Head of Undersea Autonomy & Emerging Technologies

The Pennsylvania State University; Ferguson Township (PA); On-site; USD 161,000 - 299,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition discount (75%)

Comprehensive benefits package (health

Dental and vision

Job summary

The Pennsylvania State University is seeking a Department Head for Autonomy and Emerging Technology within ARL's SSW division, located on-site in State College, PA. The role involves leading autonomy research for unmanned undersea vehicles, coordinating cross-disciplinary teams, and driving field-testing and collaboration with Navy sponsors to advance next‑generation autonomy capabilities.

Candidates should have substantial leadership experience, senior level engineering or science credentials,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or Science required.
• 19+ years of relevant experience for R&D Engineer, Department Head (various levels).
• Clearance eligibility: Top Secret or higher may be required.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership in autonomy for UxVs and mission planning.
• Oversee UxV programs and multidisciplinary teams across sensors, navigation, and autonomy.
• Collaborate with sponsors to shape new SSW research directions.
• Manage resources, personnel, and test facilities for program needs.
• Mentor engineers and researchers in autonomy, control systems, and sensing.

Skills

Autonomy for unmanned systems

Technical leadership

Programmatic leadership

Decision-making

Team mentoring

Education

Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science

Job description

The Pennsylvania State University is seeking a Department Head for Autonomy and Emerging Technology within ARL's SSW division, located on-site in State College, PA. The role involves leading autonomy research for unmanned undersea vehicles, coordinating cross-disciplinary teams, and driving field-testing and collaboration with Navy sponsors to advance next‑generation autonomy capabilities.

Candidates should have substantial leadership experience, senior level engineering or science credentials,