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POSITION SPECIFICS
Your working location will be fully on-site located in State College, PA. This role requires periodic travel to remote locations.
We are searching for a Department Head for the Mission Systems Department (MSD) of the Systems Engineering and Rapid Prototyping (SERP) Division at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State. The SERP Division provides full spectrum support for the research, development, rapid prototyping, manufacturing, fielding, and testing of complex systems that support the warfighter and our nation's defense. Within SERP, the Mission Systems Department serves as the nexus between technology and operations, leading multidisciplinary initiatives that transform operational challenges into capabilities. Through strong partnerships and trusted stakeholder relationships, the department facilitates analysis and delivery of integrated solutions to complex, real-world challenges.
The Department Head will lead and manage all aspects of the Mission Systems Department, providing strategic direction, technical leadership, and operational oversight. This leadership position requires a visionary leader who can build and direct a multidisciplinary team focused on mission engineering, operational analysis, solutions integration, and systems of systems analysis. The Department Head will also build and maintain trusted partnerships with operational users, Department of Defense (DoD) Program Offices, defense contractors, systems integrators, and other government laboratories to deliver integrated capabilities to the warfighter. 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.
You will:
Lead and manage all aspects of the Mission Systems Department, providing strategic direction, technical leadership, and operational oversight
Support division leadership in developing and maintaining relationships with sponsors in support of meeting funding objectives
Build and direct a multidisciplinary team focused on mission engineering, operational analysis, complex systems analysis, requirements development and analysis based on operational context
Lead individual research projects and portfolios, including developing technical concepts, writing winning proposals, staffing projects, conducting research, managing budgets, and delivering high-quality results
Act as the link between operational stakeholders and technical teams, turning mission needs, capability gaps, and concepts of operations (CONOPS) into actionable technical requirements and solutions
Provide technical oversight of multidisciplinary initiatives, ensuring the quality and rigor of technical deliverables, prototypes, and research outputs
Plan and lead field experimentation, demonstrations, and operational assessments that put solutions in the hands of users
Transition integrated solutions to operational platforms and end users in support of the warfighter
Recruit, mentor, and develop staff with expertise in systems engineering, mission engineering, and operational analysis
Foster a culture of innovation, technical…