Qualitative Mission Analysis Expert

Harkcon, Inc.; Silver Spring (MD); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Harkcon, Inc. seeks a Qualitative Mission Analysis Expert to lead stakeholder research and qualitative analysis supporting the Coast Guard's assessment of current and future operations.

This role requires self-direction, curiosity, and the ability to translate stakeholder insights into defensible mission-performance findings, working across boundaries and identifying analytical gaps without requiring constant direction.

Qualifications

• Master's level training in qualitative mission analysis methodologies.
• Experience designing qualitative research and applying findings to organizational missions.

Responsibilities

• Design and conduct interviews, workshops, surveys, case studies, and other qualitative research.
• Engage with mission owners, operators, program offices, and SMEs.
• Identify missing stakeholders, capabilities, mission drivers, and dependencies.
• Evaluate how Coast Guard is organized, trained, staffed, and equipped to perform the mission.
• Distinguish evidence from opinion and document analytical limitations clearly.
• Raise concerns when exclusions or scope decisions weaken the analysis.
• Keep research focused on mission requirements, capability gaps, operational impacts, and future performance.
• Draft clear, evidence-supported findings and integrate them with quantitative analysis.
• Take ownership of assigned work without requiring continuous direction.

Skills

Active Secret clearance

U.S. citizen or LPR

Qualitative research methods

Education

Master's degree in a relevant field

Job description

Harkcon is seeking a Qualitative Mission Analysis Expert to lead stakeholder research and qualitative analysis supporting the Coast Guard's assessment of current and future operations. This individual must be self-directed, operationally curious, and capable of translating stakeholder insights into defensible mission-performance findings. Successful candidates must be proactive contributors who are comfortable working across role boundaries, learning the mission, identifying analytical gaps, and supporting the team without requiring continuous direction.

Security and Suitability

Active Secret clearance required.

Location

National Capital Region (Virginia, Maryland, DC). The primary place of performance will be at the U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, Douglas A. Munro Headquarters Building, located at 2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave, SE, Washington D.C. 20593.

*** This position is contingent upon award of a contract to Harkcon***

Key Responsibilities

• Design and conduct interviews, workshops, surveys, case studies, and other qualitative research.
• Engage directly with mission owners, operational personnel, program offices, and relevant subject-matter experts.
• Identify missing stakeholders, capabilities, mission drivers, and operational dependencies that could affect the analysis.
• Evaluate how the Coast Guard is organized, trained, staffed, and equipped to perform the mission.
• Distinguish recurring evidence from individual opinion and clearly document analytical limitations.
• Professionally raise concerns when exclusions, assumptions, or scope decisions may weaken the analysis.
• Keep research focused on mission requirements, capability gaps, operational impacts, and future performance.
• Draft clear, evidence-supported findings and integrate them with quantitative analysis.
• Take ownership of assigned work without requiring continuous task-level direction.

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree in Political Science, Psychology, Public Administration, Sociology, or a related professional field that included training in applying qualitative mission analysis methodologies to organizations, social groups, and individuals.
• Clearly demonstrated formal training in qualitative mission analysis methodologies and the ability to apply that knowledge to acquisition projects.
• At least five years of experience developing, conducting, and documenting qualitative mission analysis, such as case studies, interviews, program evaluation, surveys, or comparable methods.
• Active Secret clearance at the time of contract award and ability to maintain the required access throughout performance.
• U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, with the ability to read, write, speak, and understand English; must satisfy all applicable background investigation and credentialing requirements.
• Strong research design, facilitation, synthesis, technical writing, and evidence-based reasoning skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting the U.S. Coast Guard, DHS, DoD, or another federal acquisition, operational analysis, or mission-analysis organization.
• Experience developing analysis reports, capability analyses, operational assessments, program evaluations, or other products used by senior government decision-makers.
• Demonstrated ability to triangulate interviews, workshops, policy and operational documents, case evidence, and quantitative findings.
• Knowledge of Coast Guard Major Systems Acquisition Management, COMDTINST 5000.10H, and the role of analysis findings in downstream acquisition documentation.
• Experience handling classified or sensitive information while producing clear, unclassified analytical products.

Additional Details

• Work is performed at U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, DC, and at the employer's facilities.
• Travel may be required and must be approved in advance by the Government.

Harkcon, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity-Affirmative Action Employer - Minority / Female / Disability / Veteran / Gender Identity / Sexual Orientation / Age