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Position Function:

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at Mississippi State University seeks a full-time, twelve-month Program Manager. This staff position will report directly to the IDEELab Director and School Director and will serve as the primary coordinator, trainer, and technical lead for the IDEELab’s Americas Cutting Edge Composites program. The Program Manager will serve as the operational and technical lead for the development, implementation, and statewide deployment of composites manufacturing education and workforce training programs. This position will oversee curriculum development, hands-on training delivery, industry engagement, outreach activities, and program expansion efforts supporting students, industry professionals, educators, military personnel, and K-12 participants. The successful candidate will coordinate workforce development projects, manage training logistics, cultivate industry partnerships, support grant-funded initiatives, and contribute to the growth of Mississippi State University's advanced manufacturing ecosystem. The position will work closely with faculty, industry partners, government agencies, and educational institutions to expand workforce readiness programs aligned with national manufacturing priorities. In addition to leading ACE Composites activities, the Program Manager will support a variety of IDEELab research, workforce development, outreach, and industry engagement initiatives that advance the mission of the Mechanical Engineering Department and the Bagley College of Engineering.

Salary Grade:  15

Please see Staff Compensation Structure for salary ranges. 

Department Profile:

Mississippi State University is an R1 institution with very high research activity. The Michael W. Hall School of Mechanical Engineering is one of eight academic departments in the Bagley College of Engineering. The Mechanical Engineering School’s faculty research expenditure is approximately $15.2M annually for 20 tenure/tenure-track faculty. The Mechanical Engineering School offers an ABET-accredited undergraduate program in mechanical engineering, as well as graduate studies leading to M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. The Mechanical Engineering School has approximately 1,000 undergraduate and 100 graduate students and has the largest student enrollment within the Bagley College of Engineering and 2nd largest within Mississippi State University.

Area of Specialization:

Workforce Development- Composites

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• The following are representative examples of duties assigned to this position. This list is not intended to be exhaustive, and additional related duties may be assigned as needed to meet the goals of the department.
• Lead the planning, development, implementation, and continuous improvement of the ACE Composites workforce development program.
• Develop online learning modules, instructional materials, laboratory exercises, assessments, and certification pathways related to composite manufacturing technologies.
• Design, coordinate, and deliver hands-on composites manufacturing bootcamps for university students, industry professionals, educators, military personnel, and community partners.
• Organize and facilitate workforce training workshops, short courses, technical demonstrations, and certification programs throughout Mississippi and across the United States.
• Coordinate K-12 STEM outreach activities, summer camps, educator workshops, and experiential learning events designed to promote advanced manufacturing careers.
• Establish and maintain relationships with industry partners, government agencies, community colleges, universities, economic development organizations, and workforce development stakeholders.
• Conduct industry visits to assess workforce needs, identify training opportunities, and support program growth and partnership development.
• Support grant-funded workforce development initiatives through project coordination, reporting, participant tracking, data collection, and performance metric evaluation.
• Recruit, schedule, and manage participants for workforce development programs, workshops, bootcamps, and outreach activities.
• Coordinate logistics for training events, including equipment procurement, facility preparation, travel planning, registration management, and instructional support.
• Assist with composites laboratory operations, equipment utilization, maintenance coordination, inventory management, and safety compliance.
• Support applied research, prototype development, and technology demonstration projects conducted through the IDEELab.
• Collaborate with faculty and staff to integrate workforce training opportunities into academic coursework and experiential learning activities.
• Prepare program reports, presentations, promotional materials, success stories, and stakeholder updates for sponsors and funding agencies.
• Represent Mississippi State University, the IDEELab, and ACE Composites at conferences, trade shows, industry events, workforce summits, and outreach activities.
• Assist in identifying new funding opportunities and contribute to proposal development supporting workforce and training initiatives.
• Support other workforce development, research, outreach, and industry engagement activities within the IDEELab as assigned.
•Perform other related duties as necessary to support the academic, research, and workforce development mission of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Bagley College of Engineering.

Minimum Qualifications:

•Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or Industrial Engineering
•3 years experience

Preferred Qualifications:

•Experience with composite materials manufacturing processes (hand layup, vacuum infusion, compression molding, resin transfer molding, automated fiber placement, etc.).
•Experience developing online learning content (Canvas, Moodle, Articulate, Rise360, Adobe Captivate, etc.).
•Experience working on IACME federally funded workforce development or educational programs.
•Experience coordinating industry partnerships and workforce training programs.
•OSHA 10/30 and American Cutting Edge credentials.
•Experience organizing conferences, workshops, camps, or large-scale outreach events.
•Ability to travel throughout Mississippi and occasionally nationally to support workforce development activities.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Experience with composite materials manufacturing processes (hand layup, vacuum infusion, compression molding, resin transfer molding, automated fiber placement, etc.).
• Experience developing online learning content (Canvas, Moodle, Articulate, Rise360, Adobe Captivate, etc.).
• Experience managing federally funded workforce development or educational programs.
• Experience coordinating industry partnerships and workforce training programs.
• OSHA 10/30, SAMPE, SME, ACMA, NIMS, or related industry credentials.
• Experience organizing conferences, workshops, camps, or large-scale outreach events.
• Ability to travel throughout Mississippi and occasionally nationally to support workforce development activities.

Working Conditions and Physical Effort

•Ability to navigate uncommon manufacturing environments including but not limited to industrial system rooms.
•Comfort with high and low temperature environments. During all seasons, the team will operate in non-climate-controlled manufacturing facilities.
•Comfort with heights including taking data while on the roof on industrial facilities.
•Experience with project management and working in a fast-paced environment.
•Ability to configure software applications to meet specific needs and integrate software systems to enhance data transfer and extraction.
•Ability to integrate data from different sources to enable comprehensive analysis, and ability to create necessary forms to capture data from various stakeholders.
•Experience with maintaining data accuracy and generating data visualization.
•Knowledge and understanding of MSU policies and procedures, including knowledge of Concur and Banner systems, travel policies and procedures, and purchasing guidelines.
•Ability to excel in working with multiple cultures.

Instructions for Applying:

Applicants must apply online at www.msujobs.msstate.edu by submitting a cover letter and vitae.
Any social numbers included on requested transcripts should be redacted prior to submitting online.

Restricted Clause:

Position is contingent upon continued availability of funding.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

Mississippi State University is an equal opportunity institution. Discrimination is prohibited in university employment, programs or activities based on race, color, ethnicity, sex, pregnancy, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, or any other status to the extent protected by applicable law. Questions about equal opportunity programs or compliance should be directed to the Office of Civil Rights Compliance, 231 Famous Maroon Band Street, P.O. 6044, Mississippi State, MS 39762, (662) 325-5839.

What do I do if I need an accommodation?

In compliance with the ADA Amendments Act (ADA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation in order to apply for a position with Mississippi State University, please contact the Department of Human Resources Management at tel: (662) 325-3713 or ada@hrm.msstate.edu.

If you have any questions regarding this policy, contact the Department of Human Resources Management at (662) 325-3713 or ada@hrm.msstate.edu. Upon request, sections of this job listing are available in large print, and readers are available to assist the visually impaired.