R&D Engineer III Digital Ag

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Build the Future of Agriculture

If you want your engineering work to matter outside the lab on real machines in real farm fields with real impact this is the role for you.

Who We Are

The Digital Ag Innovation Lab at Iowa State University partners with leading agricultural companies to design build and deploy next-generation technologies for agriculture. Our team works at the intersection of applied engineering industry collaboration and the land-grant mission moving ideas from concept to prototype to field deployment.

Our vision is bold: to be the premiere thought leader and partner in ag innovation.

Our mission guides everything we do: Innovate. Educate. Outreach.

• We innovate with partners to create technology solutions that drive value into agriculture and our communities.

• We educate to inspire and develop students and professionals to ensure a thriving workforce that drives success within our industry.

• We outreach to share knowledge with farmers and ag businesses and promote practices that enhance their success.

We operate with four core values: Passion. Innovation. Collaboration. Excellence.

This is a place for builders problem-solvers and systems thinkers who want their work to move from idea prototype field industry adoption.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a Research & Development Engineer III to lead externally funded applied engineering projects focused on sensing automation controls and robotic systems for agricultural and off-road equipment. In this role you will directly design build and validate real agricultural equipment systems making hands-on technical decisions that move projects from concept to field deployment.

This is a hands-on technical leadership role with ownership of system design and engineering execution from concept through prototype development and field validation. You will work closely with industry partners and interdisciplinary teams to translate emerging technologies into functional equipment systems that can be tested and validated in real agricultural environments.

What Youll Do

• Lead complex externally funded R&D projects from concept through field validation

• Design and integrate sensing automation and control systems for agricultural and off-road mobile platforms

• Develop embedded and system software supporting robotics sensing and digital agriculture technologies

• Build and validate prototypes including test stands and vehicle-integrated systems conducting field testing and performance analysis

• Interface with sensors and develop algorithms to process and analyze dynamic data

• Work directly with industry sponsors to define requirements scope and project deliverables

• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and mentor engineers and students

• Contribute to proposal development statements of work and sponsor reporting

The successful candidate will have experience with software development and algorithm design familiarity with engineering analysis tools such as MATLAB or Simulink and the ability to analyze sensor data and extract meaningful performance metrics. Strong project management communication and collaboration skills are also essential particularly in environments involving externally funded engineering projects and industry partners.

Technology & Systems You May Work With

Projects in the Digital Ag Innovation Lab often involve integrating a range of sensing automation and computing technologies used in modern agricultural equipment. Your work may involve systems such as:

• Vehicle communication networks (e.g. CAN Bus Ethernet)

• Embedded computing platforms and Linux-based systems

• Sensor integration and multi-sensor data pipelines

• Robotics machine vision and autonomy systems

• MATLAB Simulink and other engineering analysis tools

• Agricultural or off-road mobile equipment platforms

Although this is a term position it is expected to offer long-term opportunity with the option for renewal.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship. Immigration sponsorship is not available for this position.

Level Guidelines
Senior-level position possessing high-level professional and/or technical skills working independently under minimal supervision to support ISUs mission and department or work unit goals
Applies senior-level professional knowledge and expertise to work requiring greater latitude
Solves moderately complex problems and regularly exercises judgment to determine appropriate action
Regularly exercises judgment to resolve problems and determine appropriate action on a broad set of issue and problems. May provide recommendations regarding problems/issues outside the bounds of defined procedures and practices
Responds to complicated inquiries provides training and provides direction to lower-level staff
May provide supervision for one to two other staff (i.e. leads a small work team)
May lead projects for which well-defined practices and procedures may not exist
Provides guidance to students

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Application Instructions:

To apply for this position please click on Apply and complete the Employment Application. Please be prepared to enter or attach the following:

1) Resume/Curriculum Vitae
2) Letter of Application/Cover Letter

If you have questions regarding this application process please email or call or Toll Free: 1-.

Why Choose ISU

Iowa State Employees enjoy comprehensive health and work-life benefits including medical and dental; as well as:
Retirement benefits including defined benefit and defined contribution plans
Generous vacation holiday and sick time and leave plans
Onsite childcare (Ames Iowa)
Life insurance and long-term disability
Flexible Spending Accounts
Various voluntary benefits and discounts
Employee Assistance Program
Wellbeing program

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