Senior Operations Research Analyst / Team Lea

Herndon Solutions Group; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Herndon Solutions Group is seeking a Senior Operations Research Analyst / Team Lead to provide advanced analytic support for a federal client and to lead a small team of analysts. The role blends hands-on research, data fusion, geospatial and quantitative analysis with day-to-day technical leadership, work prioritization, quality assurance, mentorship, and delivery of analytically sound products.

The successful candidate will guide complex analyses, manage priorities, and communicate findings

Qualifications

• Eligible to obtain and maintain a Top Secret clearance with SCI.
• Experience leading analytic teams in dynamic environments.
• Ability to research, analyze, and integrate multidisciplinary datasets.
• Proficient in geospatial, temporal, and spatial data visualization.
• Strong written and briefing skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead analytical product delivery to support operational planning and decision-making.
• Guide evaluation of open-source, commercial, and client data to identify trends and risks.
• Apply geospatial, temporal, and quantitative analyses to produce actionable insights.
• Direct team activities, set priorities, allocate resources, ensure quality deliveries.
• Mentor analysts through coaching and collaborative problem-solving.
• Define requirements with clients and leadership to address mission challenges.
• Produce reports, briefings, metrics, and executive summaries communicating findings.
• Foster analytical rigor and quality control through sound tradecraft and development.

Skills

Analytical leadership

Geospatial analysis

Data fusion

Quantitative analysis

Mentorship

Team leadership

Quality assurance

Stakeholder communication

Research methodology

Tools

ArcGIS Pro/ArcMap

Analyst's Notebook

Google Earth

Job description

The Senior Operations Research Analyst / Team Lead provides advanced analytic support to a federal client while leading a small team of analysts. This role combines hands-on research, data fusion, geospatial and quantitative analysis with day-to-day technical leadership, work prioritization, quality assurance, mentorship, and delivery of analytically sound products.

How You Will Fulfill Your Mission

• Lead the delivery of analytical products that support operational planning, mission execution, and client decision-making by integrating research, data fusion, and advanced analytical methodologies.
• Guide the evaluation and interpretation of complex open-source, commercial, publicly available, and client-provided information to identify trends, relationships, risks, and mission-relevant insights.
• Apply quantitative, qualitative, geospatial, and temporal analysis techniques to transform diverse datasets into actionable information for clients and stakeholders.
• Direct analytical activities across the team, establish priorities, allocate resources, and ensure deliverables meet quality, accuracy, and timeliness standards.
• Mentor and develop analysts through technical guidance, coaching, performance feedback, and collaborative problem-solving.
• Partner with client representatives and internal leadership to define requirements, assess emerging needs, and address operational challenges affecting mission success.
• Produce and review reports, briefings, metrics, assessments, visualizations, and executive-level summaries that communicate analytical findings and program performance.
• Foster a culture of analytical rigor, accountability, and continuous improvement by maintaining sound tradecraft, quality control processes, and professional development within the team.

Why We Value You

• You are able to work independently and show a high level of initiative and attention to detail.
• You have a consistent character and do not yield to pressure to compromise or cut corners.
• You have a strong ability to communicate effectively with superiors, colleagues, and clients by clearly expressing your intent and understanding the focus and purpose of the conversation while allowing each person to get their point across.
• You are open to new ideas and innovations and can create modifications or changes in yourself to adapt or suit a new environment/situation.
• You have faith in your own ideas and ability to be successful.
• You hold yourself to the highest standard and work to inspire your team to produce quality work.

Specific Knowledge/Certification Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

• Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a Top Secret clearance with eligibility for access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI).
• Demonstrated ability to lead and contribute within a team researching multifaceted problem sets in a dynamic environment.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently in research, data fusion, and analysis of multidisciplinary datasets.
• Ability to acquire, visualize, and analyze spatial and temporal data.
• Strong critical-thinking and analytic tradecraft skills with the ability to deliver findings through written products, graphic annotation, briefings, or other client-directed formats.
• Experience working with commercial or publicly available datasets used in federal, defense, law-enforcement, or comparable analytic environments.
• Experience converting data from multiple sources into geospatial analysis and analytic products.
• Experience with relevant analytic and geospatial tools such as Analyst's Notebook, ArcGIS Pro/ArcMap, Google Earth, or comparable platforms.
• Demonstrated experience providing technical direction, work prioritization, and quality oversight to other analysts.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior formal experience leading and mentoring an analytic team.
• Experience supporting complex federal, defense, law-enforcement, special operations, or comparable mission environments.
• Knowledge of structured analytic or targeting methodologies.
• Knowledge of multiple intelligence or information disciplines, including OSINT and related analytic sources.
• Experience with Publicly Available Information (PAI) and Commercially Available Information (CAI).

Working Conditions

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions

• Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be required to walk, sit, or stand for extended periods of time; reach with hands and arms; balance; stoop; talk or hear; have sufficient manual dexterity to operate a keyboard, calculator, telephone, and other such office equipment as necessary; may occasionally move and/or lift up to 50 pounds or more with assistance. Specific visual abilities required by the job include close vision, distant vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust and focus.
• Work Environment: Work will mainly be performed in an office setting and occasionally with irregular hours. The position may require access to client facilities, systems, data, or information
• Travel: A low amount of travel away from the office may be required.