AR/VR/XR Visualization Research and Development Engineer
The Pennsylvania State University3 months ago
Reston, VA, USAMid Level / Senior
Base Salary
$127k - $241k/yr
Responsibilities
- Design collaborative experiences, interactions, and applications for research sponsors.
- Design and implement APIs that pass data between disparate software applications.
- Develop methods for integrating, visualizing, and disseminating novel 3D data using game-engine-based synthetic environment frameworks.
- Create tool workflows and visual communication methods for illustrating and documenting complex concepts.
- Integrate features and solutions with synthetic environment frameworks across sponsored projects.
- Deploy solutions to VR and AR platforms, including hardware from Meta, Varjo, and HTC.
- Perform systems engineering activities to improve data flows and processes.
- Brief research sponsors on technical solutions and produce engineering documentation, whitepapers, and proposals.
- At higher levels, lead hardware and software prototyping, define immersive interaction standards, develop visualization processes, manage sponsor relationships, and oversee projects.
- Maintain professional relationships with government sponsors, industry partners, and academic collaborators and serve as a sponsor subject-matter expert when needed.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering or science.
- At least 2 years of relevant experience for the Intermediate Professional level or 5+ years for the Advanced Professional level.
- Proficiency in C#, Python, or Java and experience with team-based software development, troubleshooting, and deployment.
- Experience in software engineering, systems engineering, human-computer interfaces, or visualization technologies.
- Must be a U.S. citizen and eligible to obtain a government security clearance, complete background checks, participate in ARL drug testing, and comply with monitoring requirements.
- Preferred: master’s degree, active security clearance or eligibility for Secret/Top Secret access, advanced modular and performance-focused development, XR development with Unity or Unreal, cloud deployment, containerization, DevSecOps, graphics and network programming, messaging interfaces, databases, performance optimization, geospatial data, CompTIA Security+ certification, and project management skills.
Benefits
- Full-time employees receive medical, dental, and vision coverage, retirement plans, holidays, vacation, and sick time.
- Employees and eligible spouses and children receive a 75% tuition discount.
- The position is fully on-site in State College, Pennsylvania, or Reston, Virginia; remote or hybrid work is not guaranteed.
- The role requires periodic travel to remote locations.
- Employment requires successful completion of background checks and compliance with secure information environment requirements.
Tech Stack
Categories
About The Pennsylvania State University
The Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State is a University Affiliated Research Center that delivers contract research, prototyping, and systems engineering for U.S. national security and related sponsors. Its work spans undersea systems, communications, navigation, acoustics, fluid dynamics, and advanced materials and manufacturing. Founded in 1945 and based in State College, Pennsylvania, ARL operates within The Pennsylvania State University and is funded largely through federal contracts and grants.