Advanced Manufacturing Engineer

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JOB DESCRIPTION AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

We are seeking a talented, experienced, and highly motivated Advanced Manufacturing Engineer to join the Intelligent Manufacturing and Operations Engineering team of 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 Intel Community (IC). In this role, you will be responsible for developing and optimizing manufacturing processes, ensuring seamless transitions from prototype to full-rate production, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to drive efficient and cost-effective manufacturing solutions for complex state-of-the-art weapon systems. Your work will directly impact the development and production of high-quality products, ensuring they meet performance, quality, cost, and scalability requirements.

As a team member, you will work closely with design, engineering, and production teams to improve manufacturability, optimize production workflows, and support prototype product development. Your expertise will help bridge the gap between research and real-world defense applications, ensuring rapid, scalable, and high-quality manufacturing solutions. A key focus of this role is reducing prototype development time by identifying manufacturability constraints early, integrating design feedback efficiently, and implementing rapid iteration strategies. Your contributions will accelerate the transition from concept to functional prototypes while maintaining high-quality and performance standards.

Joining ARL means being part of a cutting-edge research environment that directly impacts national security. If you thrive in solving complex manufacturing challenges and working with multidisciplinary teams, we encourage you to apply.

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

You will:

• Develop and optimize manufacturing processes, including scaling production from prototype to full-rate manufacturing using standard and cutting edge industry processes and production equipment
• Work with design/build teams to ensure Design for Manufacturability (DFM) principles are applied
• Plan and implement manufacturing strategies with a focus on reducing development time and improving production efficiency
• Identify and mitigate manufacturing risks during early-stage product development
• Assist in the selection of manufacturing equipment, tooling, and materials to support rapid prototyping
• Engage with government Department of Defense (DoD) customers to define requirements, align objectives, and provide technical insights for complex, next-generation weapon systems
• Implement continuous improvement initiatives to enhance manufacturing capabilities and reduce lead times
• Support root cause analysis and problem-solving for production challenges
• Work within cross-functional teams to align manufacturing objectives with system requirements
• Contribute to proposal writing and technical reporting to secure funding and support research initiatives

This position can be filled at multiple levels depending on education and experience. Minimally requires a Bachelor's degree in an engineering or science discipline and 14 years' related experience. Additional education and or experience is required for higher level positions. A degree Industrial Engineering or Mechanical Engineering is preferred.

Additional responsibilities of a higher level may include:

• Leading large-scale manufacturing projects and process improvement initiatives
• Developing advanced methodologies for high-efficiency production processes
• Mentoring junior engineers and providing technical leadership of strategic manufacturing initiatives
• Driving automation and digital manufacturing initiatives

Required skills/experience areas include:

• Strong understanding of manufacturing process development and optimization
• Experience with Design for Manufacturability (DFM) principles
• Knowledge and application of Systems Engineering principles
• Manufacturing planning for prototype and full-scale production
• Ability to collaborate in a cross-functional, team-oriented environment
• Strong problem-solving skills and analytical mindset
• Experience with manufacturing process documentation and quality control
• Familiarity with Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) software for manufacturing applications
• Knowledge and experience with DoD weapon system acquisition processes and current trends and practices throughout the DOD industrial enterprise
• Understanding of design artifacts such as models and drawings and the ability to interpret Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T)
• Design of full-scale manufacturing systems that include robotics, automation, material handling, test, and inspection

Preferred skills and experience include:

• Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies
• Experience with automation and digital manufacturing technologies
• Understanding of Product Lifecycle Management and configuration management best practices for new product design and manufacturing
• Knowledge of material science, modern electronics fabrication, and advanced manufacturing techniques
• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Manufacturing Execution System (MES) software experience for manufacturing planning
• Hands-on experience with CNC machining, additive manufacturing, or other production technologies
• Experience with cost analysis and production efficiency improvements
• Production system modeling & simulation
• Experience establishing facility Digital Twins
• Knowledge of smart manufacturing techniques, including AI-driven process optimization, Internet of Things integration, and real-time data analytics

Your working location will be on-site in State College, PA and may require periodic travel to remote locations to meet with research sponsors or conduct field testing as part of a small team of researchers, engineers, and technologists.

You will be subject to a government security investigation, and you must be a U.S. citizen to apply. Employment with Penn State ARL will require successful completion of a pre-employment drug screen.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION on ARL, visit our web site at www.arl.psu.edu.

The salary range for this position, including all possible grades is:

Salary Structure - additional information on Penn State's job and salary structure.

CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS: