New

Department Head System Design (FACULTY)

The Pennsylvania State University
remote work
United States, Pennsylvania, University Park
201 Old Main (Show on map)
Jan 16, 2026
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday. CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday. If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click "Apply" and complete the application process for external applicants. Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location.For additional information on remote work at Penn State, seeNotice to Out of State Applicants. POSITION SPECIFICS We are searching for a Department Head to lead our System Design Department in the Sonar Research and Development (SRD) Division in the Undersea Systems Office (USO) at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State. 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 Intelligence Community (IC). The System Design Department is responsible for design, fabrication, testing and maintenance of Sonar systems. System Design is comprised of a diverse group of electrical, mechanical, computer/software, industrial engineers and support specialists. The System Design Department Head provides overall leadership, direction and oversight for programs and research activity across these technology areas and is also responsible for recruitment, professional development and promotion in rank of current and future department staff. 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: Cultivate business opportunities related to the overall mission of the Department and organizational leadership Develop and execute the strategic vision, goals, and plans of the Department in concert with other units in the Division, USO, and ARL Develop, perform and oversee complex Sonar designs while working closely in collaboration with other departments/groups, both internal and external to ARL, that develop processing/algorithms, transducers and arrays, underwater vehicles/platforms Collaborate with project managers to ensure timely delivery of quality technical work by Department staff Prepare and review proposals, technical reports, status reports and other programmatic and administrative documents Additional responsibilities for higher level position includes: Contribute to the design, development, implementation, and analysis of technical engineering products, systems, and subsystems Investigate and evaluate practical applicability of scientific theories and engineering principles to develop and improve various engineering systems; identify technical approach for solving problems and meeting customer/grantor needs Interact in a collaborative manner with other team members, engineers, and scientists to accomplish organizational goals; provide innovative problem-solving approaches to enhance organizational capabilities Non-tenure faculty rank will be commensurate with education level and experience. Required skills/experience areas include: Understanding of Sonar from system level through detailed design with background in Acoustics to support subsystem specification / requirements development; including electronics, mechanical structural interaction, and signal processing Past success in technical leadership of diverse group(s) of technologists from concept through design implementation and test of complex electromechanical-acoustic systems Preferred skills/experience areas include: Advanced degree in EE, ME, Computer Engineering and/or Acoustics CAD tools with focus on ECAD, Simulation tools such as SPICE, Matlab, Simulink Familiarity with Mechanical design, including pressure vessels, interpretation of FEA results, thermal mitigation, packaging Familiarity with Embedded Software, operating systems, networking Experience with at-sea deployment and testing 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 Your working location will be fully on-site, located in State College. This position will require periodic travel to remote locations in support of testing as part of a small team of researchers, engineers, and technologists. BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies. All positions at ARL require candidates topossess the ability to obtain a government security clearance; you will be notified during the interview process if this position is subject to a government background investigation. You must be a U.S. citizen to apply. Employment with the ARL will require successful completion of a pre-employment drug screen. 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 ourBenefits Page. (Note: For Postdoctoral benefits, please see our Postdoctoral Benefits page.) 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. Federal Contractors Labor Law Poster PA State Labor Law Poster Penn State Policies Copyright Information Hotlines