Operations Research Manager Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Overview
Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. (SPA) delivers high-impact, technical solutions to complex national security issues. With over 50 years of business expertise and consistent growth, we are known for continuous innovation for our government customers, in both the US and abroad. Our exceptionally talented team is highly collaborative in spirit and practice, producing results that matter. Come work with the best! We offer opportunity, unique challenges, and clear-sighted commitment to the mission. SPA: Objective. Responsive. Trusted.
The Joint, Office of the Secretary of War, Interagency Division provides expert support services to a range of customers spanning across the Department of War, Federal Civilian, and international markets. JOID provides a diverse portfolio of analytical and programmatic capabilities to help our customers make informed decisions on their most challenging issues.
The Acquisition and Technology Analysis Group within JOID specializes in the application of multi-disciplinary analytic skills to support multiple clients within the Department of War (DoW). These clients include the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering (OUSW(R&E)), Office of the Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment (OUSW(A&S)), DARPA, the Joint Staff, and USINDOPACOM. SPA provides critical decision support to enabling and executing a strategy of technological superiority and enabling the delivery and sustainment of secure, resilient, and preeminent capabilities to the warfighter quickly and cost effectively. Our team of experienced military, technical, and operations research analysts is skilled in evaluating military problems, identifying the driving factors, devising innovative approaches, collecting applicable data, developing necessary software tools, and performing thorough and timely assessments to inform technology and acquisition governance decisions to ensure U.S. military forces retain military superiority in the future.
We have an upcoming need for a Sr. Operations Research Analyst to provide onsite support at the Pentagon in Arlington, VA with significant travel.
Responsibilities
The analyst will support the Nimble Fire program's operator-in-the-loop modeling and simulation events by applying extensive IAMD operational experience to experiment planning, execution, and analysis. Will help shape learning objectives, validate operational realism, and contribute to data collection and post-event analytical products that translate simulation outputs into actionable, risk-informed insights for senior leadership. Will leverage military background to perform liaison functions with Service stakeholders, ensuring shared understanding of key IAMD and multi-domain priorities, emerging operational constraints, and cross-Service integration considerations. This coordination role supports alignment between technical teams, operators, and Service representatives to maintain relevance, interoperability, and mission realism throughout Nimble Fire experiment cycles.
Qualifications
Required:

• Master's degree
• 8+ years of military operations experience, including direct involvement in Air and Missile Defense operations or tactical C2 systems
• Experience analyzing exercise or simulation outputs and converting findings into after-action reports or operational recommendations for senior leaders
• Demonstrated experience supporting or coordinating with senior-level, Joint, headquarters, or multinational organizations (e.g., MDA, SMDC, ARCENT, EUCOM, NATO)
• Proven ability to build and brief risk-based decision support products for senior audiences
• Familiarity with operational data systems such as Power BI, DTMS, Army Task Management Portal, or HQDA trackers
• Ability to apply military operational experience to support liaison functions with the Services to ensure shared understanding of IAMD and multi-domain priorities
• Active DoW Secret clearance

Desired:

• Active TS/SCI clearance with SAP eligibility
• Experience supporting or designing modeling and simulation events, scenario injects, or master scenario event lists (MSELs) for large-scale exercises
• Understanding of Joint and multinational IAMD system interactions, sensor management, air picture integration, and C2 timeline analysis
• Experience conducting capability gap assessments, operational feasibility analysis, or hazard/risk assessments supporting senior leader decision-making
• Familiarity with air and missile defense tools such as AMDWS, ADSI, TAIS, FAAD EO, and GCCS A
• Experience contributing to or evaluating large-scale exercises (e.g., Tobruq Legacy, Saber Guardian, Juniper Cobra) to refine SOPs or operational processes
• Graduate-level coursework in hazard analysis, consequence management, risk communications, or statistical trend analysis

Pay Range Information
At SPA, we strive to deliver a robust total compensation package that will attract and retain top talent. Elements of the compensation package include competitive base pay and variable compensation opportunities. SPA provides eligible employees with an opportunity to enroll in a variety of benefit programs, generally including health insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life and disability insurance programs, and a number of programs that provide for both paid and unpaid time away from work. The specific programs and options available to any given employee may vary depending on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, etc. Please note that the salary information shown below is a general guideline only. Salaries are commensurate with experience and qualifications, as well as market and business considerations. Virginia, Pay Transparency Salary range: USD $140,000.00/Yr. - USD $180,000.00/Yr.