Director (R&D)

Riverside Research; Fairfax (VA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Riverside Research is seeking a senior Director to lead a cognitive solutions R&D team across multiple offices. The role focuses on growing applied research and development opportunities with IC and DoD customers, guiding IR&D budgets, and shaping strategy.

As a senior leader, you will mentor scientists, manage large multi-disciplinary programs, and build relationships with government customers to expand Riverside's technology baseline in AI, software, and sensor systems.

Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI clearance and ability to obtain SAP access.
• Bachelor’s degree with extensive experience; senior leadership and supervisory experience.
• Experience leading teams to solve complex problems and grow an organization.
• Experience in new business capture and proposal leadership is preferred.
• Strong problem-solving, communication, and audience-facing presentation skills.
• Proven program management capability across multiple concurrent tasks.

Responsibilities

• Develop portfolio strategy to pursue R&D funding and achieve annual growth.
• Provide technical direction and oversight of a substantial IR&D budget in AI and software.
• Lead capture and proposals, expanding technology across Riverside's baseline.
• Interact with DoD/IC customers to create new business opportunities.
• Collaborate across Riverside to transition revolutionary solutions in AI, orchestration, and sensor tech.
• Serve as Principal Investigator for programs, guiding multi-disciplinary teams.
• Mentor next generation of associate directors, managers, and scientists.

Skills

Leadership

Program management

Business development

Technical leadership

Proposal writing

Customer engagement

Strategic thinking

Mentorship

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

PhD

Equivalent experience

Tools

Java

C++

MATLAB

Python

Bash

Job description

Riverside Overview

Riverside Research is an independent National Security Nonprofit dedicated to research and development in the national interest. We provide high‑end technical services, research and development, and prototype solutions to some of the country's most challenging technical problems.

All Riverside Research opportunities require U.S. Citizenship.

Position Overview

Riverside Research is seeking a senior dynamic, strategic, operational, and growth focused Director to lead a research and development team. As a key member of our Cognitive Intel Solutions (Sensors & Systems) group, the Director will pursue and grow applied R&D opportunities with IC and DoW customers (e.g. NGA, NRO, AFRL, military services, etc.), lead corporate‑wide Independent Research & Development (IR&D) efforts and manage existing R&D contracts. The Director will manage team members located across Fairfax, Lexington, and Beavercreek research offices while reporting to the Vice President of the Sensors & Systems Business Unit.

Responsibilities

• Development and execution of the portfolio strategy to pursue R&D funding to achieve annual growth
• Provide technical direction, leadership, and management oversight of a substantial IR&D budget in artificial intelligence and software development.
• Lead and shape capture and proposals, developing strategy to expand our existing technology baseline in alignment with the Riverside Research wide strategy and vision.
• Significant customer interaction, initiating customer contact to create new business opportunities at DoD and IC organizations such as NRO, NGA, AFRL, USSF, SDA, etc.
• Collaboration across the larger Riverside Research organization to facilitate the development and transition of revolutionary solutions in important technology areas in the intelligence automation, system and sensor orchestration and sensor technology spaces, including machine learning/artificial intelligence, system integration, field testing, data collection, and software development.
• Experience as a Principal Investigator for programs, setting technical direction and guiding teams in executing complex development projects that regularly involve multiple technical fields and cross‑disciplinary work.
• Grow the next generation of associate directors, managers, and scientists through mentorship
• A leader that is responsible for developing consensus from among competing inputs to include customer feedback, diverse technical opinions, and team dynamics

Riverside has created a collaborative culture that stands apart from their competitors. With a strong business base, forward‑looking perspective, and growing internal R&D capabilities, the Director will be strongly positioned to grow his/her enterprise.

Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI clearance and ability to obtain SAP access.
• A bachelor’s degree and 15 years’ experience, 12 years with a master’s degree, 8 years with a PhD; or equivalent work experience is typically required for an employee at this level, and 8 years of supervisory experience.
• Experience in leading teams to solve complex technical problems, and developing and growing teams and an organization around a unified vision.
• Experience in new business capture, such as shaping program opportunities and proposal writing; preferred if experienced leading proposal efforts.
• Motivated individuals with strong problem‑solving abilities, willingness to perform a wide variety of related tasks, have exceptional oral and written skills, and experience presenting to technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Demonstrated understanding of program management processes and ability to prioritize multiple, concurrent tasks with minimal supervision.
• An established professional reputation for excellence in customer support and program execution.
• Collaborative leader with the highest integrity and moral compass.
• Sound business judgment, keen conceptual skills, intellectual discipline, self‑confidence, imagination, well‑developed management skills, and the personal ambition to play a major role in the growth and success of a high‑end government research and services company with a strong heritage for high quality and responsive service to its clients.
• Other duties as assigned.

Desired Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree and 15 years’ experience, 12 years with a master’s degree, 8 years with a PhD.
• Experience with automation of intelligence collection, orchestration, and analysis activities through software, particularly efforts leveraging Agentic AI, Large Language Models (LLM's) and Retrieval‑Augmented Generation (RAG).
• Has an existing network of USG Customer contacts at DoD and IC research and development organizations, or has experience growing and maintaining a customer contact network.
• Demonstrated success in leading the capture of DoD and / or IC R&D opportunities at organizations such as NRO, NGA, AFRL, DARPA, USSF, SDA.
• Technology roadmap development experience.
• Experience with programming and scripting languages (e.g., Java, C++, MATLAB, Python, Bash).
• Proven ability to lead a diverse organization across multiple sites.
• A minimum of bachelor’s degree in related field (Engineering, Physics, Electrical and Computer Engineering, etc.) and several years of relevant experience required with strong preference for PhD degree.

Global Compensation

$000,000- $000,000 This represents the typical compensation range for this position based on experience, location and other factors.

Closing Statement

Riverside Research Institute is a not‑for‑profit, technology‑oriented defense company, where service to our customers and support of our staff is our overall mission. Riverside is an affirmative action‑equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding recruitment and hiring. Riverside offers comprehensive compensation and benefit packages to our employees.

Riverside bases its employment decisions solely on technical experience, qualifications and other job‑related criteria related to our organizational purpose as a not‑for‑profit company, and without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, physical or mental disability, veteran's status or any other status legally protected by applicable federal, state, and local law.