Facilities and Instrumentation Department Head

Penn State University • Ferguson Township, PA

91d • $109,300 - $219,600

About The Position

We are searching for an experienced fluids and acoustics researcher to lead the Facilities and Instrumentation Department in the Fluid Dynamics and Acoustics Office (FDAO) at The Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State. Facilities Support maintains all Garfield Thomas Water Tunnel (GTWT) testing facilities and testing assets, while Instrumentation Support maintains and develops electronic and data acquisition assets and sensor applications for all GTWT facilities and test articles. This position may be filled as either a Research and Development Engineer or a non-tenure Research Faculty. ARL is an authorized DoD SkillBridge partner and welcomes all transitioning military members to apply.

Requirements

• Fluids, acoustics, or similar testing in a research environment.
• Research testing processes from hardware/test article development through evaluations.
• Familiarity with data acquisition and measurement systems.
• Use of scheduling and resource management software (MS Project or similar).
• Previous success with collaborations in a multi-disciplinary, team-oriented environment.
• Demonstrated success leading teams of engineers/scientists.

Nice To Haves

• Oversight of fluids, acoustics, or similar testing facilities.
• Lead in large research projects.
• Mechanical or electrical design.
• Master’s or higher Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Engineering Science, Aerospace Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or Industrial Engineering.
• Current eligibility for access to classified information at the Secret level or higher and may be subject to a government background investigation to upgrade clearance eligibility, if required.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the maintenance and operations of FDAO research testing facilities, including water tunnels, rotor balancing facility, instrumentation and calibration devices, flow-through anechoic chamber, pump loop, and reverberation tank.
• Assist with planning and budgeting for facility needs and department funds including data acquisition equipment, facility upgrades, and maintenance.
• Manage aspects of mechanical/electrical design, fabrication, inspection, testing.
• Provide guidance and collaborate with engineers and technicians throughout the experimental evaluation process, including delivery of prototype mechanical systems to be tested in ARL facilities or in field testing programs.
• Collaborate with Principal Investigators (PI), test engineers, and sponsors to coordinate and conceptualize solutions for experimental evaluations data acquisition plans, data resources, programming, and test implementation.
• Lead conversations with vendors regarding fabrication costs and schedules to facilitate the manufacture of hardware and equipment for facility-related maintenance and improvements.
• Interact and collaborate regularly with program management, program sponsors, and stakeholders; Provide project updates to sponsors.
• Recruit, define performance expectations and goals, provide mentorship, and regularly evaluate and offer constructive feedback through conversation and performance reviews in order to support professional growth and effectively retain department staff.
• Perform as a Principal Investigator (PI) on sponsored projects.
• Lead and provide engineering support and evaluations on research tasks or projects.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Robust retirement plans.
• Substantial paid time off including holidays, vacation, and sick time.
• Generous 75% tuition discount available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree