Operations Research and Development Engineer
About the role
Your working location will be fully on-site, located in State College, a hybrid on-site/work from home, or fully remote, dependent on skillset and location, within the U.S. This role requires periodic travel to remote locations. We are searching for an Operations Research and Development Engineer to join The Vehicle Investigation & Cybersecurity Department at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State. In this role you will serve as a senior technical and operational leader to drive sponsor engagement, guide ground vehicle sustainment research, and strengthen ARL’s relationships across the military. This role will support the division’s mission to advance next‑generation sustainment technologies, readiness analytics, vehicle systems resilience, and cyber‑secure maintenance capabilities. This position plays a critical leadership role in sustaining ARL’s institutional knowledge of vehicle sustainment operations and sponsor engagement. The successful candidate will help anchor ARL’s understanding of real‑world vehicle logistics, readiness challenges, and fleet sustainment needs, ensuring our research remains aligned with operational priorities across the Services. The ideal candidate brings deep operational expertise in military ground vehicle operations, direct experience with sustainment engineering, and a track record of shaping, growing, and maintaining sponsor relationships in defense research and development. ARL is an authorized DoD SkillBridge partner and welcomes all transitioning military members to apply.
Responsibilities
- Lead business development and sponsor engagement for vehicle sustainment and cybersecurity research portfolios
- Maintain and expand strategic relationships with military stakeholders, especially within the USMC, Army, and joint logistics communities
- Provide subject‑matter expertise on military ground vehicle operations, sustainment processes, and enabling IT systems
- Shape research directions by