Agile Systems Engineering Department Head

Penn State University; State College (Centre County); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Penn State University, via the Applied Research Laboratory in State College, seeks a visionary leader to head the Agile Systems Engineering Department within MMSO. The role directs strategic direction, oversees a multidisciplinary team, and accelerates tailored systems integration.

You will mentor engineers, build sponsor relationships, lead proposals and budgets, and drive innovations across programs including missiles, hypersonics, and unmanned systems.

Qualifications

• Lead and oversee department initiatives in systems engineering and rapid integration.
• Proven ability to direct multi-disciplinary teams and manage budgets and staffing.
• Experience mentoring engineers and developing technical talent across programs.
• Strong track record in building sponsor relationships and securing funding.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage all aspects of the Agile Systems Engineering Department, including strategic direction, technical leadership, workforce planning, and performance evaluation.
• Build and direct a multidisciplinary team focused on systems engineering applications across diverse programs and sponsors.
• Mentor engineers in applying systems engineering to complex problems from early science to system acquisition.
• Support leadership in developing and maintaining sponsor relationships to meet funding objectives.
• Lead research projects and portfolios: develop concepts, write proposals, staff, conduct research, manage budgets, deliver results.
• Foster partnerships with U.S. Military Program Offices, defense contractors, and other labs; lead training initiatives.

Skills

Systems engineering leadership

Strategic planning

Budget management

Mentoring and coaching

Cross-functional collaboration

Tools

Model-based engineering (MBSE)

SysML / architecture tools

Job description

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 Agile Systems Engineering Department (ASE) of the Materials, Manufacturing and Sustainment Office (MMSO) at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State. The Agile Systems Engineering Department is dedicated to the application and training of systems engineering to support the advancement of warfighter capability at the speed of relevance. The department focuses on the rapid development of complex engineering systems requiring the integration of cross-disciplinary solutions and expertise, including system architecture design, functional analysis, requirements development, and model-based engineering. Additionally, the department has a lead role in workforce development and systems engineering training. This role will lead and manage all aspects of the Agile Systems Engineering Department, providing strategic direction, technical leadership, and operational oversight of a department of approximately 10 people. This leadership position requires a visionary leader capable of building and directing a multidisciplinary team focused on tailored application of systems engineering, model-based engineering, architecture development, and rapid, tailored systems integration. 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 Agile Systems Engineering Department, providing strategic direction, technical leadership, and operational oversight, personnel management, workforce planning, talent development, and performance evaluation
• Build and direct a multidisciplinary team focused on the application of systems engineering to a diverse set of programs, technologies and sponsors
• Mentor systems engineers in applying systems engineering to a variety of complex engineering problems that span levels of technical maturity ranging from early science and technology to system acquisition
• Support division leadership in developing and maintaining relationships with sponsors in support of meeting funding objectives
• Lead individual research projects and portfolios including developing technical concepts, writing winning proposals, staffing projects, conducting research, managing budgets, and delivering high-quality results
• Foster partnerships with U.S. Military Program Offices, defense contractors, systems integrators, and other government laboratories
• Lead department personnel in developing and delivering training on systems engineering to ARL staff and external partners
• Foster a culture of innovation, technical excellence, and mission focus

Additional responsibilities for the higher-level position includes:

• Support development of a comprehensive roadmap for embedded systems and integration methodologies pertinent to systems of interest to the division including but not limited to missiles, hypersonics, and uncrewed aerial systems
• Establish and maintain partnerships with U.S. Military Program Offices, defense contractors, systems integrators, and other government laboratories
• Build strategic relationships with Defense Industrial Base stakeholders
• Collaborate across ARL departments and with external stakeholders as a trusted agent in identifying and applying appropriate systems engineering activities for large U.S. Military development programs

Required skills/experience areas include:

• Leading individual research projects and portfolios including developing technical concepts, writing winning proposals, staffing the project, conducting the research, managing budgets, and delivering high-quality results
• Past success applying systems engineering techniques for complex system development, with emphasis on streamlined and/or tailored processes
• System architecture design, functional analysis, requirements development, system decomposition, and flow down of requirements
• System and interface architecture development and testing
• Evaluation of communicat