Operations Analyst - Defense Analytics DARPA

chimera; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

chimera is seeking Operations Research Analysts in Arlington, Virginia to provide quantitative decision support for defense research and development. As an Analyst, you will analyze budget plans and develop metrics to help leadership manage complex programs.

The ideal candidate should have a Bachelor’s degree in a technical field, possess strong analytical skills, and have at least 4 years of experience in operations research. Candidates must also hold an active Top Secret clearance.

Qualifications

• At least 4 years of experience in operations research or a closely related analytical discipline supporting large organizations.
• Experience gathering data and constructing mathematical or statistical models.
• Active Top Secret (TS) clearance required.

Responsibilities

• Use quantitative techniques to help leadership understand and manage complex programs.
• Support analysis of budget plans, execution profiles, and trade‑off scenarios.
• Collaborate closely with program managers and financial analysts.

Skills

Strong quantitative and analytical skills

Proficiency in Microsoft Excel

Familiarity with analytical tools (MATLAB, R, Python)

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, mathematics, or a related technical field

Job description

Job Summary

We are seeking Operations Research Analysts to provide quantitative decision support for a portfolio of defense research and development activities. These Key Personnel roles apply analytical methods and modeling to inform financial, operational, and transition‑related decisions across the organization.

Key Responsibilities (Narrative)

As an Operations Research Analyst, you will use quantitative techniques to help leadership understand and manage complex programs. You will support analysis of budget plans, execution profiles, and trade‑off scenarios, helping to illuminate the implications of different funding and scheduling options. You will work with financial and program management staff to develop data‑driven insights that support planning, resource allocation, and execution monitoring.

You will also analyze operational and tasking data to understand workload, throughput, and performance. By developing metrics, visualizations, and decision‑support tools, you will help leadership see where processes are working well and where adjustments may be needed. Your work will often involve pulling together information from multiple sources, structuring it for analysis, and presenting clear, actionable findings.

In support of acquisition and transition activities, you will examine lifecycle and performance data to identify trends and potential areas for improvement. You may help assess how programs progress from early research through transition, applying quantitative methods to evaluate options, risks, and likely outcomes. Throughout, you will collaborate closely with program managers, acquisition analysts, financial analysts, and other stakeholders to ensure that analytic products are aligned with real‑world needs and are delivered in a format that supports effective decision‑making.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Education:
  • Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, mathematics, or a related technical field.
• Experience:
  • At least 4 years of experience in operations research or a closely related analytical discipline supporting large organizations.
  • Experience gathering data and constructing mathematical or statistical models to describe systems and support decisions.
• Security Clearance:
  • Active Top Secret (TS) clearance required.
• Skills:
  • Strong quantitative and analytical skills, including statistics, modeling, and/or optimization.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and familiarity with one or more analytical tools (e.g., MATLAB, R, Python) is highly desirable.
  • Ability to translate complex analytic findings into clear, concise briefings and written products.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting Department of Defense financial, acquisition, or R&D organizations.
• Familiarity with defense planning, programming, budgeting, and execution (PPBE) processes and related data.