Digital Design and Prototyping Section Supervisor

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory•Laurel, MD

About The Position

Do you get motivated by prototyping and building novel software solutions to human-centered challenges? Are you passionate about collaborating with external partners and seeing new insights progress through the stages of prototyping and development? Do you find developing and inspiring others to reach their maximum potential rewarding? If so, we're looking for someone like you to join the Human Centered Design Group (A5E) leadership team. We are seeking a strong leader and creative thinker to lead a team of researchers, designers, and engineers in the A5E-4 Digital Design and Prototyping Section. The A5E-4 Section Supervisor will lead A5E-4 and assist the A5E Group and Assistant Group Supervisors in leading our team to apply Human Centered Design (HCD) methodologies toward tackling complex national security challenges. The A5E-4 Section Supervisor will be responsible for cultivating the group's competencies in digital product development, early-stage rapid prototyping, and user testing. The A5E-4 Section Supervisor is also expected to maintain and expand the portfolio of internal and external prototypers that partner with the Human Centered Design Group. This includes being responsible for the development and testing of novel solutions and delivering roadmaps to refine concepts to the fidelity vital to transition them to an execution partner or the sponsor. As a A5E-4 Digital Design and Prototyping Section Supervisor... You will contribute significantly to the evolution and implementation of the A5E group vision and strategy. This will include things like proposing new initiatives, implementing and coordinating efforts to address current and future challenges, and setting a clear and inspiring vision for the section. You will interface heavily with sponsors and management, both within and outside of APL, to see opportunities for contribution, communicate the capabilities of the Human Centered Design Group, and demonstrate the team's talent in digital product design and development to deliver prototype solutions and concept blueprints or requirements. You will recognize internal and external needs and work with supervisors, task leaders, and staff to evaluate and prioritize those needs. This includes identifying the best approach for each need and forming teams to complete the identified tasks. You will actively engage and partner with section staff to assess their strengths and limitations, understand their career objectives, and seek to match staff development with project opportunities. This includes mentoring and coaching section staff members, guiding staff development opportunities, and participating in the annual performance coaching process. You will assess the section's current and future work, and define the resources, tools, and infrastructure vital to complete the task assignments of the section. This may include suggesting new improvements to facilities, computing resources, tools, laboratories, work spaces, etc. You will provide supervision and staff planning, including supervising work for timeliness, accuracy, and quality. This includes delegating and assigning task assignments to team members and ensuring quality of the section's deliverables. You will assist the Group and Assistant Group Supervisors in the interviewing and hiring processes. This includes identifying when expansion is vital, prioritizing needed skills and expertise, writing job requisitions, interviewing candidates, and onboarding new people into the section. You will push the limits of current design cycles through the application and exploration of novel technologies.

Requirements

Possess a BA/BFA/BS or MA/MS in a relevant field, including Interactive Design; Product Design; Software Engineering; or equivalent.
Have knowledge in early-stage digital product design, prototyping, and development; with a minimum of 3 years of experience applying tools and methods toward client/sponsor-facing projects.
Have a minimum of 3 years of experience estimating, planning, and leading sophisticated front-end innovation projects that involve prototyping of functional digital product solutions.
Can demonstrate a strong track record of effectively communicating discoveries and recommendations to a group of collaborators.
Have a minimum of 3 years of experience translating ideas and concepts into draft functional requirements and proof-of-principle prototypes.
Have a minimum of 3 years of experience collaborating with multiple development partners and multiple organizations to develop and prototype software and hardware integrated systems.
Have a minimum of 1 year of experience developing and mentoring staff.
Are able to demonstrate a track record of strong leadership skills.
Have a minimum of 3 years of experience applying human centered design methodologies toward early-stage product development projects, and are familiar with leading collaboration frameworks and methodologies from industry (e.g, Google Sprint, LUMA, etc).
Have a minimum of 3 years of experience leading technical teams through agile development processes.
Are able to obtain an Interim Secret level security clearance by your start date and can ultimately obtain a Secret level clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.

Nice To Haves

Experience in federal government, federal government consulting, or equivalent.
Experience leading teams to successfully prototype and demonstrate immersive technologies.
Experience with prototyping intelligent systems components.
Experience with augmenting workflows with the strategic use of AI/LLM.
An active Secret security clearance or above.
The ability to obtain a Top-Secret security clearance.

Responsibilities

Contribute significantly to the evolution and implementation of the A5E group vision and strategy
Interface heavily with sponsors and management, both within and outside of APL, to see opportunities for contribution, communicate the capabilities of the Human Centered Design Group, and demonstrate the team's talent in digital product design and development to deliver prototype solutions and concept blueprints or requirements.
Recognize internal and external needs and work with supervisors, task leaders, and staff to evaluate and prioritize those needs
Actively engage and partner with section staff to assess their strengths and limitations, understand their career objectives, and seek to match staff development with project opportunities
Assess the section's current and future work, and define the resources, tools, and infrastructure vital to complete the task assignments of the section
Provide supervision and staff planning, including supervising work for timeliness, accuracy, and quality
Assist the Group and Assistant Group Supervisors in the interviewing and hiring processes
Push the limits of current design cycles through the application and exploration of novel technologies.