Software Engineer
Company websitepsu.edu (Penn State University, opens in new tab)
Base salary $127,080 to $209,640
Employer-published annual base salary, USD. Advertised base range in Reston, VA
You apply on the employer's own site. Six Figure Work does not handle applications.
- LocationReston, VA
- WorkplaceWorkplace not stated
- Status at last checkSource accepting applications when checked
- Last checked (1 h 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
Your working location will be fully onsite in Reston, VA with occasional travel to sponsor locations in the National Capital Region.
We are seeking highly motivated Software Engineers to join Cyber, Intelligence, Analytics, & Operations (CIAO) Department of the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State. As part of CIAO, you will support our mission by focusing on nascent technologies in the areas of Artificial Intelligence, Information Dominance, and Cyber Warfare through cross-division and cross-office collaborations.
ARL is an authorized DoD SkillBridge partner and welcomes all transitioning military members to apply.
You will:
- Develop software and approaches for full-stack development, including low-level code, working directly with hardware, developing cloud solutions, data engineering for information storage and retrieval, and development of front-end tools for use by data analysts
- Conduct data analysis, incorporating multiple data modalities and formats and exploratory data analysis for testing hypothesis
- Implement, test, and evaluate services to compare models competing to solve the same problem; support test and evaluation of software and models
- Develop and implement data analytics techniques and applications to transform raw data into meaningful information using data-oriented programming languages and visualization software
- Develop and apply algorithms and prototypes to extract and analyze information from large structured and unstructured datasets that support analytics objectives
- Visualize, interpret, and report data findings in dynamic data reports
Required skills/experience areas include:
- Python
- Linux, including familiarity with bash and shell scripts
Preferred skills/experience areas include:
- Additional computer programing languages such as Rust, C/C++
- Cloud architectures
- Development of software within DoD development environment
- Development or evaluation of AI/ML models
- A degree in computer science, statistics, mathematics, or applied mathematics
- Current eligibility for access to classified information at the Secret or Top-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
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

If filled as R&D Engineer - Software (ARL) - Professional, this position requires:
Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science
No prior relevant work experience required
Required Certifications:
NoneARL’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 $127,080.00 - $209,640.00. 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 ($127,080) is above 22% of the 522 Software Engineering roles in Virginia listed on this site. Their median floor is $159,500; the middle half runs from $131,300 to $179,400.
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 6, 2026.
This listingSoftware Engineer$127,080 to $209,640
AR/VR/XR Visualization Research and Development Engineer$127,080 to $240,960
Vulnerability Research Engineer$127,080 to $277,200
Antenna Engineer$127,080 to $277,200
Vulnerability Researcher$127,080 to $277,200
R&D Engineer - Signal Processing$121,704 to $265,704
Mechanical Engineer$121,704 to $231,000
Chart as a table
| Role | Published base |
|---|---|
| Software Engineer (this listing) | $127,080 - $209,640 |
| AR/VR/XR Visualization Research and Development Engineer | $127,080 - $240,960 |
| Vulnerability Research Engineer | $127,080 - $277,200 |
| Antenna Engineer | $127,080 - $277,200 |
| Vulnerability Researcher | $127,080 - $277,200 |
| R&D Engineer - Signal Processing | $121,704 - $265,704 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $121,704 - $231,000 |
Observed changes
- First observed on the employer's board
- Began meeting the published-salary criteria
- Observed since
- Employer-stated posting date
- 2026-11-02
Where this pay comes from
Location as the employer wrote it: Reston, VA
The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $127,080.00 - $209,640.00. 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.
