Division Head, Guidance and Control Technology (FACULTY)

Position Specifics

We are seeking a Division Head for the Guidance and Control Technologies (GCT) Division of the Undersea Systems Office (USO) at the Penn State University Applied Research Laboratory (ARL).

The GCT Division serves as a research center of excellence in autonomous guidance systems for undersea weapons and uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUVs), with a focus on advancements in sensing and tactical decision-making technologies as well as efficiently integrating and implementing these technologies in real-time systems.

The GCT Division consists of four departments: Signal Processing, Tactical and Autonomous Processing, Applications Software, and Embedded Software.

The Division Head will report directly to the Head of the Undersea Systems Office. The Division Head position may be filled as either a non-tenure Research Faculty or as a Research and Development Engineer commensurate with the candidate’s education and experience.

ARL is an authorized DoD SkillBridge partner and welcomes all transitioning military members to apply.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of fifty scientists and engineers across four departments that are engaged in the research, development, implementation, integration and testing of complex undersea guidance systems, including: acoustic signal processing, tracking, classification, and data fusion; vehicle autonomy and tactics design, and embedded, real-time software implementation and testing
• Develop and maintain division-wide technical expertise in core disciplines, from early development through transition to sponsors
• Work closely with the Office leadership team to build and maintain trusted relationships with key sponsors and stakeholders, ensure the delivery of superior research products to our sponsors and develop and execute strategic initiatives
• Lead the development of proposals and projects that further our knowledge and expertise in autonomous guidance systems
• Provide project updates to sponsors and stakeholders, and lead the development of new business for potential sponsors
• Collaborate with engineers in technical areas across USO and ARLOversee the planning, staffing, and execution of programs to ensure all divisional staff and faculty are appropriately and sufficiently tasked at all times
• Provide a mix of high-level project management, engineering oversight, and technical expertise related to acoustic signal processing, vehicle autonomy/tactics, and embedded real-time software
• Coordinate research and development activities between disciplines involving exploration, definition of scope, and identification of problems for investigation
• Recruit, develop, and retain extraordinary R&D engineering staff and faculty

Requirements

• Principal Investigator, technical lead, or senior contributor on applied research efforts, with a record of securing and sustaining external funding in one or more of the following technical areas: underwater acoustics, signal processing, autonomous decision-making, and software development
• Leading individual and multi-disciplinary portfolios of research projects including developing technical concepts, writing winning proposals, staffing, conducting the research, managing budgets, and delivering high-quality results
• Leading a research organization, including planning and managing labor across projects, managing research budgets, and hiring, coaching, and mentoring employees
• Coordination across units to ensure rigorous execution, sound research and engineering practices, and the highest standards of technical work are maintained
• Superior written and oral communication skills
• DoD, Navy, and industrial research funding activities
• Current eligibility for access to classified information at the Secret level or higher; candidates may also be subject to a government background investigation to upgrade clearance eligibility, if required

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, or related field
• Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in research and development, preferably in the fields of underwater acoustics, signal processing, autonomous decision-making, and software development
• Experience leading and managing multidisciplinary teams
• Experience in proposal writing and securing external funding
• Experience in coordinating across units to ensure rigorous execution, sound research and engineering practices, and the highest standards of technical work are maintained
• Experience in recruiting, developing, and retaining extraordinary R&D engineering staff and faculty

Skills

• Strong leadership and project management skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment
• Experience in proposal writing and securing external funding
• Experience in coordinating across units to ensure rigorous execution, sound research and engineering practices, and the highest standards of technical work are maintained
• Experience in recruiting, developing, and retaining extraordinary R&D engineering staff and faculty

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. For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page.

Pay

The pay range for this position is $120,000 - $150,000 annually, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Schedule

The position requires a full-time, on-site schedule in State College, PA. Periodic travel to remote locations in support of testing as part of a small team of researchers, engineers, and technologists may be required.