Comprehensive Software Solutions Department Head

We are seeking a Department Head for the Comprehensive Software Solutions Department (CSSD) of the Spectrum and Signatures Solutions (S3) Division to join All-Domain Analytics and Signatures Office of the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State. You will report directly to the Director of Spectrum and Signatures Solutions Division and be responsible for managing the division’s research engineers, scientists, technicians, and support personnel.

You will direct a multi-domain system software engineering team in designing, programming, and integrating within an unlimited range of technologies into tactical, deployable military systems supporting operations on land, air, maritime, and space, to enable improved situation awareness and faster decision‑making in complex environments. This position can be filled as a Research and Development Engineer or a non‑tenure Research Faculty.

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

• Manage the daily technical activities of approximately 5-10 Research and Development Engineers, as well as performing their associated hiring, training, mentoring, tasking, and performance review process.
• Lead Department operations including strategic planning, budgeting, staffing, facilities challenges, proposal development, and risk mitigation to ensure growth is both sustainable and aligned.
• Communicate frequently with sponsors and associate contractors.
• Lead the technical execution of research, development, prototyping, and implementation of systems for a wide range of customers in the DoD and IC.
• Establish relationships and maintain awareness of technology and expertise across the ARL actively pairing that expertise with CSS Department personnel proactively collaborating across ARL to better enable mission accomplishment.
• Direct technical excellence, cost control, and on‑time delivery of work.
• Oversee the development of plans and proposals for new programs.
• Lead and assure the proper execution of sponsored research.
• Foster a culture of excellence, cohesion and professional development; lead comprehensive, high performing and collaborative teams across engineering, scientific, and support personnel; embrace ARL’s mission to discover, demonstrate, transition, and educate.

• Active TS/SCI security clearance.
• Strong executive presence and polished communication skills—able to articulate needs, requirements and impact clearly to diverse audiences in various formats.
• Experience as a Principal Investigator, technical lead, program management or senior contributor on applied and basic research efforts, with a record of securing and sustaining funding in software supported areas related to bespoke embedded coding, database creation and Graphical User Interfaces (GUI).
• Expert in C/C++, Python, SQL, and Java.
• Software Lifecycle: design, develop, field‑test, delivery, deploy, and integration of the software into technology systems.
• Ability to navigate and thrive in a setting where diverse communication styles and organizational strategies are essential.
• Successful handling of sensitive/classified information.
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills.

• Master’s Degree in Software Engineering and/or Computer Science.
• Project Management.
• Experience in designing, orchestrating and conducting technical design reviews and field tests.
• Experience working within the security and IT frameworks applied to DoD and IC sponsored programs.
• Military or IC service.

Your working location will be fully on‑site in State College, PA. There will be occasional travel to designated sponsor or associate contractor locations within and outside the continental United States.

• Principal Professional: Bachelor's Degree – Engineering or Science; 19+ years of relevant experience;
  Required Certifications – None.
• Advanced Professional: Bachelor's Degree – Engineering or Science; 5+ years of relevant experience;
  Required Certifications – None.
• Senior Professional: Bachelor's Degree – Engineering or Science; 14+ years of…