Lead Systems Engineer - Digital Ag

Position Title:

Lead Systems Engineer -

Digital Ag Job Group:

Professional & Scientific Required Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree and 5 years of related experience

Job Description:

Build the Future of Agriculture Design, build, and deliver integrated engineering systems that perform in the real world while growing your technical depth and leadership in a hands-on, industry-connected environment. 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 premier 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. The Opportunity We are seeking a Lead Systems Engineer to drive the design, integration, and deployment of complex engineering systems. In this role, you will lead system-level efforts from concept through field deployment, ensuring solutions perform in real-world agriculture environments. This is a hands-on role focuses on system architecture, integration, and execution. You will work across software, electrical, hydraulic, and mechanical domains while partnering closely with sponsor engineering teams to deliver integrated solutions. The role offers the opportunity to expand your leadership impact by mentoring others, influencing technical direction, and taking on increasing ownership of projects and system outcomes. What You'll Do Lead end‑to‑end system engineering from concept, architecture, and requirements through deployment and field validation Define and integrate cross‑domain architectures and interfaces spanning mechanical, hydraulic, electrical, and software systems Design, build, integrate, and validate complete physical systems for agricultural and off‑road equipment Develop system‑level hardware and software solutions, including sensing, automation, and control systems Build and test prototypes and vehicle‑integrated systems, using data and analysis to drive performance improvements Collaborate cross‑functionally and with external partners to solve complex integration challenges and deliver solutions Provide technical leadership through mentoring, project planning, execution, and sponsor communication What You Bring 5+ years of experience in engineering roles involving complex systems Experience integrating hardware and software within real-world systems Strong systems thinking across electrical, mechanical, software, and/or hydraulic domains Experience with prototyping, testing, and validating engineered systems Ability to troubleshoot and solve complex technical problems Effective communication and collaboration skills, including working with external partners Interest in growing into technical leadership and mentoring others Technology & Systems You May Work With Projects in the Digital Ag Innovation Lab focus on integrating advanced technologies into fully functional equipment systems. Depending on the project, you may work with: Mechanical, hydraulic, and vehicle subsystems Agricultural and off-road mobile equipment platforms Vehicle communication networks (e.g., CAN Bus, Ethernet) Embedded computing platforms and Linux-based systems Sensors, data acquisition, and system integration Robotics, machine vision, and autonomous system components Engineering analysis and modeling tools (e.g., MATLAB, Simulink) Software/controls development (Matlab, Simulink, embedded C/C++)

Preferred Qualifications:

Advance degree in engineering or related field, or equivalent industry experience Background in agricultural equipment, off-highway machinery, robotics, drone systems, or precision application technology (seed and chemical; liquid and dry systems) Experience with field testing, validation, or performance benchmarking Experience working with industry partners or customer-driven projects Experience mentoring engineers or leading technical workstreams Follow us here: www.isudigitalag.org. 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. The candidate will be hired as a Research & Development Engineer III. This position will remain open until filled.

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: Resume/Curriculum Vitae Letter of Application/Cover Letter Why Choose Iowa State University? 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 If you have questions regarding this application process, please email employment@iastate.edu, or call 515-294-4800 or

Toll Free:

1-877-477-7485.

Appointment Type:

Regular with Term Appointment (Fixed Term)

Proposed End Date or Length of Term:

May 24, 2029

Number of Months Employed Per Year:

12

Month Work Period Time Type:

Full time

Pay Grade:

PS812

Original Posting Date:

April 28, 2026

Posting Close Date:

Job Requisition Number:

R19067 Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, ethnicity, religion, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. Veteran. Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies may be directed to Office of Equal Opportunity, 2680 Beardshear Hall, 515 Morrill Road, Ames, Iowa 50011, Tel. 515-294-7612, email eooffice@iastate.edu. General ISU compensation information can be found on the University Human Resources website. Please note that this is only a list of ranges and individuals will be paid commensurate with qualifications. By focusing on the future and providing the best student experience possible, Iowa State University attracts students and faculty who want to make a difference. With a comprehensive land-grant mission of education, research, extension and outreach, we produce scholars whose ideas change the world. And through Innovate at Iowa State, we provide innovative and entrepreneurial opportunities for students of all backgrounds. Located just 30 minutes north of Des Moines, the city of Ames was recently named one of the Top 10 cities in the U.S. for campus life and career opportunities. Iowa State University is a welcoming community of students, faculty, and staff. Campus community members have a wide range of backgrounds and experiences and are committed to engaging with each other respectfully as outlined in the university's Principles of Community. Iowa State recognizes that diverse intellectual and philosophical perspectives are vital to innovation, critical thinking skills, and a dynamic academic community that fosters the land-grant ideals of putting science, technology, and human creativity to work. All offers of employment, oral and written, are contingent upon the university's verification of credentials and other information required by federal and state law, ISU policies/procedures, and may include the completion of a background check and/or a consumer credit check. Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, ethnicity, religion, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. Veteran. Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies may be directed to Office of Equal Opportunity, 2680 Beardshear Hall, 515 Morrill Road, Ames, Iowa 50011, Tel. 515-294-7612, email eooffice@iastate.edu. If you have questions about the application process please email employment@iastate.edu or call 515-294-4800 or Toll-Free at 1-877-477-7485. Iowa State University provides reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should email employment@iastate.edu or call (515) 294-4800 or

Toll-Free:

(877) 477-7485. TTY users are welcome to use the Iowa Relay Service number by dialing 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2942. General ISU compensation information can be found on the University Human Resources website. Please note that this is only a list of ranges and individuals will be paid commensurate with qualifications.