Poffenberger was at Michigan State University in 1941 and served four years in the US Navy. In 1946 he was for a time in the 125th US General Army Hospital in Bremerhaven, Germany. He returned to Michigan State where he taught Sociology and earned a doctorate degree. He has been on the faculty Oregon State University and was an Associate Professor at the University of California at Davis. From 1961 to 1969, he and his family were in India where he was Visiting Professor at the University of Baroda, Gujarat State, and consultant for the Ford Foundation. After a year as Senior Fellow at the East-West Center, University of Hawaii, he joined the University of Michigan where he is Professor Emeritus. He is now retired.