Project Leader, Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction
The MITRE Corporation - mclean, VA
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Why choose between doing meaningful work and having a fulfilling life? At MITRE, you can have both. That's because MITRE people are committed to tackling our nation's toughest challenges"”and we're committed to the long-term well-being of our employees. MITRE is different from most technology companies. We are a not-for-profit corporation chartered to work for the public interest, with no commercial conflicts to influence what we do. The R&D centers we operate for the government create lasting impact in fields as diverse as cybersecurity, healthcare, aviation, defense, and enterprise transformation. We're making a difference every day"”working for a safer, healthier, and more secure nation and world. Our workplace reflects our values. We offer competitive benefits, exceptional professional development opportunities, and a culture of innovation that embraces diversity, inclusion, flexibility, collaboration, and career growth. If this sounds like the choice you want to make, then choose MITRE"”and make a difference with us. MITRE's Acquisition Studies & Analysis (ASA) Department seeks an accomplished, proactive staff member capable of serving as project leader and technical contributor for our work supporting the Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) enterprise. This is a 15-20 staff year project comprised of multiple complex tasks across a large agency. You will engage and lead MITRE peers from a variety of disciplines, and potentially advise officials from the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), Services, Special Military Units, and Combatant Commands on preparing for and countering weapons of mass destruction as part of an integrated deterrence strategy. Current and potential future efforts include Technical assessments and reviews of emerging threats/technologies Prototyping hardware/software capabilities Preparation for (and application of) artificial intelligence / machine learning (AI/ML) on unclassified and classified data sets to support analyst decision-making Specialized capabilities to support resiliency assessments and red teams Enterprise data modernization efforts Leveraging systems engineering for CWMD portfolio analysis Assessing cybersecurity vulnerabilities This is an exciting opportunity to drive innovation and technological advancements enabling the USG to deter, detect and defeat WMD and improvised threats. As project leader, you will materially contribute to the overall technical quality, direction, and strategic outcomes of the ASA counter threat work program. This position requires significant (20% or more) time in-person in classified spaces, on site at MITRE and/or at government facilities in the Washington DC area. Responsibilities include: Being the primary MITRE interface to the project's sponsors: build/maintain trusted relationships with key government leaders and stakeholders. Being accountable for the overall execution of the project's work program: negotiate entry/exit of major tasks; onboarding of new staff; select Task Leaders, serve as their mentor/advisor, and provide performance feedback; maintain staff plans and budgets to ensure delivery within allocated resources; and ensure major milestones are met on time, within resources, and to sponsor expectations. Leading by example: personally contribute to (or lead the development of) one or more high impact project deliverables; long-term professional self-development to become/remain a credible MITRE voice on CWMD topics; and support continuity of operations, when necessary, as a Task Leader of last resort. Establishing high quality of project deliverables, in consultation with the Department Chief Engineer: ensure delivered products lead to successful, impactful sponsor outcomes; ensure Task Leaders follow corporate quality norms; review project deliverables and ensure appropriate peer review; and archive and appropriately share key deliverables. Bringing MITRE to bear for the project's sponsors: Support relevant strategic initiatives of MITRE and the Division/Department; and build partnerships between the project and other MITRE work programs, including our internal research & development program Basic Qualifications: Typically, requires a minimum of 10 years of related experience with a Bachelors Degree; or 8 years and a Master's degree; or PhD with 5 years' of experience; or equivalent combination of related education and work experience. Active TS/SCI Ability to internally recruit, organize, supervise, and motivate teams of technical staff to execute task objectives. Consistent track record of generating relevant, impactful product deliverables (including definition, completion, and technical quality), in both an individual contributor and team setting. A desire to continually learn and master new concepts and technologies. Strong critical thinking, analytic, and problem-solving skills - comfortable working in dynamic settings where task objectives may evolve or need to be shaped, or creative solutions to task impediments must be identified. Excellent interpersonal and technical communication skills, with the ability to write technical reports, present briefings, and persuasively speak to audiences of all backgrounds, including executives or senior customers. Demonstrated ability to work in an interdisciplinary team environment, establish and leverage a diverse professional network, and integrate contributions from a variety of resources (people, tools, organizations). Preferred Qualifications: Advanced degree in natural/applied sciences, engineering, cyber security, or data sciences. Recent experience with successful complex project management or leadership. DTRA/CWMD Experience Prior MITRE experience leading prototyping or analytical efforts and yielding impactful results at high levels of government. Strong grasp of the relevant capabilities, processes, missions, and challenges of one or more of the following domain areas: Irregular warfare, counterterrorism, and counterproliferation Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) defense Arms control, demilitarization, and/or treaty compliance DoD special operations or operations in CBRN environments Whole-of-government or multinational coordination of CWMD e.g., Inter Agency Process This requisition requires the candidate to have a minimum of the following clearance(s): Top Secret/SCI This requisition requires the hired candidate to have or obtain, within one year from the date of hire, the following clearance(s): Top Secret/SCI Work Location Type: Hybrid MITRE is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. 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Created: 2024-10-29