Mission Systems Department Head

The Pennsylvania State University; University Park (TX); On-site; USD 161,000 - 299,000; Full time

Job summary

The Pennsylvania State University is seeking a Department Head for the Mission Systems Department (MSD) within the SERP Division of ARL in State College, PA. This on-site leadership role directs mission engineering, operational analysis, and system-of-systems efforts to deliver integrated capabilities for defense and warfighter applications.

The role requires building partnerships with DoD programs, industry, and government labs while guiding multidisciplinary teams, managing budgets, and

Qualifications

• Leadership of multidisciplinary research projects and portfolios with budgets.
• Experience turning mission needs and CONOPS into technical requirements.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills.
• Eligibility for security clearance may be required.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage all aspects of the Mission Systems Department with strategic direction.
• Develop and maintain sponsor relationships to meet funding objectives.
• Direct a multidisciplinary team focused on mission engineering and operational analysis.
• Lead research projects, proposals, staffing, and budget management.
• Translate mission needs into actionable technical requirements and solutions.
• Oversee technical deliverables, prototypes, and fielding of solutions.
• Plan field experiments, demonstrations, and operational assessments.

Skills

Mission engineering

Operational analysis

Wargaming

Stakeholder engagement

Technical leadership

Proposal writing

Budget management

Team mentoring

Education

Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science

Tools

MBSE

Digital engineering

System-of-systems architecture

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 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.

Key Responsibilities

• 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 the project, conducting the 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 excellence, collaboration, and mission focus

Additional Responsibilities

• Support development of a comprehensive roadmap for mission systems capabilities relevant to the division's systems of interest, including but not limited to hypersonics, uncrewed systems, and maritime platforms
• Establish and maintain partnerships with operational commands, DoD Program Offices, defense contractors, systems integrators, and other government laboratories
• Build strategic relationships with operational users and Defense Industrial Base stakeholders
• Collaborate across ARL divisions and departments, and with external stakeholders, to integrate multidisciplinary solutions into larger mission and system‑of‑systems architectures

Required Skills and Experience

• All aspects of 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
• Mission engineering and mission thread analysis
• Operational analysis, modeling and simulation, and wargaming
• Technology transition and fielding methods
• Operational challenges in complex DoD systems and environments (e.g., maritime, aerospace, ground, space, and uncrewed systems)
• Working directly with operational users and stakeholders, including: taking part in or leading field experiments, exercises, and demonstrations, gathering and acting on user feedback to refine capabilities, coordinating among sponsors, operators, and technical teams, supporting fielding, sustainment, and user adoption
• Strong stakeholder engagement, relationship‑building, and communication skills
• Superior writing and presentation skills
• 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

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Requirements development, decomposition, and management
• Model‑based systems engineering (MBSE) and digital engineering
• System‑of‑systems architecture and integration
• Concept of operations (CONOPS) development
• Test and evaluation planning and execution

Minimum Education and Experience

If filled as R&D Engineer, Department Head (ARL) - Principal Professional: Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science, 19+ years of relevant experience. Required Certifications: None

If filled as R&D Engineer, Department Head (ARL) - Advanced Professional: Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science, 5+ years of relevant experience. Required Certifications: None

If filled as R&D Engineer, Department Head (ARL) - Senior Professional: Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science, 14+ years of relevant experience. Required Certifications: None

ARL’s Purpose

ARL’s purpose is to research and develop innovative solutions to challenging scientific, engineering, and technology problems in support of the Navy, the Intel Community (IC), and other federal government customers.

For further information on ARL, visit our website at www.arl.psu.edu.

Background Checks & Clearances

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.

Notice regarding employment at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL): Employees must be eligible to obtain a government security clearance, participate in the ARL drug testing program, and comply with electronic and physical monitoring requirements applicable to federal contractors.

ARL operates in a secure information environment involving Unclassified, Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), and Classified information. Personal electronic devices brought onsite must be registered and may be restricted from certain areas.

You must be a U.S. citizen to apply.

Salary & Benefits

The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $161,004.00 - $298,800.00.

Salary Structure - Information on Penn State's salary structure.

Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full‑time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans and substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time.

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 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 here.

EEO

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. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473.

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