Ballistic Expert Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Position Description & Qualifications Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) / Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Subject Matter Expert (SME) Senior Operations Exercise Planner - Suffolk, VA Serco is seeking a Principal Military Trainer - Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) / Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Subject Matter Expert (SME) Senior Operations Exercise Planner to support the Joint Staff J-7 Deputy Directorate for Joint Training and Exercises (DDJTE) in Suffolk, Virginia. This high-impact position places you at the center of Joint Force readiness, where you will help design, plan, execute, and assess strategic-level training events that prepare Combatant Commands, Joint Task Forces, and senior military leaders to address evolving global threats. As a senior operational expert, you will integrate IAMD and BMD capabilities, command and control systems, sensor-to-shooter architectures, and multi-domain operational concepts into some of the Department of Defense's most complex Joint exercises and experimentation efforts. Working directly with Joint Staff, Combatant Commands, Service components, coalition partners, the Missile Defense Agency, Intelligence Community organizations, and senior decision-makers, will help shape the future of missile defense, integrated deterrence, and Joint warfighting readiness while contributing to mission-critical solutions that strengthen homeland defense and global security. This position is contingent upon the ability to maintain/transfer an active U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Top Secret (TS) security clearance with eligibility for Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) access is required. In this role, you will: * Serve as the lead IAMD / BMD advisor supporting Joint exercise planning, operational assessments, and capability development initiatives. * Integrate IAMD and BMD considerations throughout all phases of the Joint Event Life Cycle (JELC) to support Combatant Command training objectives and operational outcomes. * Develop and assess missile defense scenarios, threat presentations, operational injects, and training objectives for Joint and combined exercises. * Provide subject matter expertise on Integrated Air and Missile Defense architectures, Ballistic Missile Defense operations, command-and-control systems, sensor integration, interceptor employment, and multi-domain operations. * Analyze adversary missile threats, integrated air defense systems, and advanced strike capabilities to enhance operational realism and training effectiveness. * Support development of operational concepts related to homeland defense, theater missile defense, cruise missile defense, hypersonic threat response, integrated deterrence, and Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2). * Evaluate the integration of Joint, allied, and coalition missile defense capabilities across land, maritime, air, space, cyber, and information domains. * Coordinate with Joint Staff, Combatant Commands, Service Components, Missile Defense Agency stakeholders, Intelligence Community organizations, coalition partners, and functional planners to synchronize IAMD/BMD activities. * Review, assess, and provide recommendations to senior military and government leaders regarding Joint Force integration, collaboration, operational effectiveness, and emerging missile defense capabilities. * Translate strategic guidance into operational and tactical training objectives and assist planners, exercise control personnel, and senior leaders in understanding the relationship between national-level policy, campaign planning, and operational execution. * Participate in planning conferences, In-Progress Reviews (IPRs), operational working groups, and senior leader engagements. * Support exercise execution as an IAMD /BMD representative within Exercise Control (EXCON), operational cells, or functional planning teams. * Assess command-and-control processes, sensor-to-shooter timelines, information-sharing architectures, and operational decision-making frameworks. * Develop operational assessments, lessons learned, capability analyses, and recommendations to improve Joint Force missile defense readiness. To be successful in this role, you will have: * An active U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Top Secret (TS) security clearance with eligibility for Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) access is required. * A Bachelor's degree. * 8 years of relevant experience. * Experience supporting Joint, Combatant Command, Service Headquarters, Missile Defense Agency, Intelligence Community, or equivalent organizations. * Demonstrated expertise in Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD), Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD), air defense operations, command and control, sensor integration, and missile defense planning. * Strong understanding of National Security Strategy (NSS), National Defense Strategy (NDS), National Military Strategy (NMS), Joint Planning Processes, Joint doctrine, and Multi-Domain Operations. * Proven ability to connect and integrate activities across the strategic, operational, and tactical levels of warfare, translating national objectives into operational plans and tactical actions while assessing operational outcomes against strategic goals. Strong analytical, writing, briefing, and communication skills. * Strong foundation in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Teams, with additional experience leveraging SharePoint, Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled tools, Onebrief, Virtual Joint Operations Center (VJOC), and other collaborative planning and decision-support systems. * The ability to travel up to 25%. Additional desired experience and skills: * Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) Phase II or Senior Service College graduate. * Former Air Defense Artillery, Air Battle Management, Missile Defense, Integrated Air and Missile Defense, Space Operations, or Joint Fires professional. * Experience supporting Combatant Command exercises, operational planning, wargaming, experimentation, operational assessments, or capability development efforts. * Familiarity with Joint Training Tool (JTT), Master Scenario Event List (MSEL) development, and Joint exercise planning processes. * Knowledge of Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2), hypersonic defense, space-based sensing architectures, integrated deterrence, and emerging missile defense capabilities. Company Overview Serco Inc. (Serco) is the Americas division of Serco Group, plc. In North America, Serco's 9,000+ employees strive to make an impact every day across 100+ sites in the areas of Defense, Citizen Services, and Transportation. We help our clients deliver vital services more efficiently while increasing the satisfaction of their end customers. Serco serves every branch of the U.S. military, numerous U.S. Federal civilian agencies, the Intelligence Community, the Canadian government, state, provincial and local governments, and commercial clients. While your place may look a little different depending on your role, we know you will find yours here. Wherever you work and whatever you do, we invite you to discover your place in our world. Serco is a place you can count on and where you can make an impact because every contribution matters. To review Serco benefits please visit: https://careers.serco-na.com/us/en/what-we-offer . If you require an accommodation with the application process please email: or call the HR Service Desk at 800-628-6458, option 1. Please note, due to EEOC/OFCCP compliance, Serco is unable to accept resumes by email. Candidates may be asked to present proof of identity during the selection process. If requested, this will require presentation of a government-issued I.D. (with photo) with name and address that match the information entered on the application. Serco will not take possession of or retain/store the information provided as proof of identity. For more information on how Serco uses your information, please see our Applicant Privacy Policy and Notice. Serco does not accept unsolicited resumes through or from search firms or staffing agencies without being a contracted approved vendor. All unsolicited resumes will be considered the property of Serco and will not be obligated to pay a placement or contract fee. If you are interested in becoming an approved vendor at Serco, please email . Serco is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics. Pay Transparency Our Total Rewards package includes competitive pay, performance-based incentives, and benefits that promote well-being and work-life balance-so you can thrive both professionally and personally. Eligible employees also gain access to a wide range of benefits from comprehensive health coverage and health savings accounts to retirement plans, life and disability insurance, and time-off programs that support work-life balance. Program availability may vary based on factors such as contract type, location, hire date, and applicable collective bargaining agreements. Salary range: The range for this position can be found at the top of this posting. This range is provided as a general guideline and represents a good faith estimate across all experience levels. Actual base salary will be determined by a variety of factors, including but not limited to, the scope of the role, relevant experience, job-related knowledge, education and training, key skills, and geographic market considerations. For roles available in multiple states, the range may vary to reflect differences in local labor markets. In addition to base salary, eligible positions may include other forms of compensation such as annual bonuses or long-term incentive opportunities. Benefits - Comprehensible benefits for full-time employees (