Force Design Analyst

iQ Sig; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 145,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401k with match

Gym membership discounts

Volunteer PTO

Generous PTO

Job summary

iQ Sig seeks a senior-level force design analyst to translate national guidance into concrete SOF force concepts and resource-informed plans. You will develop and compare alternative force structures using analytical models and support senior leaders with detailed trade-off recommendations.

With a deep SOF acumen and DoD process knowledge, you will lead cross-functional teams, conduct quantified analyses, and contribute to CONOPS and capability development in a dynamic defense environment.

Qualifications

• Clearance: Must possess an active Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility.
• Education: Master's degree in a relevant field; a Bachelor’s with 15 years directly relevant experience may be substituted.
• Experience: Minimum of 10 years in force development, force design, or strategic/operational planning within the DOW.
• DoD process knowledge: JSPS, defense acquisition and resourcing, and formal military requirements development.
• SOF acumen: Deep understanding of SOF culture, capabilities, and employment.
• Strategic analysis: Ability to analyze complex strategic problems and synthesize insights.
• Communication: Exceptional written and verbal briefing skills for senior leaders.
• Project leadership: Experience leading multi-stakeholder working groups and IPTs.
• Quantitative analysis: Proficiency with data analysis or modeling tools.

Responsibilities

• Provide analytic support and assist in developing decision support products.
• Assess future SOF force structure and capabilities and contribute to CONOPS and force design concepts.
• Translate guidance into force design concepts and resource-informed plans.
• Develop and evaluate alternative force design options using models and data-driven assessments.
• Input to modeling and simulation analyses to test force structures and concepts of operation.
• Analyze existing and proposed force structures for gaps and risks.
• Support analyses to determine proper organization, equipment, and employment of forces.
• Prepare reports, briefings, and recommendations to senior leaders on trade-offs.
• Facilitate wargames, workshops, and IPTs to validate emerging concepts.
• Research emerging technologies (AI, robotics, hypersonics, cyber) and their impact on force design.
• Draft requirements and proposals for programming and acquisition of new SOF capabilities.
• Maintain understanding of threats, trends, and military doctrine.

Skills

Clearance awareness

Strategic analysis

Quantitative analysis

Communication

Project leadership

SOF acumen

DoD process knowledge

Education

Master's degree

Bachelor's degree with 15 years experience substituted

Job description

What you’ll do

Provides analytic support and assists in developing decision support products.

Assists the analysis, assessment, and development of future Special Operations Forces (SOF) force structure and capabilities.

Contributes to the development of new special operations operating concepts, concepts of operation (CONOPS), force design concepts, concept required capabilities, and capability gap assessments.

Translates strategic guidance from the National Defense Strategy and other key documents into concrete force design concepts and resource-informed operational plans.

Develops and evaluates alternative force design options using analytical models and data-driven assessments to determine optimal configurations.

Provides inputs to modeling and simulation analyses to assess the effectiveness of different force structures and concepts of operation.

Analyzes existing and proposed force structures to identify strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in capability.

Supports operational analyses to determine how forces should be organized, equipped, and employed to achieve strategic objectives.

Prepares and presents detailed reports, briefings, and recommendations to senior leaders on force structure, risk, and capability trade-offs.

Facilitates wargames, workshops, and Integrated Product Teams (IPTs) to explore and validate emerging force design concepts.

Researches and evaluates emerging technologies (e.g., AI, robotics, hypersonics, cyber warfare) and their potential impact on force design.

Drafts requirements documents and proposals to support the programming and acquisition of new SOF capabilities.

Maintains a thorough understanding of current and future threats, geopolitical trends, and military doctrine.

Qualifications

Clearance: Must possess an active Top Secret security clearance with SCI eligibility.

Education: Master's degree in a relevant field (e.g., National Security Studies, Military Science, Business Administration). A Bachelor's degree with 15 years of directly relevant experience may be substituted.

Experience: Minimum of 10 years of experience in force development, force design, or strategic/operational planning within the Department of War (DOW).

DoD Process Knowledge: Demonstrated expertise in the Joint Strategic Planning System (JSPS), defense acquisition and resourcing processes, and the development of formal military requirements documents.

SOF Acumen: Deep understanding of SOF culture, capabilities, and operational employment.

Strategic Analysis : Proven ability to analyze complex strategic problems, synthesize information from multiple sources, and develop innovative, data-driven recommendations.

Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with experience briefing General/Flag Officers or senior civilian equivalents.

Project Leadership: Experience leading and facilitating multi-stakeholder working groups and integrated product teams (IPTs).

Quantitative Analysis: Proficiency with data analysis or modeling tools to support force structure and capability trade-off decisions.

Pay & Benefits

Pay range: $145,000 to $175,000 per year.

Benefits-eligible. Our suite of benefits includes Health, Dental, Vision, 401k w/ match, Gym Membership discounts, Volunteer Paid Time Off, and a generous PTO package.

Pay range (listed by Pentagon): 145,000 - 175,000 USD per year.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and make all employment decisions based on merit, qualifications, and business needs. We are committed to maintaining a workplace free from discrimination and harassment, consistent with all applicable laws.

We believe great talent comes from many backgrounds and experiences.

About Our Team

Our team provides superior services, solutions and subject matter expertise to solve our customer's most challenging requirements in cyber, land, air, sea and space. We believe in empowering our employees to deliver exceptional results across our federal, state and private sector clients. We are values-led and mission driven.