Senior Contractor Support to Operational Analysis

deftec; Norfolk (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

DEFTEC is seeking a Senior Contractor Support to Operational Analysis to advance Course of Action analysis within ACT and support NATO capability development. The role conducts qualitative and quantitative assessments of operational effectiveness, and collaborates with NATO and national entities to inform programmatic direction.

You will produce decision briefs and written reports, travel up to 60 days per year, and engage senior leaders to support defense planning and OA branch skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a quantitative field or 5+ years OA/Operational Analysis experience in military or international settings.
• Active NATO Secret Security Clearance.
• 2+ examples in last 10 years (≥3 years total) in OA/Operations Research in defense contexts.
• Experience designing/leading structured stakeholder engagements across multiple seniority levels.
• Experience scoping problems, developing analysis plans, and delivering high‑quality outputs.
• Experience developing data collection and assessment frameworks with measures of effectiveness.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to Course of Action analysis using OA methods to mature NATO capability requirements.
• Plan and conduct research to assess operational effectiveness and perform cost‑effectiveness/risk‑benefit analyses.
• Engage with NATO/National entities to assess impact of alternatives on operational effectiveness.
• Attend engagements/workshops to ensure cost estimation activities deliver quality outputs for analysis.
• Support creation of information requests and surveys to NATO nations and industry.
• Analyze risk and propose risk management approaches; review cost/schedule estimates and supporting evidence.

Skills

Operations Research

Operational Analysis

Cost Estimation

Risk Analysis

Stakeholder Engagement

Security Clearance

Education

Bachelor's degree in quantitative field

Job description

Senior Contractor Support to Operational Analysis

DEFTEC delivers mission-critical solutions through skillfully delivered services and innovative products. We are inspired by our clients' critical missions and driven to provide the most effective solutions to execute their missions, operational challenges, and requirements. Our dedicated, experienced, and talented employees work closely with our clients to ensure the delivery of exceptional services and products.

Position Overview:

The Senior Contractor Support to Operational Analysis contributes Operations Research and Analysis expertise to Course of Action analysis within ACT, supporting Capability Development efforts to mature NATO capability requirements and inform programmatic direction. The incumbent plans and conducts research to establish qualitative and quantitative assessments of operational effectiveness, undertaking cost-effectiveness and risk-benefit studies, and interacts as needed with NATO and national research entities, industry, and stakeholders to evaluate the impact of alternatives and ensure the quality of cost, schedule, and risk analyses. This role supports the development of Requests for Information and surveys, analyzes and documents comparative assessments of cost, risk, schedule, and operational effectiveness to inform decision-making, and produces decision briefs, written reports, and lessons‑learned summaries to support NATO capability development and Capability Program Plan evidence packages. The incumbent regularly engages with decision-makers, technical and non‑technical stakeholders, and senior military and civilian leadership across multiple levels of seniority and may travel up to 60 days per year to meetings and conferences within and outside NATO boundaries in support of these responsibilities.

Job Responsibilities:

• Contribute to Course of Action analysis using Operations Research and Analysis methods in support of Capability Development within ACT in order to mature NATO capability requirements and set programmatic direction.
• Plan and conduct research to study and establish qualitative and quantitative assessments of operational effectiveness, undertake cost‑effectiveness and risk‑benefit studies and analyses.
• Where necessary and appropriate, interact with NATO and National research entities and industries to establish the impact of alternatives on operational effectiveness.
• Where necessary and appropriate, attend engagements or workshops with NATO, National organizations, and / or industry to ensure cost estimation activities are likely to provide outputs of appropriate quality to support analysis.
• Support the creation of Requests for Information and surveys to NATO Nations, Non‑Governmental Organizations, and industry.
• Analyze the potential impact of identified individual and aggregated risks, and propose possible risk management approaches.
• Elicit, and/ or review and assess schedule estimates, to ensure appropriate quality and supporting evidence for decisions being supported by analysis.
• Review and assess cost estimates provided by others, to ensure appropriate quality and supporting evidence for decisions being supported by analysis.
• Analyze and document comparative assessments of cost, risk, schedule and operational effectiveness to inform programmatic decision‑making.
• Produce decision briefs/ presentations describing the underlying rationale/ justification for analytical outcomes. If appropriate, brief decision‑makers on the context, process and outcomes.
• Produce written reports of analysis conducted as part of the Capability Program plan evidence package, for review with the International Military Staff and International Staff in NATO Headquarters.
• Produce summary briefs of lessons identified / lessons learned to support continuous improvement of NATO capability development and OA branch skills and competencies.
• May be required to travel to meetings and conferences both within and outside NATO boundaries for up to 60 days per year.
• Perform additional tasks as required by the COTR related to the labor category.

Required Qualifications:

• A Bachelor's degree in Operations Research, Mathematics, Computer Science, Physics, Engineering or equivalent quantitative degree. Alternatively, 5+ years of Operations Research/ Operational Analysis experience conducting and leading analytical studies in relevant military, strategic, political or international environment.
• Active NATO Secret Security Clearance
• Minimum two examples in the last 10 years (at least 3 years combined duration) in the field of military Operations Research / Operational Analysis / Data Science, supporting policy development, capability development or acquisition. With a relevant Bachelor's degree (listed above), only 2 years in the last 5 must be in the fields/ areas /listed above.
• Experience designing, leading, and facilitating structured stakeholder engagements to elicit objectives, assumptions, measures, risks, preferences and expert judgement in support of defense capability decisions involving technical and non‑technical stakeholders across multiple levels of seniority.
• Experience, within last 5 years of determining Operations Research / Operational Analysis requirements, scoping problems for study, developing analysis plans, and delivering high-quality outputs that influence senior decision makers.
• Experience of developing data collection and analysis plans or assessment frameworks that include measures of effectiveness and measures of performance.
• Experience in gathering evidence and scoring effectiveness through use of operations research and analysis methods to defense domain issues.
• Experience identifying, eliciting, assessing, analyzing and communicating uncertainty and risk associated with capability/ acquisition, project, program, or portfolio decisions.
• Experience of producing or working with cost and schedule estimates, including estimating methodologies, methods and processes
• Experience working in a strategic or operational military command or multinational organization.
• Experience supporting project, program, and / or portfolio decisions through analytical assessment in the past 10 years, within complex and dynamic program environments.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience using Al to support OA.

DEFTEC offers a comprehensive whole-life benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, holiday, paid time off, 401K with a match, life insurance, short/long-term disability, and educational reimbursement. The DEFTEC team comprises professionals who make a difference daily in crucial national security missions. Our leadership knows that this happens by employing a diverse team that is well cared for. Our top priority is our employees, making DEFTEC an ideal workplace.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Please get in touch with [e-mail] if you require reasonable accommodations.

DEFTEC is a Drug-Free Workplace where post-offer applicants and employees are subject to testing for marijuana, cocaine, opioids, amphetamines, PCP, and alcohol when criteria are met as outlined in our policies.

AAP/EEO Statement

DEFTEC Corp is an Equal Opportunity and Aff…? Actually the full statement from the job description is preserved here verbatim: "DEFTEC Corp is an Equal Opportunity and Aff…? and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any typebased on actual or perceived race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeedingand medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding),gender, gender identity, and gender expression, religious creed,disability (mental and physical) including HIV and AIDS, medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics ), genetic information, age, marital status, civil union status, sexual orientation, military and veteran status, denial of family and medical care leave, arrest record and/or any other characteristic(s) protected by federal, state or local law."

This policy applies to all terms of employment, includingrecruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities, and general treatment during employment.

Other Duties

Please note that this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of the activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time, with or without notice.