Administrative Office Assistant

We are searching for an experienced, highly organized, and customer-service-oriented Administrative Office Assistant to join the Director’s Office at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State. ARL is an authorized DoD SkillBridge partner and welcomes transitioning military members to apply.

Responsibilities

• Provide general administrative support to the Director’s Office and other assigned ARL offices and staff
• Greet visitors, answer incoming calls, and direct customers, staff, and guests to the appropriate person or office
• Schedule, prioritize, and maintain calendars for meetings, events, and appointments
• Prepare, review, organize, and maintain documents, reports, correspondence, records, and databases
• Coordinate travel arrangements and reconcile travel-related transactions
• Support confidential administrative functions and handle sensitive information with discretion
• Organize and help manage daily office activities, including resolving scheduling issues and supporting office workflows
• Purchase office supplies, compare vendor costs, and maintain vendor and tax-exempt accounts
• Maintain employee mailboxes, office addresses, organizational charts, and other office tracking systems
• Coordinate logistics for office moves, including phones, equipment, and furniture
• Submit requests to Facilities and IT through the Service Desk as needed

Additional responsibilities for higher-level position includes:

• Coordinate meetings, workshops, conferences, outreach activities, and special events, including scheduling, logistics, registration, itineraries, facilities coordination, and communication with participants and vendors
• Serve as a liaison with vendors, service providers, University offices, sponsors, and external organizations to facilitate administrative and operational activities
• Protect sensitive, proprietary, export-controlled, and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) by following established information handling procedures, access controls, records management practices, and cybersecurity requirements
• Support compliance with organizational security procedures by assisting with visitor coordination, facility access documentation, required training records, and administrative actions associated with secure operations
• Respond to administrative issues and requests while ensuring compliance with applicable University policies, federal regulations, contractual requirements, and operational procedures
• May supervise administrative support staff, including hiring, onboarding, training, work assignment, performance management, and professional development

Requirements

• Business-related or other professional office environment experience
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize effectively, and work with minimal direction in a fast-paced environment
• Experience collaborating in multi-disciplinary, team-oriented cultures

Qualifications

If filled as Office Assistant (ARL) - Senior Support, this position requires:

• Associate Degree
• 4+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted

If filled as Office Assistant (ARL) - Intermediate Support, this position requires:

• General Equivalency Diploma (GED) or High School (HS)
• 2+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted

Preferred Skills

• Prior military or government experience
• Supporting senior leadership or executive-level staff
• SAP and SIMBA financial system or other similar financial system tools
• Coordinating office activities and supporting high-volume, high-priority work
• Familiarity with ARL operations

About the role

Your working location will be fully on-site in State College, PA. 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). 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.

Pay

The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $46,800.00 - $77,304.00.

Benefits

Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being. Benefits include:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Robust retirement plans
• Substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation, and sick time
• Generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children