Research Engineer Jobs in Pittsburgh, PA
Research Engineer jobs in Pittsburgh are in strong demand, concentrated in Oakland, the Strip District, and Hazelwood Green across robotics, biomedical research, AI, and advanced manufacturing. Leading employers include Leidos, Duolingo, and Carnegie Mellon University. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Battelle delivers when others can’t. We conduct research and development, manage national laboratories, design and manufacture products and deliver critical services for our clients—whether they are a multi-national corporation, a small start-up or a government agency.
We recognize and appreciate the value and contributions of individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences and welcome all qualified individuals to apply.
Job Summary
We are currently seeking a Gas Turbine Research Engineer. This position is a full-time opportunity located in Pittsburgh, PA.
In this role, you will join a multidisciplinary research team working to advance the development of low-NOx gas turbine combustion systems fueled by ammonia. You will also support R&D efforts to demonstrate and evaluate the use of non-thermal plasma (NTP) to enable and optimize ammonia combustion for industrial applications. This position is 100% on-site at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) Research & Development facility in Pittsburgh, PA.
The selected candidate will collaborate with engineers, scientists, technicians, subject matter experts, faculty members, post-doctoral researchers, and graduate students across DOE national laboratories, U.S. government laboratories, universities, industry partners, and research organizations. The candidate will contribute to written reports, journal articles, and regular meetings to communicate research findings and innovations.
Responsibilities
As a Gas Turbine Research Engineer, the selected individual will conduct experimental investigations and modeling to advance ammonia-fueled combustion and non-thermal plasma research. Responsibilities may include:
- Demonstrate flame stability and emissions performance with and without non-thermal plasma (NTP)
- Generate data and validate models for ammonia and ammonia-blend fuels in fundamental and applied burner configurations
- Use advanced laser diagnostic techniques in both single- and two-stage burner configurations
- Validate plasma generation flame speed and species concentration profiles
- Test and characterize plasma generation in inert gases
- Characterize parameters such as laminar flame speed (by heat flux burner method), global emissions, and heat loss in a two-stage burner configuration
- Generate manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals
Key Qualifications
- M.S. in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field
- Proficiency in both modeling and experimental investigation of engines, combustors, gas turbines, and other energy-related systems
- Direct experience with a variety of fuels, including methane (natural gas), ammonia, and hydrogen
- Experience with nanosecond repetitively pulsed (NRP) plasmas
- Data processing and model development using MATLAB, Python, and/or C++
- Understanding of safe laboratory practices, including handling of compressed gases, heat sources, high voltage, and toxic/flammable materials
- Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision as part of a multidisciplinary team interacting with individuals across a variety of disciplines
- Proficient technical writer with a demonstrated record of peer-reviewed publications
- Strong analytical, oral, and written communication skills, including the ability to analyze and interpret research data, apply findings within the scope of project direction, and clearly report results
- Ability to author and/or co-author reports, manuscripts, and articles suitable for peer-reviewed publication
- Detail-oriented, self-motivated, and able to balance competing and changing priorities
- Ability to meet federal site access requirements for work at NETL facilities
- Travel to the NETL R&D facility in Morgantown, WV is required approximately 3–4 times per month
- Work Authorization: Willing to Sponsor Candidate
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with high-pressure combustion systems
- Experience with rich-quench-lean (RQL) combustor architectures
- Experience with laser and optical diagnostics (e.g., optical emission spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy)
- Understanding of chemical kinetics, including ignition and laminar burning velocity
- Experience with commercial software including LabVIEW, ANSYS Fluent, ZDPlaskin, Bolsig+, and/or Massive OES
- Active participation in conference and journal peer review, committees, or similar academic service
Compensation Data
Battelle is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. The salary range for this role is $81,600 – $116,300 per year, in addition to our comprehensive benefits package. A candidate's salary is determined by various factors, including but not limited to education, relevant work experience, skills, and certifications. Salary ranges may vary based on geographic location and market conditions.
Benefits: Live an Extraordinary Life
We care about your well-being, not just on the job. Battelle offers comprehensive and competitive benefits to help you live your best life.
- Balance life through a compressed work schedule: Most of our team follows a flexible, compressed work schedule that allows for every other Friday off—giving you a dedicated day to accomplish things in your personal life without using vacation time.
- Enjoy enhanced work flexibility, including a hybrid arrangement: You have options for where and when you work. Our Together with Flexibility model allows you to work 60% in-office and 40% remote, with Monday and Tuesday as common in-office days, dependent on team and position needs.
- Take time to recharge: You get paid time off to support work-life balance and keep motivated.
- Prioritize wellness: Stay healthy with medical, dental, and vision coverage with wellness incentives and benefits plus a variety of optional supplemental benefits.
- Better together: Coverage for partners, gender-affirming care and health support, and family formation support.
- Build your financial future: Build financial stability with an industry-leading 401(k) retirement savings plan. For most employees, we put in 5 percent whether you contribute or not, and match your contributions on top of that.
- Advance your education: Tuition assistance is available to pursue higher education.
A Work Environment Where You Succeed
For brilliant minds in science, technology, engineering and business operations, Battelle is the place to do the greatest good by solving humanity’s most pressing challenges and creating a safer, healthier and more secure world.
You will have the opportunity to thrive in a culture that inspires you to:
- Apply your talent to challenging and meaningful projects
- Receive select funding to pursue ideas in scientific and technological discovery
- Partner with world-class experts in a collaborative environment
- Nurture and develop the next generation of scientific leaders
- Give back to and improve our communities
Vaccinations & Safety Protocols
Battelle may require employees, based on job duties, work location, and/or its clients’ requirements to follow certain safety protocols and to be vaccinated against a variety of viruses, bacteria, and diseases as a condition of employment and continued employment and to provide documentation that they are fully vaccinated. If applicable, Battelle will provide reasonable accommodations based on a qualified disability or medical condition through the Americans with Disabilities Act or the Rehabilitation Act or for a sincerely held religious belief under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (and related state laws).
Battelle is an equal opportunity employer. We provide employment and opportunities for advancement, compensation, training, and growth according to individual merit, without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, age, genetic information, disability, veteran-status veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable Federal, state, or local law. Our goal is for each staff member to have the opportunity to grow to the limits of their abilities and to achieve personal and organizational objectives. We will support positive programs for equal treatment of all staff and full utilization of all qualified employees at all levels within Battelle.
The above statements are intended to describe the nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, activities and skills required of staff members. No statement herein is intended to imply any authorities to commit Battelle unless special written permission is granted by Battelle's Legal Department.
For more information about our other openings, please visit www.battelle.org/careers
Battelle delivers when others can’t. We conduct research and development, manage national laboratories, design and manufacture products and deliver critical services for our clients—whether they are a multi-national corporation, a small start-up or a government agency.
We recognize and appreciate the value and contributions of individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences and welcome all qualified individuals to apply.
Job Summary
We are currently seeking a Gas Turbine Research Engineer. This position is a full-time opportunity located in Pittsburgh, PA.
In this role, you will join a multidisciplinary research team working to advance the development of low-NOx gas turbine combustion systems fueled by ammonia. You will also support R&D efforts to demonstrate and evaluate the use of non-thermal plasma (NTP) to enable and optimize ammonia combustion for industrial applications. This position is 100% on-site at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) Research & Development facility in Pittsburgh, PA.
The selected candidate will collaborate with engineers, scientists, technicians, subject matter experts, faculty members, post-doctoral researchers, and graduate students across DOE national laboratories, U.S. government laboratories, universities, industry partners, and research organizations. The candidate will contribute to written reports, journal articles, and regular meetings to communicate research findings and innovations.
Responsibilities
As a Gas Turbine Research Engineer, the selected individual will conduct experimental investigations and modeling to advance ammonia-fueled combustion and non-thermal plasma research. Responsibilities may include:
- Demonstrate flame stability and emissions performance with and without non-thermal plasma (NTP)
- Generate data and validate models for ammonia and ammonia-blend fuels in fundamental and applied burner configurations
- Use advanced laser diagnostic techniques in both single- and two-stage burner configurations
- Validate plasma generation flame speed and species concentration profiles
- Test and characterize plasma generation in inert gases
- Characterize parameters such as laminar flame speed (by heat flux burner method), global emissions, and heat loss in a two-stage burner configuration
- Generate manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals
Key Qualifications
- M.S. in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field
- Proficiency in both modeling and experimental investigation of engines, combustors, gas turbines, and other energy-related systems
- Direct experience with a variety of fuels, including methane (natural gas), ammonia, and hydrogen
- Experience with nanosecond repetitively pulsed (NRP) plasmas
- Data processing and model development using MATLAB, Python, and/or C++
- Understanding of safe laboratory practices, including handling of compressed gases, heat sources, high voltage, and toxic/flammable materials
- Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision as part of a multidisciplinary team interacting with individuals across a variety of disciplines
- Proficient technical writer with a demonstrated record of peer-reviewed publications
- Strong analytical, oral, and written communication skills, including the ability to analyze and interpret research data, apply findings within the scope of project direction, and clearly report results
- Ability to author and/or co-author reports, manuscripts, and articles suitable for peer-reviewed publication
- Detail-oriented, self-motivated, and able to balance competing and changing priorities
- Ability to meet federal site access requirements for work at NETL facilities
- Travel to the NETL R&D facility in Morgantown, WV is required approximately 3–4 times per month
- Work Authorization: Willing to Sponsor Candidate
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with high-pressure combustion systems
- Experience with rich-quench-lean (RQL) combustor architectures
- Experience with laser and optical diagnostics (e.g., optical emission spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy)
- Understanding of chemical kinetics, including ignition and laminar burning velocity
- Experience with commercial software including LabVIEW, ANSYS Fluent, ZDPlaskin, Bolsig+, and/or Massive OES
- Active participation in conference and journal peer review, committees, or similar academic service
Compensation Data
Battelle is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. The salary range for this role is $81,600 – $116,300 per year, in addition to our comprehensive benefits package. A candidate's salary is determined by various factors, including but not limited to education, relevant work experience, skills, and certifications. Salary ranges may vary based on geographic location and market conditions.
Benefits: Live an Extraordinary Life
We care about your well-being, not just on the job. Battelle offers comprehensive and competitive benefits to help you live your best life.
- Balance life through a compressed work schedule: Most of our team follows a flexible, compressed work schedule that allows for every other Friday off—giving you a dedicated day to accomplish things in your personal life without using vacation time.
- Enjoy enhanced work flexibility, including a hybrid arrangement: You have options for where and when you work. Our Together with Flexibility model allows you to work 60% in-office and 40% remote, with Monday and Tuesday as common in-office days, dependent on team and position needs.
- Take time to recharge: You get paid time off to support work-life balance and keep motivated.
- Prioritize wellness: Stay healthy with medical, dental, and vision coverage with wellness incentives and benefits plus a variety of optional supplemental benefits.
- Better together: Coverage for partners, gender-affirming care and health support, and family formation support.
- Build your financial future: Build financial stability with an industry-leading 401(k) retirement savings plan. For most employees, we put in 5 percent whether you contribute or not, and match your contributions on top of that.
- Advance your education: Tuition assistance is available to pursue higher education.
A Work Environment Where You Succeed
For brilliant minds in science, technology, engineering and business operations, Battelle is the place to do the greatest good by solving humanity’s most pressing challenges and creating a safer, healthier and more secure world.
You will have the opportunity to thrive in a culture that inspires you to:
- Apply your talent to challenging and meaningful projects
- Receive select funding to pursue ideas in scientific and technological discovery
- Partner with world-class experts in a collaborative environment
- Nurture and develop the next generation of scientific leaders
- Give back to and improve our communities
Vaccinations & Safety Protocols
Battelle may require employees, based on job duties, work location, and/or its clients’ requirements to follow certain safety protocols and to be vaccinated against a variety of viruses, bacteria, and diseases as a condition of employment and continued employment and to provide documentation that they are fully vaccinated. If applicable, Battelle will provide reasonable accommodations based on a qualified disability or medical condition through the Americans with Disabilities Act or the Rehabilitation Act or for a sincerely held religious belief under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (and related state laws).
Battelle is an equal opportunity employer. We provide employment and opportunities for advancement, compensation, training, and growth according to individual merit, without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, age, genetic information, disability, veteran-status veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable Federal, state, or local law. Our goal is for each staff member to have the opportunity to grow to the limits of their abilities and to achieve personal and organizational objectives. We will support positive programs for equal treatment of all staff and full utilization of all qualified employees at all levels within Battelle.
The above statements are intended to describe the nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, activities and skills required of staff members. No statement herein is intended to imply any authorities to commit Battelle unless special written permission is granted by Battelle's Legal Department.
For more information about our other openings, please visit www.battelle.org/careers
See All 39 Research Engineer Jobs in Pittsburgh
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Find Research Engineer JobsResearch Engineer Job Market in Pittsburgh
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
- Science & Research
Research Engineer Jobs in Pittsburgh: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a research engineer job in Pittsburgh?
Focus your search on Pittsburgh's core research hubs: Oakland anchors university-affiliated labs and biomedical research, the Strip District and Hazelwood Green draw robotics and AI employers, and the South Side hosts defense and materials research firms. Candidates who demonstrate hands-on lab experience, familiarity with Pittsburgh's strong CMU and Pitt research ecosystems, and specialties in robotics, machine learning, or autonomous systems have a clear edge in this market.
Which companies hire research engineers in Pittsburgh?
Pittsburgh research engineer roles are posted by Leidos, Duolingo, and Carnegie Mellon University and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Pittsburgh's hiring base is unusually diverse, mixing university spinoffs and national research labs with large technology and healthcare systems that maintain their own internal R&D teams.
Are there remote research engineer jobs in Pittsburgh?
Yes, though availability depends heavily on the role: purely computational or data-focused research positions can go fully remote, while lab-based or hardware roles almost always require on-site presence. About 33% of research engineer openings tied to Pittsburgh are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, skewing toward AI, software research, and data science specialties rather than physical or materials engineering roles.
How can I get a research engineer job in Pittsburgh with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path in Pittsburgh is through a research assistant or junior engineer role at one of the university-affiliated labs in Oakland, where CMU and Pitt regularly onboard early-career candidates. Internship-to-hire pipelines at local robotics startups and defense contractors in the Strip District and Hazelwood Green also convert frequently. Coursework or project experience in robotics, machine learning, or materials science strengthens applications considerably in this market.
Which industries hire the most research engineers in Pittsburgh?
The sectors hiring the most research engineers in Pittsburgh are Technology & Software and Science & Research, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Pittsburgh's concentration of autonomous systems companies, major healthcare networks, and longstanding ties to federally funded defense and materials research drives unusually deep demand across those fields.
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See All 39 Research Engineer Jobs in Pittsburgh
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