Deputy Division Head of Systems Engineering and Rapid Prototyping

Penn State University • Ferguson Township, PA

3d • Onsite

About The Position

We are searching for a deputy division head for the Systems Engineering and Rapid Prototyping (SERP) Division of the Materials, Manufacturing and Sustainment Office (MMSO) at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State University. 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 SERP Division is to provide full spectrum support for the research, evaluation, development, rapid prototyping, manufacturing, fielding, and testing of complex systems which support the warfighter and our nation’s defense. The SERP Division is comprised of five departments: Agile Systems Engineering (ASE); Specialized Hardware & Rapid Prototyping (SHARP); Intelligent Manufacturing & Operations Engineering (IMOE); Uncrewed Systems (UxS); and Embedded Systems (ES). These departments support the mission of SERP 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.

Requirements

• 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 SECRET government security clearance, ability to obtain TS/SCI
• Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science
• 19+ years of relevant experience (if filled as Research and Development Engineer - Principal Professional)
• 5+ years of relevant experience (if filled as Research and Development Engineer - Advanced Professional)
• 14+ years of relevant experience (if filled as Research and Development Engineer - Senior Professional)
• U.S. citizen

Responsibilities

• Work closely with the Division head and Office leadership team to build and maintain trusted relationships with key sponsors and stakeholders, ensure the delivery of superior research deliverables to our sponsors, and develop and execute strategic initiatives
• Assist division head in leading a group of engineers, scientists, and support staff that are engaged in the operational research, 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
• Assist division head in overseeing the planning, staffing, and execution of programs to ensure all divisional staff and faculty are appropriately and sufficiently tasked at all times
• Assist division head in recruiting, retaining, and defining performance expectations of departments heads and all division staff and faculty
• Assist division head in evaluating professional growth through performance reviews
• Contribute to the design, development, implementation, and analysis of technical engineering products, systems, and subsystems
• Investigate and evaluate practical applicability of scientific theories and engineering principles to develop and improve various engineering systems; identify technical approach for solving problems and meeting customer/grantor needs
• Apply standard practices and techniques in specific situations, correlate data, recognize discrepancies in results and follow operations through a series of related detailed steps or processes
• Conduct experiments/tests in the laboratory/field to test, prove, or modify theoretical propositions on basis of research findings and experiences of others researching in related technical areas; may include taking measurements and recording observations, collecting, compiling, and processing data; may include planning/designing experiments or tests and supervising the execution thereof
• Initiate or contribute data/analysis/design for use in technical reports, documents, proposals, papers, or oral/written presentations

Benefits

• Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being.
• In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans and substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time.
• One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees