Robert Alpern, P.E.
About Robert Alpern, P.E.
Robert Alpern, P.E. is the Branch Chief at the National Institutes of Health, where he has worked since September 2023. He has a diverse background in mechanical engineering and project management, with experience in various pharmaceutical companies over the past 18 years.
Work at National Institutes of Health
Robert Alpern currently serves as the Branch Chief at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a position he has held since September 2023. In this role, he leads the Division of Technical Resources, specifically within the Technical Support Branch. Prior to this leadership position, he worked as a Mechanical Engineer at NIH from 2020 to 2023, where he contributed to various projects in a hybrid work environment. His transition from a technical role to a leadership position reflects his career advancement within the organization.
Previous Experience in Project Engineering
Robert Alpern has extensive experience in project engineering roles across multiple pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies. He worked as a Senior Project Engineer at Unither Pharmaceuticals from 2018 to 2020 in the Rochester, New York area, and at Kedrion Biopharma from 2016 to 2018 in Long Island, New York. His role at Merck spanned eight years, where he served as a Capital Project Engineer from 2008 to 2016 in the Greater Philadelphia area. This diverse background has contributed to his expertise in technical resource management.
Educational Background
Robert Alpern studied at the Rochester Institute of Technology, where he earned a Master of Mechanical Engineering (BS/MEng) degree from 2003 to 2008. His education provided a strong foundation in mechanical engineering principles, which he has applied throughout his career in various engineering roles.
Early Career and Co-op Positions
Robert Alpern began his career with several co-op positions that provided valuable experience in the engineering field. He worked as an Electro-Optics / Technical Operations Co-op at Lockheed Martin in 2006 for two months in Orlando, Florida. He also held a co-op position at Johnson & Johnson in the Global Pharmaceutical Supply Group - Technical Operations from 2005 to 2006 in Titusville, New Jersey. Additionally, he served as a Research Assistant Co-op at Tufts University in 2005 for two months in Boston, Massachusetts. These early experiences contributed to his professional development.