Details
Posted: 10-Jun-22
Location: Alexandria, Virginia
Type: Full Time
Required Education: 4 Year Degree
Overview
The Institute for Defense Analyses is a federally funded research and development center supporting the Department of Defense and other federal agencies that require rigorous and objective analysis of national security issues. The Strategy, Forces and Resources Division (SFRD) performs interdisciplinary analyses of plans and policies related to national security strategy; the structure and capabilities of US, allied and adversary forces; chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense; organizational efficiency and management issues; and human capital challenges. The SFRD has an opening for a Research Analyst to contribute to analyses principally focused on national security strategy and policy that guide nuclear deterrence and assurance capabilities; and the integration of emerging command and control theory into both nuclear and non-nuclear practices.
Responsibilities
Research Analysts at IDA are career research staff, typically with PhDs or with extensive practical or research experience. Research Analysts engage with senior government officials to develop research programs on government policy, budgetary, and program choices. After defining a research question, Research Analysts:
- Develop and implement research plans
- Select appropriate methodologies and analytic tools for research
- Develop and deploy data collection strategies including those involving human subjects, various survey methods, interview protocols, and literature reviews
- Collect or oversee the collection of data
- Implement and apply software appropriate to the research problem
- Interact with research subjects, including government officials and other subject matter experts, in the research process and with research sponsors in communicating results
- Direct more junior research assistants and associates in development of data gathering, analysis and interpretation efforts, and in development of analytic tools or software code to test hypotheses
- Write peer reviewed reports and prepare other documents for USG sponsors that describe the problem, research method, data sources, and results, including observations, conclusions, and recommendations.
Some research tasks will be narrowly focused, while others will address a broader spectrum of concerns. Research Analysts contributing to SFRD’s nuclear policy, strategy, and forces program of work will provide analytic expertise to national security challenges dealing with (a) military capability requirements within a portfolio of joint forces and individual Military Department weapon systems employed across a wide range of missions and scenarios; (b) strategies and policies for employment of the Nation’s nuclear capabilities for prevention of major conflict and deterrence of nuclear weapons use, for assurance of allies, and for strategic stability among state actors, including through arms control; (c) relative priorities among and across military capability gaps in the context of all the programs necessary to implement a national security strategy, including the nuclear force structure aspect of deterrence and assurance strategies; (d) the efficacy of particular programs or operational concepts, particularly those related to nuclear weapon systems and forces, in light of plausible future strategic settings; (e) strategies and capabilities affecting or designed to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons and forces, (f) theories of deterrence and assurance and evidence supporting translation of theory into practical policy: and (g) theories of command and control that can better integrate nuclear and non-nuclear command and control to develop greater resilience and redundancy.
Qualifications
Successful completion of a criminal background check is required.
Research Analysts are expected to demonstrate proficiency in rigorous and structured analytic techniques and to be familiar with modern computer applications appropriate to the individual’s academic discipline. Research Analysts are members of interdisciplinary research teams and must demonstrate good interpersonal communications skills and contribute effectively to a team approach to problem solving. The issues that IDA addresses change constantly and Research Analysts are expected to be adaptable and self-motivated, demonstrating a capacity for independent thought, synthesis of a variety of sources, and sound judgment while creatively applying qualitative and quantitative analysis methods to complex policy problems. As part of the research process, IDA research teams will travel to US government or US security partner field locations (typically headquarters or office-like locations).
- Requires an advanced degree, or extensive research or practical experience, in a discipline applicable nuclear weapons policy, strategy, planning, force structure, and command and control.
- Requires successful completion of a career of service in the US military
- Requires at least two assignments on the staff of a US Combatant Command (or Component Command), the Joint Staff, or a Service Headquarters staff with at least one of these two assignments at the O6 level or higher.
- Requires understanding of the capabilities of nuclear delivery systems and command and control.
- Requires the ability to communicate complex concepts simply and clearly in written and verbal form, to peers and government officials.
Preferred Qualifications
- Familiarity with experimentation, wargaming and concept development with an emphasis on nuclear or non-nuclear command and control and Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2)
- demonstrated interest and understanding of the application of strategic concepts and major deterrence theories to public policy choices and national security programs
- Proven quantitative analytic expertise applied to national security policy, programs, and force structure issues
- Familiarity with the incorporation of both quantitative and qualitative inputs in comprehensive research findings
- Understanding of nuclear deterrence concepts and operations and the history of nuclear deterrence and assurance theory.
- Successful completion of an assignment in command of an operational unit at either the O5 or O6 level.
- Successful completion of Senior Service/Level Professional Military Education (a War College graduate)
Candidates are required to complete an on-line application and submit a resume. A cover letter outlining their interest in the position, and how their skill set, experiences, and education align with the defined responsibilities is desired. At later stages of the candidate evaluation process, applicants less than 7 years post-degree will be required to submit a copy of their transcripts (undergraduate & graduate//unofficial copies will suffice), a writing sample, and to provide contact information for at least three references able to evaluate applicant’s skills and work history.
U.S. Citizenship is required
Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance is required
IDA is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing a fair recruiting process and working environment free from discrimination. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identify, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. Click here to learn more about IDA's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
