Lead Operations Research Systems Analyst

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The MITRE Special Operations and Joint Staff Department (N552) provides engineering and analytical expertise to address complex national security challenges. In support of Joint Staff J7, we apply operations research, systems analysis, and modeling and simulation to evaluate emerging Joint Warfighting Concept (JWC) use cases and provide evidence-based recommendations for concept development.

We are seeking a technically skilled, operationally focused Lead Operations Research Systems Analyst to support the Joint Staff J7 JWC modeling and simulation task. Working with the MITRE Project Lead, government sponsors, and a multidisciplinary technical team, you will lead analytical studies that translate joint warfighting questions into defensible models, experiments, and actionable findings. Your work will extend the analytical foundation and help the sponsor evaluate and refine concepts and force structure using a secure modeling and simulation capability.

This position combines hands-on quantitative analysis with technical leadership and sponsor engagement. You will work with military planners, subject matter experts, model developers, and software engineers to assess mission threads, explain analytical uncertainty, and improve sponsor access to approved analysis functions, results, and documentation.

Roles and Responsibilities:

Lead the design and execution of operations research studies for sponsor-prioritized JWC use cases and mission threads. Translate concepts, CONOPS, and operational questions into study objectives, measures of effectiveness and performance, scenarios, assumptions, and data requirements. Develop experimental designs, conduct simulation runs and statistical analyses, and assess alternatives through sensitivity, uncertainty, and trade-space analysis. Explain the operational implications, limitations, and confidence associated with findings.

Develop and employ models and analytical workflows in an approved classified environment, including the task's modeling and simulation capability. Plan and perform model verification and validation appropriate to each intended use; assess data quality, model assumptions, and fitness for purpose with sponsor experts. Maintain reproducible analyses and documented configurations. Partner with software engineers to define and evaluate sponsor-facing user-interface requirements, including access to approved functions, results, and supporting documentation. Apply analytical approaches as directed by the sponsor, with appropriate evaluation and technical review.

Coordinate analytical work with the government team, contributing to kickoff planning, bi-weekly updates, and integrated product reviews. Support preparation, participation, analysis, and recommendations for concept workshops, tabletop exercises, and wargames. Deliver technical briefings, classified findings, and final-report contributions describing models, simulations, data, tools, and conclusions. Develop demonstrations, working sessions, and training materials, and support transfer of approved code, software, configuration files, and documentation. Follow government requirements for classified processing, access, disclosure, and release.

Selected candidates will demonstrate the following:

• Domain and Technical Competence. Apply operations research, statistical analysis, modeling and simulation, and systems thinking to complex operational problems. Connect quantitative results to joint warfighting questions while clearly documenting assumptions and analytical limitations.
  
• Leadership and Execution. Lead analytical work and mentor technical staff, establish quality standards, and manage analytical dependencies and risks in coordination with the Task Lead. Provide objective advice consistent with MITRE's FFRDC responsibilities.
  
• Communication and Teamwork. Explain methods, findings, uncertainty, and recommendations to technical and nontechnical audiences. Collaborate effectively with military planners, analysts, software engineers, and subject matter experts.
  
• Collaboration. Build relationships across MITRE and the sponsor community to obtain relevant expertise, integrate operational perspectives, and share approved technical products and lessons learned.
  
• Sponsor Engagement. Engage senior military leaders and action officers to clarify analytical needs, evaluate priorities, and present decision-relevant findings. Adapt study approaches as sponsor requirements evolve.
  

Basic Qualifications:

• Typically requires a minimum of 8 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 6 years with a Master’s degree; or 3 years with a PhD; or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
  
• Bachelor’s degree in Operations Research, Systems Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Statistics, or a related quantitative or technical field.
  
• Experience designing and executing operations research or systems analysis studies that inform operational, concept development, or capability decisions.
  
• Experience developing or applying models and simulations, including verification and validation, assessment of assumptions, and interpretation of model limitations.
  
• Demonstrated ability to apply statistical analysis, design of experiments, and sensitivity or uncertainty analysis to complex problems.
  
• Proficiency with Python, R, MATLAB, or comparable analytical tools for data preparation, modeling, statistical analysis, and visualization; ability to document reproducible workflows.
  
• Experience leading analytical activities and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams and operational subject matter experts to translate mission needs into study objectives and measures.
  
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including technical reports and briefings that translate quantitative findings into actionable recommendations.
  
• Must have an active Top Secret U.S Government issued Security Clearance with the ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI U.S. Government issued Security Clearance. Per the U.S. Government’s eligibility requirements, you must be a U.S Citizen to be considered for a security clearance.
  
• This position requires a minimum of 4 days a week on-site.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Active TS security clearance.Master's degree or PhD in Operations Research, Systems Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Statistics, or a related quantitative field.
  
• Experience supporting Joint Staff, combatant command, or Service analytical efforts involving joint concepts, mission threads, CONOPS, or force and capability assessments.
  
• Experience with campaign, mission-level, agent-based, discrete-event, or Monte Carlo simulation methods and tools.
  
• Experience supporting concept workshops, tabletop exercises, or wargames, including event design, data collection, analysis, and recommendations.
  
• Experience applying optimization, decision analysis, or multi-criteria assessment to evaluate operational alternatives and tradeoffs.
  
• Experience developing and sustaining modeling and simulation workflows in classified environments, including configuration management and technical documentation.
  
• Experience applying and evaluating analytical methods, including validation of outputs and communication of their limitations.
  
• Experience translating analytical workflows into sponsor-facing software requirements and evaluating usability with operational users.
  
• Experience delivering tool demonstrations, training materials, and technical handoffs that enable government users to understand and use analytical capabilities.

This requisition requires the candidate to have a minimum of the following clearance(s):

Top Secret

This requisition requires the hired candidate to have or obtain, within one year from the date of hire, the following clearance(s):

Top Secret/SCI

Salary compensation range and midpoint:

$155,200 - $194,000 - $232,800 Annual

Work Location Type:

Onsite

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, local or international law.

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