Project Manager - Information Advantage Office

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

• CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal 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.

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POSITION SPECIFICS​

Your working location will be fully on-site located in Reston, VA, but options exist for hybrid of on-site/work from home based on project-dependent availability.  Questions related to flexible work should be directed to the hiring manager during the interview process.

This role requires occasional travel to State College, PA and San Diego, CA.

We are searching for an Engineering Project Adviser for the Information Advantage Office (IAO) at the Penn State Applied Research Laboratory (ARL). IAO conducts mission-driven research to disrupt adversary capabilities, enable rapid operational adaptation, and secure a decisive information advantage in contested environments. Its work advances C5ISRT and counter-C5ISRT by bridging intelligence, decision-making, and execution to outpace emerging threats. The Office delivers applied RDT&E that transforms information into operational advantage, reshaping the landscape of information superiority.

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

You will:

• Develop, coordinate, and maintain project budgets, work breakdown structures, rough order estimates, task prioritization, and integration plans in collaboration with investigators and program managers
• Coordinate with investigators and financial teams to establish project budget baselines and update budgets throughout the project lifecycle
• Provide cost, labor, and project data to financial teams to support estimating, tracking, and financial reporting
• Review and analyze project costs regularly to ensure accuracy and support timely and compliant project closeout
• Collaborate with financial and property inventory teams to review fabrication costs and ensure correct classification, coding, and work breakdown structures in preparation for project closeout
• Apply project management methodologies and strategies to implement project requirements
• Collaborate with investigators to develop, execute, and maintain project plans, including scope, schedule, milestones, and deliverables
• Monitor project execution to ensure adherence to approved plans, schedules, and technical requirements
• Facilitate communication among sponsors, investigators, resource managers, project engineers, and technical personnel
• Manage stakeholder expectations and coordinate with investigators to ensure compliance with sponsor requirements and commitments
• Collect, manage, and analyze project status information related to schedule, cost, resources, and deliverables
• Prepare and distribute project status reports and maintain required project documentation
• Manage project resources in coordination with resource managers and project teams
• Oversee subcontracted work, including reviewing subcontractor hours, identifying risks, and reviewing agreements for alignment with project requirements
• Identify, coordinate, and resolve conflicts and issues within and across project teams
• Recommend and implement solutions to address project risks, issues, and performance concerns

Required skills/experience areas include:

• Project management including, tracking project cost, schedule milestones, quality assurance processes, and the management of project commitments and timelines
• Success in environments where various forms of communication and organizational skills were crucial to be effective
• Experience collaborating in multi-disciplinary, team-oriented cultures
• Current eligibility for access to classified information at the Top Secret/SCI level or the ability to get it

Preferred skills/experience areas include:

• PMI Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) or equivalent certification

• Experience with the following tool suites:  Microsoft applications, to include strong user experience with Excel, Atlassian (Confluence and JIRA)

• Support of projects to include financial and technical reporting, meeting planning facilitation, and facility/equipment needs

MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS

If filled as Engineering Project Adviser (ARL) - Advanced Professional, this position requires:
Bachelor's Degree
3+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted
Required Certifications:
None

If filled as Engineering Project Adviser (ARL) - Intermediate Professional, this position requires:
Bachelor's Degree
1+ 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 information. Personal electronic devices brought onsite must be registered and may be restricted from certain areas. You must be a U.S. citizen to apply.

SALARY & BENEFITS

The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $74,760.00 - $112,200.00. This salary range includes an adjustment based on required geographic work location.

Salary Structure - Information on Penn State's salary structure

Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans and substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time. One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children. For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page.

CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS

Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here.

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