Mission Systems Department Head (FACULTY)

The Pennsylvania State University; University Park (TX); On-site; USD 170,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition Discount (75% for employees)

Competitive benefits package

Retirement plans

Job summary

The Pennsylvania State University’s Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) in State College, PA invites applications for the Department Head of the Mission Systems Department (MSD) within the SERP Division. This leadership role directs strategic direction, technical excellence, and operational oversight of a multidisciplinary team.

You will build partnerships with DoD Program Offices, defense contractors, and government labs, lead research portfolios, write proposals, manage budgets, and transition

Qualifications

• Lead and manage the Mission Systems Department including strategic direction and technical oversight.
• Develop and maintain relationships with sponsors and DoD programs to meet funding objectives.
• Direct multidisciplinary teams in mission engineering, analysis, and systems integration.
• Lead research projects, write proposals, staff projects, manage budgets, and deliver results.
• Translate operator needs and CONOPs into concrete technical requirements and solutions.
• Provide technical oversight for prototypes, demonstrations, and fielding.
• Plan and lead field experiments, demonstrations, and assessments for warfighter use.
• Recruit, mentor, and develop staff with expertise in systems engineering and analysis.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage all aspects of the Mission Systems Department, providing strategic direction, technical leadership, and operational oversight
• Build and maintain partnerships with operational users, DoD offices, and sponsors to ensure funding objectives are met
• Direct a multidisciplinary team focused on mission engineering and systems analysis across diverse platforms
• Develop concepts, write proposals, staff projects, manage budgets, and deliver high-quality research results
• Turn mission needs and CONOPS into actionable technical requirements and solutions
• Oversee multidisciplinary initiatives, ensuring rigorous deliverables and successful transitions to fielded systems
• Plan field experiments and demonstrations to validate capabilities in real-world contexts
• Recruit and mentor staff and foster a culture of innovation and collaboration

Skills

Leadership & team management

Mission engineering

Operational analysis

System-of-systems analysis

Stakeholder engagement

Proposal writing

Budget management

Field experimentation planning

Communication skills

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.

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 excellence, collaboration, and mission focus

Additional responsibilities for the higher-level position include:

• 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/experience areas include:

• 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/experience areas include:

• 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

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.

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.

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

About Penn State

Penn State is a world-renowned university. Across 24 campuses, our 100,000 students and 40,000 faculty and staff know the real measure of success goes beyond the classroom – it’s the positive impact made on communities across the world. Our ideals stem from our origins as Pennsylvania’s sole land-grant institution, which allow us to continue to bring positive impact to humanity through our teaching, research, and engagement mission. And across the world is a community of Penn Staters – more than half a million strong – driven by that same spirit to serve our local and global communities. At Penn State, passion is met with collaboration in an environment that is rooted in shared pride for the accomplishments of our fellow students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Penn Staters cheer each other on to build a culture committed to service and engagement. Our University values represent our core ethical aspirations for all our daily activities and actions as students, faculty, staff, and volunteers at Penn State. Our values are as follows; Integrity, Respect, Responsibility, Discovery, Excellence, and Community. We Are Penn State. One Community. Impacting Many.