Sr. Defense Technologist – Surface Warfare

Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. (SPA) delivers high-impact, technical solutions to complex national security issues. With over 50 years of business expertise and consistent growth, we are known for continuous innovation for our government customers, in both the US and abroad. Our exceptionally talented team is highly collaborative in spirit and practice, producing Results that Matter. Come work with the best! We offer opportunity, unique challenges, and clear-sighted commitment to the mission. SPA: Objective. Responsive. Trusted.  

The Joint, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Interagency Division provides expert support services to a range of customers spanning across the Department of Defense, Federal Civilian, and international markets. JOID provides a diverse portfolio of analytical and programmatic capabilities to help our customers make informed decisions on their most challenging issues.

The Acquisition and Technology Analysis Group within JOID specializes in the application of multi-disciplinary analytic skills to support multiple clients within the Department of Defense (DoD). These clients include the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (OUSD(A&S)), DARPA, the Joint Staff, and USINDOPACOM.  SPA provides critical decision support to enabling and executing a strategy of technological superiority and enabling the delivery and sustainment of secure, resilient, and preeminent capabilities to the warfighter quickly and cost effectively. Our team of experienced military, technical, and operations research analysts is skilled in evaluating military problems, identifying the driving factors, devising innovative approaches, collecting applicable data, developing necessary software tools, and performing thorough and timely assessments to inform technology and acquisition governance decisions to ensure U.S. military forces retain military superiority in the future.

We have a near-term need for a Sr. Defense Technologist with in-depth Surface Warfare expertise to provide onsite support in the National Capital Region (NCR).

The successful candidate will provide Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance (SETA) support services to the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Mission Capabilities (OASD(MC)) for Assault Breaker II (ABII). ASD(MC) takes a unified, missions-level view across the entire DoD enterprise to analyze joint missions and identify crosscutting technology gaps critical to military readiness. ABII is a joint initiative chartered with the Services to analyze the hardest military challenges facing the U.S. and its allies. ABII is also intended to develop experiments to provide future warfighting architectures to address these challenges. The successful candidate will support the ASD(MC) with a warfare specialty including planning, developing, and executing technical projects of a R&D nature, concerned with unique or controversial problems which have an important effect on major DoD programs. Will provide specialized professional, technical, and engineering support services that complement the OUSD(R&E) mission and enable the ASD(MC) to accomplish its mission. The candidate will apply experience, background, and knowledge of DoD program transition efforts. Will assist in conducting quantitative analyses of system/mission requirements as they pertain to the potential insertion of advanced technologies in support of ABII. The candidate will provide in-depth expertise in the assessment of proposed demonstrations and experimentation to determine the technical merit of proposed objectives and methodologies supporting ABII. The candidate will provide technical support for ABII in the areas of defining test objectives and procedures, theoretical calculation and analysis related to performer progress, modeling objectives and techniques, and coordination of modeling and testing. Will also provide planning, coordination, and assistance with testing and/or demonstrations as required to support ABII objectives.

Required:

• MS in physics, chemistry, mathematics, engineering, or related discipline
• Minimum of 15 years of experience bolstering the development and implementation of advanced surface warfare and technologies
• Skilled in conceiving, planning, and conducting research studies combining operational expertise with novel technology approaches and sophisticated research techniques to assess military effectiveness and engineering viability
• Experience in the use of advanced techniques, theories, precepts, and practices in technological programs, preferably those that have transitioned to operational use
• Comfortable engaging with senior personnel and providing written or verbal assessments
• Active DoD TS/SCI clearance

Desired:

• PhD in physics, chemistry, mathematics, engineering, or related discipline
• Joint/COCOM staff experience
• Experience, background., and knowledge of program transition efforts