, PA.  This position may require travel to remote locations for field-testing; in a laboratory, or at-sea aboard a surface ship or a submarine.

MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS

If filled as R&D Engineer - Software (ARL) - Advanced Professional, this position requires:
Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science
5+ years of relevant experience
Required Certifications:
None

If filled as R&D Engineer - Software (ARL) - Intermediate Professional, this position requires:
Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science
2+ years of relevant experience
Required Certifications:
None

ARL’s purpose is to research and develop innovative solutions to challenging scientific, engineering, and technology problems in support of the Navy, the Intel Community (IC), and other federal government customers.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION on ARL, visit our website at www.arl.psu.edu.

BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.

Notice regarding employment at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL):
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. ARL operates in a secure information environment involving Unclassified, Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), and Classified information. Personal electronic devices brought onsite must be registered and may be restricted from certain areas. You must be a U.S. citizen to apply.

SALARY & BENEFITS

The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $116,496.00 - $220,884.00. This salary range includes an adjustment based on required geographic work location.

Salary Structure - Information on Penn State's salary structure

Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans and substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time. One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children. For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page.

CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS

Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here.

EEO IS THE LAW

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. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473.

Federal Contractors Labor Law Poster

PA State Labor Law Poster

Penn State Policies

Copyright Information

Hotlines

Source: Penn State University on Workday · View original posting (opens in new tab)

Pay in context

This role's base floor ($116,496) is above 8% of the 10,389 Software Engineering roles nationwide listed on this site. Their median floor is $160,000; the middle half runs from $140,000 to $191,000.

Only jobs on this site count, and each one publishes a base salary of $100,000 or more, so this compares six-figure jobs with each other, not with the whole market. Computed Nov 7, 2026.

This range next to 6 other live Penn State University roles with the nearest advertised base floor
Chart as a table
This range next to 6 other live Penn State University roles with the nearest advertised base floor
RolePublished base
Navigation Software Research and Development Engineer (this listing)$116,496 - $220,884
Research and Development Image Scientist$115,860 - $202,464
Director, Facilities Planning & Capital Projects$115,860 - $173,844
Autonomy and Data Fusion Engineer$115,860 - $173,844
Director of IT Governance$115,860 - $173,844
Network Transport Engineer$119,736 - $197,604
Application Security Engineer$119,736 - $197,604

Same $100K to $400K scale as every card. All Penn State University roles · How to read the bar

Observed changes

  1. First observed on the employer's board
  2. Began meeting the published-salary criteria
Observed since
Employer-stated posting date
2026-07-24
Where this pay comes from

Location as the employer wrote it: Warminster, PA

The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $116,496.00 - $220,884.00. This salary range includes an adjustment based on required

Method
Employer text, read with fixed rules and re-verified
Checked
Rule set
us-base-v2

The pay passage appears in the employer's own job text. Fixed, deterministic rules located it, and the passage below was checked against the stored copy of the posting.

What we verified

  • The pay figures come from the employer's own listing, quoted exactly above.
  • The pay is an annual base salary in US dollars with a minimum of at least $100,000.
  • The role was publicly listed on the employer's job board when last checked.

We do not verify what the employer will actually offer, whether the employer is still recruiting for the role, or anything beyond what the employer published. Full methodology.