POSITION SPECIFICS

The Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics and the Department of Physics at The Pennsylvania State University are seeking to fill a Research Engineer - Intermediate position in the departments’ in-house electronics design facility. The successful candidate will work on a variety of collaborative physics and astrophysics projects under the guidance of the Detector Development Lead and in collaboration with faculty in the two departments. The DDL maintains expertise in detection of photons and particles, using advanced techniques in particle physics and astronomy. The projects will range from satellite- and balloon-based observatories to deep underground experiments, with science goals aimed at high-energy astrophysics, particle astrophysics, and fundamental physics projects.

The Research Engineer-Intermediate will assist engineering staff in the Detector Development lab in the development, fabrication, installation and use of custom circuit boards, electronics systems, and/or firmware relevant for these projects. The successful candidate will be a member of a team in the lab which currently includes three staff engineers.

• Assist with the design and execution of hardware, firmware, and software solutions.
• Designs Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs)
• Test electronic hardware using tools such as digital multimeters, oscilloscopes, and VNAs
• Installation and deployment of hardware, firmware, and software systems by working at integration facilities.
• Making flight-hardened cable assemblies
• Work with DDL staff and students.
• Communication with faculty at Penn State and researchers around the world on physics and astronomy projects

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Preferred (but not mandatory) skills might include using Altium Designer, HDL programming, programming microcontrollers, and familiarity with common hardware communication protocols such as i2c and SPI.

MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS

Bachelor’s Degree - Engineering or Science 1+ years of relevant experience Required Certifications: None

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.

The Pennsylvania State University is committed to and accountable for advancing equity, respect, and belonging in all its forms. We embrace individual uniqueness, as well as a culture of belonging that supports both broad and specific equity initiatives, leverages the educational and institutional benefits of inclusion in society, and provides opportunities for engagement intended to help all members of the community thrive. We value belonging as a core strength and an essential element of the university’s teaching, research, and service mission.

Please refer the Job description for details