Student Employment

Current Student Openings

JOB DESCRIPTION AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

The Gear Research Institute of the Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State is seeking undergraduate seniors interested in mechanical power transmission research and testing. 

Typical Duties will Include: 

  • Set-up of gear testing machines
  • Gear metrology
  • Fatigue testing
  • Data analysis. 

Successful candidates will receive hands on experience that will give them the edge in today’s competitive job market. 

Students studying the following majors are encouraged to apply:

  • Biological Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Engineering Science and Mechanics 

This position is made possible by a grant from John Deere and consideration for employment at John Deere upon graduation is a strong possibility. 

The successful candidate will work up to 20 hours/week during the fall and spring semesters and 40 hours/week over the summer. 

For more details and to apply, visit https://psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/PSU_Staff/job/Penn-State-University-Park/Undergraduate-Researcher_REQ_0000028189-1

Support Student Education

GRI is positioned to offer a unique opportunity to both students and employers. The undergraduate engineering programs at Penn State University are full of talented future engineers. Many of whom lack the hands-on experience needed to become successful engineers. That’s where GRI can help.

Part of GRI’s mission is to educate and train the next generation of gear engineers. Students are hired to assist with projects from start to finish. They are exposed to aspects of gear design and manufacturing, gear inspection with state of the art equipment, performance testing and data collection, and are taught the basics of failure analysis.  The program has been in existence for over 25 years and feedback from both students and employers has been consistently exceptional.

The students are paid for the work that they are doing primarily with funds generated by Corporate Membership dues. However, there is also the opportunity for company student sponsorship. In this scenario, a company gives a grant to GRI to cover the student wages. The sponsoring company can assist with selection of the student and provide input to their tasking. In some cases, students have worked on testing projects for the sponsoring company. This process resembles a year-long job interview with regular feedback provided to the sponsor. Many instances of direct student sponsorship have resulted in job offers and successful new hires into engineering positions. We consider this a win-win!

If you are interesting in learning more about how you can get involved with GRI students, please contact us.