Senior Data Rights SME for Advanced Aircraft

Air Force Civilian Service; Dayton (OH); On-site; USD 100,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Air Force Civilian Service (AFCS) in Dayton/Wright-Patterson AFB, OH seeks an Enterprise Data Rights SME to lead IP and data rights governance for the Fighters and Advanced Aircraft Directorate. You will drive a centralized data rights repository and coordinate with AFRL and external partners to secure government rights across life cycles.

The role requires a TS/SCI clearance, U.S. citizenship, and experience in acquisition data-rights and licensing strategies for complex weapon systems.

Qualifications

• U.S. Citizenship.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI clearance.
• Ability to travel, as required.
• Must be able to obtain an Unlimited Contracting Officer Warrant.
• Demonstrated knowledge of acquisition data-rights planning, federal contracting regulations (RFO/RDFARS) provisions, and licensing strategies for complex weapon-system sustainment and modernization efforts.
• Demonstrated knowledge of intellectual property, technical data rights, computer software rights, licensing, and associated acquisition practices.
• Ability to analyze complex contractual, technical, and programmatic issues and develop actionable recommendations for senior leaders and integrated product teams.
• Advanced skill in identifying data-rights risks, restrictive markings, commercial licensing constraints, delivery shortfalls, and potential vendor-lock-in vulnerabilities.
• Experience supporting defense acquisition, lifecycle management, sustainment, modernization, engineering, logistics, contracting, program management, or related functions.
• Ability to work collaboratively across functional organizations, including engineering, contracting, legal, logistics, program management, and external stakeholders.
• Experience developing, organizing, governing, or maintaining repositories or other knowledge-management solutions for IP artifacts, technical data, licenses, and contractual deliverables.
• Ability to assess alternatives and formulate practical approaches that balance technical, schedule, cost, sustainment, competition, and data-rights considerations.
• Knowledge of fighter and advanced aircraft lifecycle-management challenges, modular open systems architectures (MOSA), and technical baseline verification is highly desired.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to brief complex issues clearly to technical and nontechnical audiences.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and governance of a centralized F&AA Data Rights Repository.
• Identify and close data-rights gaps in collaboration with Division teams.
• Provide practical, risk-informed recommendations to program and Directorate leadership.
• Translate complex legal, contractual, technical, and programmatic issues into actionable guidance for leadership.
• Collaborate across engineering, contracting, legal, logistics, program management, and external stakeholders.
• Support governance processes for IP artifacts, technical data, licenses, and contractual deliverables.

Skills

IP rights

Data rights planning

Licensing strategies

Acquisition strategy

Stakeholder collaboration

Risk assessment

Briefing leadership

MS Office

Communication

Interagency coordination

Job description

Air Force Civilian Service (AFCS) in Dayton/Wright-Patterson AFB, OH seeks an Enterprise Data Rights SME to lead IP and data rights governance for the Fighters and Advanced Aircraft Directorate. You will drive a centralized data rights repository and coordinate with AFRL and external partners to secure government rights across life cycles.

The role requires a TS/SCI clearance, U.S. citizenship, and experience in acquisition data-rights and licensing strategies for complex weapon systems.