Senior Operations Research Analyst / Engineer - Air Warfare Technology and Capability AnalysisAir Force Research Laboratory

This announcement will be accepting candidate submissions until 11:45 PM EST, 12 November 2026.

The Air Warfare Directorate (RA), Mission Design Division (RAD) seeks a senior-level, DR-03 (GS-14 or equivalent) Operations Research Analyst / Engineer to lead analysis that informs Air Warfare technology development, capability trades, and investment decisions. This position may be filled with any of the following occupational series: 0801, 0854, 0855, 0861, 1515, 1550.

Duty location is negotiable between Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, based on organizational need and the selected candidate's qualifications. This position is not remote.

This position partners with portfolio leads, Directorate leadership, mission engineering personnel, technologists, and operational stakeholders to identify the highest-value analytic questions associated with priority Air Warfare capability gaps. The selected candidate will lead rigorous, defensible modeling, simulation, and analysis (MS&A) efforts across a range of fidelity levels to assess the potential operational value of concepts and technologies which ultimately guide the development of the capability needed in the USAF Air Warfare mission.

Position duties include, but are not limited to:

• Partner with portfolio leads, Air Warfare Directorate leadership, mission engineering personnel, technologists, and operational stakeholders to frame decision-focused analytic questions addressing priority Air Warfare capability gaps.
• Develop and execute analysis strategies that inform capability requirements, technology maturation priorities, investment decisions, and operationally relevant trades.
• Conceive, plan, and conduct original studies, including problem formulation, pre-simulation analysis, model and scenario development, experimental design, execution, data analysis, and reporting.
• Lead integrated teams of government, contractor, and partner personnel to accomplish complex analysis objectives.
• Work with warfighters, intelligence stakeholders, technologists, and model developers to develop credible scenarios, assumptions, measures of performance, measures of effectiveness, and analytic products.
• Define and manage analysis requirements, schedules, resources, and risks for assigned studies and analytic campaigns.
• Develop, optimize, and oversee analysis test plans, verification activities, and simulation events.
• Collect, curate, analyze, and interpret data; communicate findings, limitations, assumptions, and recommendations through decision-ready reports, briefings, and technical products.
• Advise Directorate leadership and partner organizations on mission analysis methods, findings, risks, and research priorities.
• Mentor junior and mid-level analysts and engineers and contribute to the continued development of Mission Design Division analytic capabilities.

Required Qualifications

• US Citizenship.
• Must meet the education requirements for the position’s assigned occupational series. This announcement may be filled with any of the following series: 1515, 0801, 0854, 0855, 0861, 1550 and candidates must meet OPM qualifications for at least one of these series to be considered.
• Candidate must have at least 1 year of specialized experience at the next lower grade (DR-02, GS-12/13 or equivalent).
• Demonstrated experience independently leading or substantially contributing to complex technical analyses involving ambiguous problems, multiple stakeholders, and competing technical or operational considerations.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary teams; apply structured problem-solving approaches; improve analytic processes; and develop longer-term analytic strategies.
• Ability to obtain and maintain eligibility for a Top Secret security clearance.
• This position is an Acquisition Professional Development Program (APDP) position requiring Practitioner level certification in Engineering & Technology Management. The selectee will have 60 months to meet APDP requirements or a waiver must be obtained. Applicants for this position must list any acquisition certifications and status as an acquisition corps member in their resume.

Desired Qualifications

• A Master's degree in operations research, systems engineering, computer science, mathematics, statistics, aerospace engineering, electrical or computer engineering, software engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Demonstrated experience leading modeling, simulation, and analysis efforts that evaluate military capability concepts, operational architectures, or subsystem technologies.
• Demonstrated ability to translate senior-leader decisions, operational problems, and technology-development questions into rigorous analytic plans and defensible conclusions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience presenting complex technical findings, uncertainty, limitations, and recommendations to technical and senior-leader audiences.
• Experience with model-based or model-driven mission engineering methods, tools, and techniques.
• Experience with effects-based, statistically-derived, or physics-based models and simulations.
• Experience with mission or campaign level analysis software products such as the Advanced Framework for Simulation, Integration, and Modeling (AFSIM) (highly desired), Thunder, STORM, or comparable tools.
• Experience applying software-development, configuration-management, and DevSecOps practices to develop, sustain, verify, and curate models and scenarios at multiple fidelity levels.
• Operational background or insight into how current Air Force and allied systems conduct joint warfighting missions.
• Experience collaborating with operational users, intelligence organizations, military services, federally funded research and development centers, industry, or other defense-relevant partners.
• Broad technical background sufficient to understand and model first-order operational effects across military communications, sensing, air operations, space operations, and electronic warfare.

Telework: Yes, this position is eligible for situational telework; as determined by agency policy

Eligible for a Referral Bonus: No

Series: 0801, 0854, 0855, 0861, 1515, 1550

Salary Range (without locality): DR-03 (GS-14 or equivalent): $104,180 - $147,224

Instructions on how to submit documents are provided in the automated email you will receive once you apply. Candidates with resumes longer than 2-pages will not be considered.

Requisition Number 56559