Senior Aerospace Cost Analyst & Research Lead

RPMGlobal; Alexandria (VA); On-site; USD 113,000 - 277,000; Full time

Job summary

The Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) in Virginia seeks a Research Staff Member – Senior Aerospace Cost Analyst in CARD to develop independent cost estimates and assess cost, schedule and risk for major defense programs.

Qualifications include MS+8 years or PhD in Engineering or related fields, strong cost-estimation knowledge, and ability to present findings to sponsors. Travel may be required; citizenship and security clearance are often required.

Qualifications

• Experience conducting or leading cost, resource-allocation, or acquisition analyses for major DOW or other U.S. Government programs.
• Experience supporting aerospace programs, broadly defined to include space systems, aircraft, missiles and munitions, propulsion, launch, and associated ground, range, or test infrastructure.
• Working knowledge of cost estimation methods, including parametric estimation, and of schedule-risk and technical-feasibility assessment.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision in an unstructured environment.
• Excellent interpersonal as well as written and oral communication skills, including the ability to interact professionally with government and industry representatives.

Responsibilities

• Develop independent cost estimates and assess the cost, schedule and risk for major defense programs and policy initiatives.
• Evaluate program affordability and long-term resource implications under alternative assumptions, funding profiles and program strategies.
• Analyze historical cost, schedule, technical and performance data to identify trends, risks and key cost drivers.
• Assess the credibility of government and contractor cost estimates, underlying assumptions, methodologies and data sources.
• Improve analytical methods, models and data-collection practices to strengthen the quality and transparency of cost analysis.

Skills

Cost estimation

Schedule risk

Technical feasibility

Independent work

Interpersonal communication

Problem solving

Travel

US citizenship

Security clearance

Education

MS or PhD in STEM

Job description

The Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) in Virginia seeks a Research Staff Member – Senior Aerospace Cost Analyst in CARD to develop independent cost estimates and assess cost, schedule and risk for major defense programs.

Qualifications include MS+8 years or PhD in Engineering or related fields, strong cost-estimation knowledge, and ability to present findings to sponsors. Travel may be required; citizenship and security clearance are often required.