Senior Military Operations Analyst/Wargame Analyst

Systems Planning And Analysis - Alexandria, VA

Full-time - Senior

Alexandria, VA

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

About the position

Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. (SPA) is seeking a Senior Military Operations/Wargame Analyst to provide onsite support in Alexandria, VA. This position is critical to the Joint, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Interagency Division, which offers expert support services across the Department of Defense, Federal Civilian, and international markets. The successful candidate will join a highly collaborative team that specializes in the application of multi-disciplinary analytic skills to support various clients within the Department of Defense, including the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment. In this role, the Senior Military Operations/Wargame Analyst will lead the design, planning, and execution of wargames, workshops, and other analytic events. The individual will be responsible for project management, directing research, writing analytic reports, and briefing senior decision-makers. The position requires a self-motivated individual with strong time-management and interpersonal skills, capable of managing multiple tasks concurrently under constrained timelines. Candidates will have the opportunity to work closely with government customers, serving as a wargame director and project lead, and will be expected to rapidly learn and apply new knowledge and skills as needed. The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated record of success in dynamic, high-impact environments and will be rewarded with leadership opportunities and direct engagement with external clients and stakeholders. This position is essential for enabling and executing a strategy of technological superiority and ensuring that U.S. military forces maintain their military superiority in the future.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, planning, and execution of wargames, workshops, and other analytic events.
• Manage multiple tasks concurrently, often with constrained timelines.
• Conduct research and direct the development of analytic products to inform decision-making.
• Write concise, well-structured analytic reports and present results to senior audiences.
• Educate junior analysts on wargaming methods and practices.
• Serve as a wargame director and project lead, working closely with government customers.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field and 7+ years of relevant experience conducting wargames, exercises, crisis simulations, and/or analytic assessments.
• Experience leading the design, development, planning, and reporting of wargames, exercises, experiments, seminars, simulations, workshops, or other similar analytic events.
• Demonstrated experience developing concise, well-written analytic products to inform decision making and presenting analytic results to senior audiences.
• Self-motivated individual with a strong work ethic, time-management, and interpersonal skills; able to work well leading teams, individually, and as part of a team.
• Active DoD Secret clearance.

Nice-to-haves

• Master's degree in a relevant field.
• Proven project management experience.
• Experience in qualitative methodologies (survey design, etc.) in addition to wargaming.
• Teaching experience in wargaming or analytic methods.
• Expert knowledge of modern military operations.
• Experience assessing the operational impact of planned or conceptual weapon systems.