Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.
POSITION SPECIFICS
We are searching for a division head for the Systems and Emerging Capabilities (SEC) Division of the Undersea Systems Office (USO) at the Penn State University Applied Research Laboratory (ARL). ARL’s purpose is to research and develop innovative solutions to challenging scientific, engineering, and technology problems in support of the Navy, the Department of Defense (DoD), and the Intel Community (IC). This position may be filled as either a Research and Development Engineer or a non-tenure Research Faculty.
The mission of the SEC Division is to rapidly develop innovative undersea vehicles and supporting technology to solve challenging problems in the undersea domain in support of our nation’s defense. You would be responsible for leading a team of approximately sixty scientists, engineers, and technical staff across six departments: Systems Engineering (SE); Electrical Power and Control Systems (EPCS); Vehicle Control and Dynamics (VCD); Project Management and Controls (PMC); Autonomy and Emerging Technology (AET); and Battery Technology (BAT). These departments support SEC’s mission by executing the research, design and application of engineering development and manufacturing methodologies supporting the strategic advancement of warfighter capability at the speed of relevance.
ARL is an authorized DoD SkillBridge partner and welcomes all transitioning military members to apply.
You will:
Work closely with the Office leadership team to build and maintain trusted relationships with key sponsors and stakeholders, ensure the delivery of superior research products to our sponsors and develop and execute strategic initiatives
Lead a group of engineers, scientists and technical support staff that are engaged in the systems engineering, design, development and production of complex engineering systems
Lead in the development of proposals and projects that further our knowledge and expertise in the development and production of complex systems
Provide project updates to sponsors and stakeholders, and lead in development of new business for potential sponsors
Collaborate with engineers in technical areas across ARL
Oversee the planning, staffing and execution of programs to ensure all divisional staff and faculty are appropriately and sufficiently tasked at all times
Recruit, retain and define performance expectations of departments heads and all division staff and faculty
Evaluate professional growth through performance reviews
Non-tenure faculty rank will be commensurate with education level and experience.
Required skills/experience areas include:
Technical experience in one or more of the following areas is highly desired:
Systems engineering including the application of Model Based Systems Engineering to complex systems development
Vehicle dynamics and flight control
Electric vehicle technologies including emerging battery, electric motor and drivetrain technologies
Experience in the development of power conversion and distribution architectures and associated hardware for vehicles
Development of autonomous systems in the undersea domain
All aspects of leading individual and portfolios of research projects including developing technical concepts, writing winning proposals, staffing the project, conducting the research, managing budgets and delivering high quality results
All aspects of leading a research organization, including planning and managing labor across projects, managing research budgets, presenting division capabilities to sponsors, and hiring, coaching and mentoring employees
Superior writing and presentation skills
Demonstrated success leading a team of engineers/scientists, and collaborating with large teams on multi-organization, multi-disciplinary projects
Active security clearance, at the SECRET level or higher and will be subject to a government background investigation to upgrade clearance to TS/SCI
Your working location will be fully on-site located in State College, PA. Questions related to flexible work should be directed to the hiring manager during the interview process. This position will require periodic travel to remote locations in support of testing as part of a small team of researchers, engineers and technologists.
BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES
Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.
All positions at ARL require candidates to possess the ability to obtain a government security clearance; you will be notified during the interview process if this position is subject to a government background investigation. You must be a U.S. citizen to apply. Employment with the ARL will require successful completion of a pre-employment drug screen.
BENEFITS
Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional wellbeing. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans. One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children.
For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page.
CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS
Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here.
EEO IS THE LAW
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.