Senior Special Operations Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)

Ludus Tactical International; Tampa (FL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Ludus Tactical International LLC is seeking experienced Senior Special Operations SMEs to support USSOCOM under a Joint SOF Readiness Training Support IDIQ. The team will include SMEs with deep SOF expertise and familiarity with cross-functional commands to ensure readiness, interoperability, and mission alignment worldwide.

The contractor will provide specialists for planning, execution, and evaluation of readiness events, using tools like JTS, JTT, DRRS, and JLLIS to support government

Qualifications

• Extensive SOF operations experience and readiness planning.
• Experience coordinating joint training with multiple commands.
• Knowledge of JTS/JTT/DRRS/JLLIS tools and mission planning.

Responsibilities

• Support government-led readiness events and planning.
• Provide real-time operational and advisory support during exercises.
• Coordinate scenario development, exercise scripting, and after-action reviews.
• Document performance and adapt support to government priorities.
• Ensure compliance with security and export control requirements.

Skills

SOF operations

Joint training

Operational planning

Security clearance TS/SCI

US citizenship

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

JTS

JTT

DRRS

UJTL

JLLIS

Job description

Job Overview

Ludus Tactical International LLC is seeking experienced Senior Special Operations SMEs to support USSOCOM.

The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), through its J3 Directorate, is seeking contractors to provide qualified personnel under a potential Joint SOF Readiness Training Support Single Award Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract, formerly known as UEWTEP. The contract’s task orders will deliver comprehensive support for priority training events convened worldwide by supported combatant commands. This support is critical for maintaining the readiness of Special Operations Forces (SOF) and enhancing their integration, interoperability, and interdependence (I3) with U.S. Conventional Forces, interagency partners, and foreign allies.

With our demonstrated ability to manage large-scale support operations, maintain high-quality standards, and integrate seamlessly with Government-led activities, Ludus plans on acting as a mission partner and as such, will recruit, place, and manage highly qualified personnel who will assist Combatant Commands and their Major Subordinate Commands in the planning, execution, and evaluation of readiness events.

A dynamic and adaptable contractor workforce consisting of both full-time and part-time positions will be required. The contractor is required to provide a team largely comprised of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) who deeply understand SOF and their partner organizations.

This team must be proficient in using key training tools, including the Joint Training System, Joint Training Tool (JTT), Defense Readiness Reporting System, Universal Joint Task List (UJTL), and the Joint Lessons Learned Information System (JLLIS). SMEs will use these tools to support Government activities across the globe, both in the identification of their training requirements and in the planning and execution of joint training events.

Core positions in exercise planning, scenario design, operations support, senior SOF advising, senior operations and plans, and integrated support across other functional roles, domains, and mission areas.

Performance Focus Areas

• Integration with USSOCOM and partner commands to ensure seamless exercise planning and execution.
• Ability to rapidly respond to short-term episodic training events world-wide.
• Scenario Development & After-action Reviews to drive continuous improvement and readiness.
• Compliance & Performance Monitoring: Strong internal quality controls (QCP) and real-time reporting to meet government expectations.
• Adaptive Management: Contractor-led oversight with contract Integrator roles ensuring cost, schedule, and mission alignment.

Key Responsibilities

Contractor personnel will directly support government-led efforts. They will not independently plan or execute training and readiness program requirements but will be responsible for:

• Providing cross-functional and regionally aligned support, including participation in Joint Training Teams, Exercise Control Groups, Operational Planning Cells, and Battle Staff Readiness teams.
• Providing real-time operational support to planning and readiness events, ensuring such activities align with USSOCOM’s strategic priorities and are responsively adapted to satisfy dynamic changes in the type and degree of event support required.
• Assisting with integration and evaluation of SOF specific tasks.
• Coordinating and delivering detailed scenario development, exercise scripting, task performance observations, and after-action reviews to ensure continuous improvement and enhanced warfighting capabilities.
• Documenting performance and adapting support based on government priorities.

Management Controls and Performance Expectations

The contractor must maintain a robust management framework, including:

• Management & Controls: Provide contract Integrator and Task Leads for end-to-end contract oversight, performance monitoring, and adaptation to changing mission needs. Contract Integrator must have an extensive SOF background and both the authority and experience to oversee cost, schedule, and performance for all task orders.

• Quality & Compliance: Maintain a Quality Control Plan (QCP) aligned with Government standards, and ensure all personnel meet specified and implied deliverables.
• Reporting: Submit required monthly and quarterly reports, including updates on staffing, performance, and travel costs.
• Training & Export Control: Ensure personnel meet all onboarding, training, and export control compliance requirements, as enabled by vendor having International Traffic in Arms Regulations licenses for applicable countries.
• Continuous Process Improvement: leverage resources to perpetuate an environment that fosters incremental enhancements in performance - and event related outcomes and deliverables.

Qualifications

These position plan, coordinate, and execute joint training and readiness events, advising and assisting battle staffs in employing joint training and exercises as tools to build and sustain readiness in support of CCMD/TSOC missions. Responsibilities include coaching and mentoring readiness event designers and guiding realistic scenarios, operational strategies, and readiness products that reflect evolving threats, multi-domain challenges, all warfighting functions, and where applicable, integrate LVC tools and systems. The roles support staff in shaping and executing events that both test and sustain readiness, applying the JELC (in-person and virtual), the JOPP, and joint training and readiness systems like the JTS, JTT, DRRS, and enhanced situational awareness systems for command and control to provide frameworks, analysis, and tools to support the planning, execution, and assessment of joint training events. Additional duties include training CCMD/TSOC-level battle staff on the integration/application of full-spectrum SOF operations, writing training and readiness policy and guidance documents, joint mission essential task and training objective development, overseeing exercise control functions, coaching joint exercise scripting and scenario development, providing real-time scenario support, and producing after-action reports and recommendations that inform future training.

Senior Leader Integration

• Preparing or delivering products for O-5 through GO/FO decision-makers.
• Coordinating training or readiness efforts across TSOCs, SOF Components, CCMD Staff, Services, and Interagency partners.

Joint Readiness & Assessment Functions

• Application of UJTL / JMETL / Joint doctrine.
• Development of After-Action Reports (AARs), Readiness assessments, and Training improvement recommendations.
• Hands-on use of JTS, JTT, and DRRS.

Operational Design and Crisis Response

• Working knowledge of Operational Design.
• Familiarity with SOF crisis response operations.

Strategic / Command-Level Experience (required – within last 8 years)

• Minimum 2 years in one of the following at: USSOCOM, TSOC, Service HQ, Joint Staff, OSW, 3–4 Star HQ in a role such as:
• Command cadre.
• Senior enlisted leader / key developmental billet.
• Primary staff planner or training lead.
• 10+ years SOF experience.
• E-7+ / CW2+ / O-3+.
• Bachelor’s degree.
• 3+ years planning & executing joint exercises using the Joint Training System (JTS).
• Operational working knowledge of warfighting functions and SOF core activities within a Joint SOF HQ construct.
• Management of full-spectrum readiness events aligned to CJCSM 3500.03-series.
• 2+ years Joint operations and/or operational-level SOF planning.
• Led or co-led development of realistic, policy-informed SOF training/exercise scenarios.
• Integrated joint, interagency, and multinational training audiences.
• Ensured SOF mission requirements are represented in training objectives, events, and assessments.

Clearance

• Anactive TS/SCI security clearance is required.
• Candidates must be US Citizens
• Must possess a current US Passport with ability to travel and work overseas.

Responsibilities

SME support shall span the full lifecycle of USSOCOM collective training and readiness events to include but not limited to:

Governance and advisory support for

• Provide command-level readiness insight, decision support, and integration guidance.
• Recommend improvements to planning systems, battle rhythm flows, information routing, and risk logic.
• Track unit, staff, and enterprise-level readiness trends over time.
• Deliver non-directive advisory support that strengthens decision-making, enhances integration awareness, and informs commander understanding.

Support activities may include but are not limited to

• Providing domain-specific guidance to staff and command groups.
• Assisting with planning logic, synchronization across warfighting functions, decision framing, and prioritization.
• Advising during distributed or in-person readiness events, providing real-time and post-event recommendations that advance SOF-CF integration and mission command proficiency.

Why Join Us?

Join a team dedicated to improving defense readiness, workforce performance, and operational effectiveness. In this role, you will have the opportunity to shape training programs that develop the knowledge and skills of military, technical, and defense personnel.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourage qualified candidates of all backgrounds to apply.

This position is contingent upon contract award.