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Position Function:

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at Mississippi State University seeks a full-time, twelve-month Program Manager to lead the Mississippi State METAL Hub Mobile STEM Initiative within the Innovation Design and Engineering Educational Laboratory (IDEELab).

The Program Manager will serve as the operational and programmatic lead for a statewide mobile advanced manufacturing and STEM education platform designed to deliver hands-on workforce development experiences directly to K-12 students, educators, and communities throughout Mississippi. This position will oversee mobile trailer operations, curriculum development, outreach programming, event coordination, stakeholder engagement, and workforce development activities supporting the state's future manufacturing talent pipeline.

The successful candidate will coordinate school visits, industry engagement activities, educator workshops, summer programs, public outreach events, workforce development demonstrations, and mobile training deployments. The position will work closely with K-12 schools, community colleges, industry partners, workforce organizations, government agencies, and economic development entities to expand awareness of advanced manufacturing careers and educational opportunities.

In addition to leading the METAL Mobile STEM Initiative, the Program Manager will support IDEELab workforce development, outreach, recruiting, and industry engagement activities that advance the mission of the Mechanical Engineering Department and 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:

STEM outreach, workforce development, advanced manufacturing education, and mobile training program management

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead the planning, implementation, deployment, and continuous improvement of the Mississippi State METAL Hub Mobile STEM Initiative.
• Coordinate statewide deployment of the mobile advanced manufacturing trailer and associated outreach activities.
• Develop and maintain hands-on STEM, engineering, robotics, manufacturing, composites, machining, and workforce development curriculum for mobile delivery.
• Organize and conduct K-12 school visits, STEM demonstrations, educator workshops, summer camps, career exploration events, and public outreach activities.
• Coordinate event logistics including scheduling, transportation, equipment readiness, setup, operation, and breakdown of the mobile training platform.
• Establish and maintain relationships with school districts, career and technical education programs, community colleges, industry partners, workforce development organizations, and government agencies.
• Recruit participants and coordinate educational programming across Mississippi's workforce and educational ecosystems.
• Support industry-sponsored outreach activities designed to increase awareness of advanced manufacturing careers and workforce opportunities.
• Manage program records, participant tracking, performance metrics, impact reporting, and sponsor deliverables.
• Coordinate training and certification activities associated with workforce development initiatives supported through the METAL Hub.
• Support educator professional development programs and curriculum integration efforts.
• Conduct public demonstrations and represent Mississippi State University at conferences, expos, workforce events, career fairs, and community engagement activities.
• Assist with grant reporting, proposal development, sponsor communications, and stakeholder engagement activities.
• Coordinate maintenance, inventory management, operational readiness, and safety compliance for mobile training assets.
• Support additional IDEELab workforce development, recruiting, outreach, and industry engagement initiatives as assigned.
• Perform other related duties necessary to support the academic, outreach, 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 K-12 STEM education, workforce development, career and technical education (CTE), or outreach programming.
• Experience creating mobile education, training, demonstration, or outreach platforms.
• Experience developing hands-on STEM, engineering, manufacturing, robotics, or technology curriculum/content.
• Commercial Driver's License (CDL) or willingness to obtain CDL training if required for program operations.
• Experience organizing large-scale events, workshops, camps, conferences, or public engagement activities.
•Experience developing online learning content (Canvas).
•Experience working on IACMI federally funded workforce development or educational programs.
•Ability to travel throughout Mississippi and occasionally nationally to support workforce development activities.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Experience with K-12 STEM education, workforce development, career and technical education (CTE), or outreach programming.
• Experience operating mobile education, training, demonstration, or outreach platforms.
• Experience developing hands-on STEM, engineering, manufacturing, robotics, or technology curriculum.
• Familiarity with advanced manufacturing technologies, machining, composites, automation, robotics, additive manufacturing, or related industries.
• Experience working with school districts, community colleges, workforce organizations, economic development agencies, or industry partners.
• OSHA 10/30, Project Lead the Way (PLTW), manufacturing, workforce development, or related certifications.
• Experience managing grant-funded educational or workforce development programs.
• Experience organizing large-scale events, workshops, camps, conferences, or public engagement activities.
• Commercial Driver's License (CDL) or willingness to obtain CDL training if required for program operations.
• Demonstrated ability to represent an organization professionally with external stakeholders and sponsors.

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.