New

R&D System Safety Engineer - STATE COLLEGE, PA

The Pennsylvania State University
paid time off, sick time, remote work
United States, Pennsylvania, University Park
201 Old Main (Show on map)
Feb 10, 2026
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, seeNotice to Out of State Applicants. POSITION SPECIFICS We are searching for an experienced, motivated, and driven System Safety Engineer to join the Systems Engineering Department within the Undersea Systems Office at the Penn State University Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) located fully on-site in State College, PA. Candidates should be comfortable working within the Department of Defense safety process and will be involved in the development of the next generation of undersea systems. The System Safety Engineer will operate across the entire lifecycle of undersea systems development, from concept formulation to design, build, and test. The candidate will develop in-depth knowledge of ARL-developed systems and will represent them within the safety community. ARL is an authorized DoD SkillBridge partner and welcomes all transitioning military members to apply. You will: Collaborate with Systems Engineering and Subsystem Design Teams to learn the design and operation of ARL systems Perform safety analyses as specified in MIL-STD-882E including Preliminary Hazard Analyses, Functional Hazard Analyses, Requirements Hazard Analyses, Subsystem Hazard Analyses, Software Safety Level of Rigor, etc. Assess engineering documents, data, and artifacts to ensure component and system level safety compliance; identify and mitigate potential and existing hazards Participate in anomaly investigations, failure review boards, and root cause/corrective action analyses Collaborate with internal and external team members and United States Navy (USN) counterparts in order to ensure delivery of a safe product Collaborate and maintain relationships within the community including sponsors, engineering teams, and program management Participate in System Safety Working Groups to ensure that all aspects of system safety are addressed and communicated throughout the program Communicate with government personnel including NOSSA (Naval Ordnance Safety Support Activity), the WSESRB (Weapon Systems Explosive Safety Review Board) and its constituent panels (FISTP, SSSTRP) and the Navy PHST center (Packaging, Handling, Shipping, Transportation) to identify and address requirements for safe shipping, handling and deployment of weapons systems Brief the WSESRB and its constituent panels at periodic formal engagements as well as less formal "Tech Assist" meetings. Brief program personnel including USN Program Manager(s), relevant Technical Warrant Holders, etc. The person in this role will have the capability to work independently with external government, program, and contractor counterparts to develop successful system safety programs Develop deliverable safety work products including System Safety Program Plans, Software System Safety Program Plans, Hazardous Material Management Plans, etc. Additional responsibilities for higher level positions include: Lead system safety efforts across one or more undersea programs Lead team members in order to ensure the delivery of a safe product Mentor staff in the system safety process including development of work products Train additional staff in the System Safety process as required by ARL workload Represent program(s) with presentations, analyses, and reports at engineering review boards, technical interchange meetings, and government safety working groups Required skills/experience areas include: System Safety Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field Effective at presenting in front of teams or groups, or creating conveying information to drive understanding, action, or decision Previous success with collaborations in a multi-disciplinary, team-oriented, culture Ability to obtain and maintain a government security clearance Preferred skills/experience areas include: Familiarity with relevant engineering and safety standards Ability to conduct various safety analyses: Functional Hazard Analysis, Fault Trees, Failure Modes and Effects Analyses (FMEA), Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analyses (FMECA), Requirements Hazard Analysis, Software Level of Rigor Analyses, etc. Hardware circuit design and development Embedded software development Active government security clearance Your working location will be located fully on-site in State College, PA. MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS If filled as Research and Development Engineer - Senior Professional, this position requires: Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science 14+ years of relevant experience Required Certifications: None If filled as Research and Development Engineer - Advanced Professional, this position requires: Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science 5+ years of relevant experience Required Certifications: None If filled as Research and Development Engineer - 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 Department of Defense (DoD), and the Intel Community (IC). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION on ARL, visit our web site 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. All positions at ARL require candidates topossess the ability to obtain a government security clearance; you will be notified during the interview process if this position is subject to a government background investigation. You must be a U.S. citizen to apply. Employment with the ARL will require successful completion of a pre-employment drug screen. SALARY & BENEFITS The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $86,300.00 - $191,000.00.THE PROPOSED SALARY RANGE MAY BE IMPACTED BY GEOGRAPHIC DIFFERENTIAL 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