Operations Research Analyst

US Office of the Secretary of Defense; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The US Office of the Secretary of Defense seeks a strategy and policy analyst to advise on critical force planning challenges and develop inputs for public policy documents. You will present analyses of Joint Force program obligations to senior leaders and participate in high-level briefings.

Ideal candidates hold an operations research background with substantial quantitative training and have experience translating complex data into actionable policy recommendations for national security

Qualifications

• Degree in operations research or 24 semester hours in operations research, math, probability, statistics or related subjects.
• At least 3 of the 24 hours must be in calculus.
• One year of specialized experience at GS-14 level or equivalent required.

Responsibilities

• Advise on force planning challenges as prioritized by the National Defense Strategy.
• Provide technical input to publications shaping public policy.
• Analyze and present Joint Force program obligation and execution performance in meetings with senior leadership.

Skills

Operations research

Probability & statistics

Public policy input

Education

Degree in operations research or 24 semester hours in math/statistics

Job description

The Assistant Secretary of War for Strategy, Plans, and Forces (ASW/SPF) is responsible for advising the Under Secretary of War for Policy (USW(P)) on the Department of War's (DoW) most critical force planning challenges as prioritized by the National Defense Strategy (NDS). The USW(P) serves as the principal advisor and assistant to the Secretary of War for all matters concerned with the formulation of national security and Department policy.

In order to qualify for this position, you must meet the requirements described below.

Basic Requirements:

Degree: in operations research; or at least 24 semester hours in a combination of operations research, mathematics, probability, statistics, mathematical logic, science, or subject-matter courses requiring substantial competence in college-level mathematics or statistics. At least 3 of the 24 semester hours must have been in calculus.

AND

You may qualify at the GS-15 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:
One year of specialized experience in the same or similar work equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-14) requiring application of the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the position being filled. Applicants for this position must clearly demonstrate in their resume that they possess specialized experience in:

• 1) serving as a consultant and technical advisor on broad areas of classical and modern advanced actuarial science, operations research, mathematics, econometrics, forecasting, simulation, and statistics;
• 2) providing technical input to publications or other documents that are the basis for formulating public policy;
• 3) analyzing, interpreting and presenting obligation and execution performance of Joint Force programs and functions in charts, papers and in formal meetings with senior members.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

All qualifications and education requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume. Your resume may not exceed two (2) pages.

For qualifications determinations, it is recommended that applicants include their months and hours worked per week for each employment listed on their resume. If a determination is not able to be made about the duration of your creditable experience for qualification requirements, you will be removed from consideration.

ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: Federal agencies treat active duty service member as veterans, disabled veterans, and preference eligible, when they submit, as part of their application package, a "certification" of active service in lieu of a DD-214, indicating the service member is otherwise eligible and will be discharged or released within 120 days from the date of submission. A "certification" letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service. This "certification" must include your rank, dates of active duty service, type of discharge and character of service (i.e. honorable), and date any terminal leave will begin. It must be signed by, or by direction of, the adjutant, personnel officer, or commander of your unit or higher headquarters. Active duty members that fail to provide a valid "certification" of service with their initial application will be found "not eligible". Members may be appointed before the effective date of their military retirement/separation if they are on terminal leave.

DOD PPP candidates using Application-Based Procedures

• Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible: Military Spouse Preference applicants, must be selected and placed at the highest grade level for which they have applied and been determined best qualified. You must include a completed copy of the Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist DD-3145-4 dated within 30 days along with the documents identified on the checklist to verify your eligibility for Military Spouse Preference.
• Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technicians PPP Eligible: MR and NG technicians PPP applicants must be selected and placed at the full performance level if determined well qualified. You must include a completed copy of the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician PPP Self-Certification Checklist DD-3145-3 to verify your eligibility for Military Reserve and National Guard Technician preference.
• Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technicians Receiving Disability Retirement PPP Eligible: MR and NG technicians receiving disability retirement PPP applicants must be selected and placed at the full performance level if determined well qualified. You must include a completed copy of the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician Disability PPP Self-Certification Checklist DD-3145-2 to verify your eligibility for Military Reserve and National Guard Technician Disability preference.
• Retained Grade PPP Eligible: Retained Grade PPP applicants, must be selected and placed at the full performance level if determined well qualified. You must include a completed copy of the Retained Grade PPP Self-Certification Checklist DD-3145-1 to verify your eligibility for Retained Grade preference.

All qualifications and education requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume.