Operations Research​/Undersea Systems Analyst

Application Instructions

Current Penn State employees, faculty, staff, technical service, or students must log in to Workday to complete the internal application process. Current Penn State students who have not previously been employed at the university should log in to Workday to complete the student application process. If you are not a current employee or student, click “Apply” to complete the external application process.

We are searching for a self‑motivated, detail‑oriented, positive and quality‑conscious Undersea System Analyst to join our Operations Research and Systems Analysis Department at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State. Operations Research is a multidisciplinary field in which a wide range of analytical methods are utilized to aid decision‑making. The goal of our Operations Research and Systems Analysis group is to provide insightful analytic studies in support of Department of Defense and Intel Community (IC) customers, connecting physics, DoD operations, engineering, and mathematics to ensure that our national defense is maintained today and into the future.

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

• Aggregate subject matter expertise – work with a diverse group of experts, including Navy officers, engineers, scientists, and mathematicians, to understand problems from many perspectives.
• Execute analyses – plan an approach to a problem, develop models, execute models/simulations, and analyze results.
• Perform concept assessments – assess future or current naval operations and/or systems engineering for conceptual systems.
• Deliver results – clearly communicate results to stakeholders within the laboratory or to sponsors in the DoD or IC.

• Contributing to white papers and/or study plans.
• Performing larger tasks individually or as part of a group.
• Leading small tasks.

• Knowledge of computing languages or frameworks for scientific/engineering analysis such as C++, MATLAB, Simulink, R, or Python.
• Creativity in problem solving.
• Demonstrated ability to absorb a broad array of information from scientific and/or mathematical fields.
• Ability to identify relationships between a system and its operational usage – logistics, planning, environmental, and risk factors.
• Ability to express yourself and ideas successfully to others in order to provide understanding.
• Past success in providing ideas in written form for clear comprehension to an audience.
• Previous success with collaborations in a multi‑disciplinary, team‑oriented culture.

• Undersea systems and the ability to apply this experience to assess new concepts.
• Modeling and simulation, particularly to resolve questions of interacting systems, applied physics, or mathematics.
• 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 onsite, located in State College, PA. Questions related to flexible work should be directed to the hiring manager during the interview process. This position may require periodic travel to remote locations in support of meetings.

Minimum requirements:

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Science and 2+ years of relevant experience (for Research and Development Engineer – Intermediate Professional). If filled as Research and Development Engineer – Professional, a Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Science is required with no prior relevant work experience required. No certifications are required.

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies. All positions at ARL require candidates to possess 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…