Program Director, Infrastructure, Immigration, and Security Operations (ISSO), Homeland Security Research Division (HSRD)

$115,400 - $190,000/Yr

RAND Corporation - Washington, DC

Full-time - Senior

Onsite - Washington, DC

1,001-5,000 employees

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

About the position

The Infrastructure, Immigration, and Security Operations (IISO) program at RAND's Homeland Security Research Division (HSRD) is dedicated to providing rigorous and timely analysis to inform leaders on a diverse range of topics related to strategic planning, policy and program evaluation, and operational analyses. This includes areas such as air and marine operations, risk analysis, threat analysis, decision analysis, cybersecurity operations, critical infrastructure protection and resilience, security operations, and immigration topics. The IISO program serves various sponsors, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Security Agency, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Secret Service, and the Transportation Security Administration. The program aims to assist decision-makers at the component level by developing strategies, policies, and operational capabilities that enhance domain awareness and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of security, safety, and enforcement operations while preserving civil liberties. The IISO Director will report to the Vice President and Director of HSRD and will be responsible for maintaining key research streams, adjusting program emphasis to stay ahead of policy issues for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and leading a diverse team of researchers. The Director will provide intellectual leadership for program research, champion the RAND culture of quality, and ensure that the program's products meet high standards of quality, relevance, and timeliness. The role also involves developing new business opportunities, mentoring staff, and collaborating with project leaders to achieve strategic goals. The Director must possess exceptional interpersonal skills, a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the ability to manage complex, multi-disciplinary analyses effectively.

Responsibilities

• Maintain research streams related to homeland security threat and opportunity studies, operational studies, and regulatory, doctrine, and policy studies.
• Proactively adjust program emphasis to stay on the cutting edge of policy issues for DHS.
• Recruit, retain, develop, and lead a diverse team of researchers.
• Provide intellectual leadership for program research and ensure high-quality outputs.
• Champion the RAND culture of quality and participate in the HSRD quality assurance process.
• Support and advocate for project leaders and staff to facilitate their work for sponsors at DHS.
• Develop new business through direct contacts with key clients and shape proposals for new research avenues.
• Participate in ongoing HSRD activities such as staff meetings and planning sessions.
• Provide constructive feedback via the staff performance review process.
• Mentor and collaborate with Associate Program Directors to achieve program's strategic goals.
• Provide advice to the HSRD Director and Associate Director as part of the leadership team.

Requirements

• Advanced degree in a relevant field such as math, statistics, engineering, risk, political science, public policy, economics, behavioral or social sciences, or security studies; Master's Degree or equivalent required, PhD preferred.
• Minimum of 8+ years of experience conducting policy research in a government, corporate, or research environment; experience equivalent to a RAND senior level researcher with 10+ years preferred.
• Demonstrated exemplary research and analysis capabilities and deep knowledge of the policy environment.
• Excellent leadership and organizational management capabilities.
• Ability to build, maintain, and manage a dynamic and fast-paced research program.
• Exceptional abilities in interpersonal relations, managing staff and client relationships, and in written and oral communications.
• Strong commitment to RAND's core values of quality and objectivity.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience working directly with senior homeland, law enforcement, or national security officials.
• An active Secret clearance is preferred.

Benefits

• Health insurance coverage
• Life and disability insurance
• Savings plan
• Paid time-off
• Sabbatical pay which provides compensation above base pay when vacation is taken
• Additional compensation may be available.