Senior Defense Technologist

Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTSI); Alexandria (VA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTSI) seeks a Senior Defense Technologist with broad technical curiosity and deep familiarity with the perspectives of the U.S. Navy, Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps.

This role translates complex concepts into actionable insights for senior leaders, system engineers, MBSE practitioners, and modeling teams. The candidate will conduct research across technology areas, evaluate military applications, and collaborate with MBSE and simulation groups to inform

Qualifications

• 7+ years in operations research focused on mission engineering or operational analysis.
• 5+ years in mission planning and analysis including CONOPS/OPLANs.
• 2+ years collaborating with engineers, planners, and technologists to accomplish complex tasks including MS&A techniques.

Responsibilities

• Conduct wide-ranging research across emerging technologies and defense domains.
• Develop cross-service, cross-domain technical insights informed by CONOPS and warfighter needs.
• Rapidly evaluate new technologies and assess integration pathways within force designs.
• Collaborate with MBSE practitioners and modeling teams to inform analytical tools and simulations.
• Engage with engineers, program managers, and Service representatives to align assessments with doctrine and acquisition processes.
• Produce concise, technically rigorous analyses for senior leaders and teams.
• Provide thought leadership on multi-domain operations and future force concepts.
• Maintain compliance with classification and data handling requirements.

Skills

Operations research

Mission planning

System engineering

MS&A modeling

Cross-domain analysis

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

MTSI is seeking a highly versatile Senior Defense Technologist with broad technical curiosity, strong analytical skills, and deep familiarity with the perspectives, priorities, and operational concepts of the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps, and other defense organizations. This role is ideal for someone who excels at exploring emerging technologies, rapidly assimilating new technical domains, and translating complex concepts into actionable insights for senior leaders, system engineers, MBSE practitioners, and modeling and simulation teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct wide-ranging research and assessments across multiple technology areas, including emerging systems, fires, autonomy, AI/ML, sensing, weapons, C3, and platform technologies.
• Develop cross-Service, cross-domain technical insights informed by operational context, CONOPS, CONEMPS, DOTMLPF considerations, and warfighter needs.
• Rapidly evaluate new technologies, identify potential military applications, and assess integration pathways within existing or future force designs.
• Engage closely with MBSE practitioners and modeling and simulation teams to determine how technologies should be represented, parameterized, and implemented within analytical tools and models (e.g., system-of-systems simulations, wargames, physics-based models).
• Collaborate with engineers, program managers, operational planners, and Service representatives to ensure technical assessments align with doctrine, acquisition processes, and operational realities.
• Produce concise, technically rigorous analyses for both technical and non-technical audiences, including senior leaders.
• Provide thought leadership across multi-domain operations, future force concepts, and cross-cutting technology trends.
• Maintain compliance with all classification, data handling, and disclosure requirements.

Required Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in operations research with a focus on mission engineering, systems engineering, or operational analysis.
• 5+ years of experience with mission planning and analysis, including the development or evaluation of mission threads, operational plans (OPLANs), concepts of operations (CONOPS), concepts of employment (CONEMPS), and defense systems.
• 3+ years of experience collaborating with diverse teams including engineering, operational planners, and technologists to accomplish complex tasks. This includes interactions with the Joint Staff, Combatant Commands, Military Services, Intelligence Community, or 3+ years of working knowledge and experience with modeling, simulation, and analysis (MS&A) techniques to support operational planning, system performance analysis, or mission design in defense contexts.
• 2+ years of experience within the military or defense sector in areas related to joint operations, combat systems, research and development (R\&D), science and technology (S\&T), or mission planning.
• Broad knowledge across defense technologies, systems engineering principles, and military operational concepts.
• Strong familiarity with USN, USA, USAF, USMC, and Joint perspectives and how each Service approaches domain challenges, acquisition, and problem solving.
• Proven ability to learn and assess new technologies quickly and apply insights within analytical or conceptual frameworks.
• Experience collaborating with MBSE practitioners and M\&S modelers; able to communicate technical details in a modeling-relevant manner.
• Technical depth in at least one major domain (e.g., autonomy, electronic warfare, C4ISR, propulsion, cyber, sensors, advanced materials, weapons).
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to distill complex technical topics for diverse audiences.

Education Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics, Operations Research, Statistics, Computer Science, Management Science, or Physics.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience transitioning efforts across the lifecycle.
• Military Service Staff/Headquarters, Joint Staff, or similar level analytical experience.
• Familiarity with model-based systems engineering tools and methodologies.
• Prior work with campaign models, mission-level simulations, or physics-based modeling tools.
• Advanced degree in engineering, physics, computer science, or a related technical field.
• Experience supporting senior defense leaders with decision-focused analysis.
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced research environment while balancing multiple priorities.

Clearance Requirement

An active Top Secret (TS) security clearance (with SCI and SAP/CAP eligibility) is required