Applied Hydromechanics Department Head

We are seeking a Department Head for the newly created Applied Hydromechanics Department of the Fluid Mechanics Division of the Fluid Dynamics and Acoustics Office within PSU ARL. In this role, you will contribute to and direct the work and growth of a team whose focus is the design, analysis and testing of marine vehicle hydrodynamics ranging from the fundamental physics to the physical effects on a vehicle in flight.

This position reports to the Fluid Mechanics Division Head, will work out of PSU ARL’s State College location, and may be filled as either 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.

• Provide organizational leadership to a growing group of Engineers, to include employee management, recruitment, development, retention, and technical direction
• Direct technical excellence, cost control and on-time delivery of work
• Lead the technical execution of research, development and testing of marine systems for a range of U.S. Government and Industry customers
• Provide and leverage subject matter expertise in the area of marine vehicle hydrodynamics, flight dynamics and vehicle control
• Oversee the development of proposals for new programs
• Develop and maintain long-term professional relationships with sponsors and relevant stakeholders, to ensure projects meet customer requirements and are consistent with ARL’s role as a Navy-aligned UARC
• Embrace ARL’s mission to discover, demonstrate, transition and educate

• 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
• Apply standard practices and techniques in specific situations, correlate data, recognize discrepancies in results and follow operations through a series of related detailed steps or processes
• Conduct experiments/tests in the laboratory/field to test, prove, or modify theoretical propositions on basis of research findings and experiences of others researching in related technical areas; may include taking measurements and recording observations, collecting, compiling, and processing data; may include planning/designing experiments or tests and supervising the execution thereof

• M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering or related field
• Strong background in fluid mechanics or aerodynamics.
• Experience transitioning mathematical Flight Dynamics and Flight Control models to real-world flight of aerodynamic or hydrodynamic vehicles
• Demonstrated success in proposal writing and securing of funding
• Demonstrated success in leadership of technical personnel
• Demonstrated success in management of sponsored programs
• Strong presentation and communication skills, both technical and inter‑personal
• Design and execution of experiments utilizing wind or water facilities

• Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering or related field
• Experience with the modeling and control of cavity running bodies
• Familiarity with solid modeling and CAD systems, MATLAB, or Simulink
• 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

Minimum Education , Work Experience & Required

Certifications:

If filled as Research and Development Engineer – Principal Professional:
Bachelor's Degree – Engineering or Science and 19+ years of relevant experience. If filled as Research and Development Engineer – Advanced Professional:
Bachelor's Degree – Engineering or Science and 5+ years of relevant experience. If filled as Research and Development Engineer – Senior Professional:
Bachelor's Degree – Engineering or Science and 14+…