Division Head Systems Engineering & Rapid Prototyping (FACULTY)

The Pennsylvania State University
remote work
United States, Pennsylvania, University Park
201 Old Main (Show on map)
Sep 24, 2025
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday. CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday. If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click "Apply" and complete the application process for external applicants. Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location.For additional information on remote work at Penn State, seeNotice to Out of State Applicants. POSITION SPECIFICS We are searching for 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. This position will 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: Work closely with the 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 Lead a group of engineers, scientists, and 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 Additional responsibilities for higher level position includes 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 Non-tenure faculty rank will be commensurate with education level and experience. Required skills/experience areas include: 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 obtainTS/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 topossess 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. 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