Research Methodologist / Psychologist within Behavioral Analysis Research

Leidos; Bethesda (MD); On-site; USD 131,000 - 237,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off

Flexible Schedules

Discounted Stock Purchase Plans

Education and Training Support

Parental Paid Leave

Job summary

Leidos seeks a Research Methodologist / Psychologist to conduct empirically valid behavioral science research supporting NCSC security and counterintelligence missions. The role requires translating complex information for non-technical audiences, generating research ideas, designing studies, collecting and analyzing data, and delivering reports and briefings.

Active TS/SCI with polygraph clearance is required.

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in psychology or comparable area.
• Minimum five years of professional research experience as a psychologist.
• Experience supporting IC or DoD research elements and program development.

Responsibilities

• Conduct empirically valid behavioral science research for security and counterintelligence missions.
• Design methodologies to empirically test ideas and analyze quantitative and qualitative data.
• Prepare final reports and briefings describing methods and results.
• Lead behavioral science research projects from design to publication.

Skills

Experimental design

Statistics

Data analysis

Education

Doctoral Degree in Psychology

Masters in Psychology or related field

Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology or related

Tools

R

SPSS

Excel

Job description

Leidos is seeking a Research Methodologist / Psychologist within Behavioral Analysis Research experience to conduct empirically valid behavioral science research to inform NCSC security and counterintelligence missions, with an emphasis on personnel security. The individual will support the Government in the behavior sciences taking complex, technical information and translating it for colleagues and consumers who have non-technical backgrounds. The candidate will generate research ideas, design the methodology to empirically test/validate such ideas, collect and analyze quantitative and qualitative data generated by the methodology, and create final reports and briefings describing the research process and results. An Active TS/SCI with polygraph security clearance is required to be considered for this position.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Expertise in human behavior and the application of psychological principles to the security and/or insider threat areas of focus.
• Development, maintenance, and delivery of science-based behavior and skills assessments, assuring and documenting their continuous scientific integrity consistent with applicable professional standards.
• Excellent teamwork skills – a demonstrated ability to listen, discuss, and collaborate with the objective of maximizing the effectiveness of an outcome.
  • High level of integrity in dealing with confidential material.
  • Proficiency in experimental design, data collection, advanced statistical analyst, and data management software including R, SPSS, and Excel.
• Demonstrated capacity to lead behavioral science research projects including development, design, data analysis, and reviewing, compiling, writing, and editing research reports, briefings, and summaries to support research findings.

Basic Qualifications:

• TS/SCI with CI Polygraph required
• Typically requires BS degree and 12 – 15 years of prior relevant experience or Masters with 10 – 13 years of prior relevant experience. May possess a Doctorate in technical domain.
• Doctoral Degree in a Psychology (e.g. Experimental Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Counseling Psychology) or comparable areas of study or experience to those gained in such a Doctoral Program.
• Minimum five (5) or more years of recent professional research experience as a psychologist; specific work experience in applied behavior science research, research methodology and advanced statistics.
• Minimum one (1) year of experience supporting IC or DoD research elements and program development. This one (1) year of experience may be concurrent with requisite years of experience.
• Minimum one (1) year of experience supporting IC Security elements, supporting security policy and program development. The one (1) year of experience must be concurrent with requisite years of experience.
• Familiarity with the IC and its components, as well as its missions, disciplines, capabilities, and interrelationships.
• Demonstrated familiarity with appropriate behavior science research, Security Regulations and Policies.

Benefits:

• Paid Time Off
• Flexible Schedules
• Discounted Stock Purchase Plans
• Education and Training Support
• Parental Paid Leave, and more!

Contract

• This contract is critical to the government and allows team members to work independently and in a team environment to achieve success.

Original Posting:

October 14, 2026

For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

Pay Range:

Pay Range $131,300.00 - $237,350.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline onlyand not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.