Technical Engineering Project Manager

Job description

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete theinternal 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, see Notice to Out of State Applicants. ​ POSITION SPECIFICS​ We are searching for a self-starting Technical Engineering Project Manager to join our Mission Systems Department at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State. Our mission is to support research, design and application of engineering development methodologies supporting the strategic advancement of warfighter capability at the speed of relevance. This role will lead the day-to-day tactical execution of complex technical projects and sub-portions of major programs and serve as the nexus between technology and operations, delivering integrated solutions to real-world mission challenges. ARL is an authorized DoD SkillBridge partner and welcomes all transitioning military members to apply. You Will: Lead the execution of complex engineering project tasks and technical work packages to achieve program objectives Define, maintain, and monitor project scope, schedules, budgets, and deliverables throughout the project lifecycle Coordinate across multidisciplinary engineering, operations, and support teams to ensure alignment and successful project execution Serve as a liaison with resource managers to coordinate staffing needs and ensure appropriate resources are available to support project objectives Develop and deliver technical status updates, project briefings, and progress reports to sponsors and key stakeholders Coordinate and support technical reviews, design milestones, system integration activities, and other key project events Monitor earned value, performance metrics, project risks, and mitigation strategies to identify and address potential issues Manage configuration and change control processes to maintain accurate and controlled project baselines Develop and maintain integrated project schedules, resource plans, and work breakdown structures to support effective planning and execution Additional responsibilities for higher-level position includes: Oversee the collection and archival of project documentation, including technical reports, meeting minutes, lessons learned, and close-out reports Support the preparation and delivery of technical presentations, briefings, and status reports to sponsors, leadership, and external collaborators Ensure project execution complies with internal policies, customer requirements, and applicable government regulations Support internal audits or sponsor reviews by providing accurate, timely project documentation and analysis Assist with the transition of research to development or field-ready systems by coordinating planning, demonstrations, and documentation Contribute in a technical capacity to projects and/or programs, as needed May support proposal preparation by contributing schedule estimates, risk assessments, and technical input as needed May supervise staff members, including hiring, development, and performance management Required Skills/Experience areas include: Engineering foundation with the ability to contribute effectively to system-level technical discussions and decision-making Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Project Project management fundamentals Ability to express ideas successfully to drive understanding Preferred Skills/Experience areas include: Past success within a University Affiliated Research Center/Federally Funded Research and Development Center, or government laboratory Mission engineering, systems integration, or Model-Based Systems Engineering Project Management Professional or similar formal project management training 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, PA. MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS If filled as Technical Engineering Project Manager (ARL) - Principal Professional, this position requires: Bachelor's Degree 8+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted Required Certifications: None If filled as Technical Engineering Project Manager (ARL) - Senior Professional, this position requires: Bachelor's Degree 6+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted Required Certifications: None ARL’s purpose is to research and develop innovative solutions to challenging scientific, engineering, and technology problems in support of the Navy, the Intel Community (IC), and other federal government customers. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION on ARL, visit our website at www.arl.psu.edu. BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies. Notice regarding employment at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL): 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 inf