Operations Research Analyst, SME at Parsons in Maryland

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At Parsons, you can imagine a career where you thrive, work with exceptional people, and be yourself. Guided by our leadership vision of valuing people, embracing agility, and fostering growth, we cultivate an innovative culture that empowers you to achieve your full potential. Unleash your talent and redefine what’s possible.

Job Description:

Parsons is seeking an Operations Research Analyst SME to support our cutting-edge Drone Armor counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) program. This Subject Matter Expert will lead complex analytical efforts, including experimentation, simulation, testing, and data analysis, to develop actionable recommendations that optimize system performance, tactics, and operational effectiveness for Drone Armor.

What You'll Be Doing

Subject Matter Expertise & Analytical Support

• Serve as a subject matter expert capable of handling tasks and answering specific questions related to operations research and assigned functional domains
• Provide expert analytical support that may include physical experimentation, emulation, modeling, simulation, and testing of C-UAS concepts and systems
• Analyze operational and test data, interpret results, and translate findings into clear, actionable insights

Experimentation, Simulation & Data Analysis

• Design and support experiments, simulations, and emulations to evaluate Drone Armor system performance, CONOPS, and operational tactics
• Apply quantitative methods and operations research techniques (e.g., optimization, stochastic modeling, statistical analysis) to complex problems
• Assess trade-offs, risks, and sensitivities to inform capability development, deployment, and employment decisions

Recommendations, Solutions & Decision Support

• Prepare recommendations and solutions for the specific areas under analysis, clearly articulating assumptions, methods, and implications
• Develop decision-support products (briefings, reports, visualization) tailored to technical, operational, and leadership audiences
• Support the refinement of requirements, CONOPS, and test plans based on analytic findings

Leadership & Team Direction

• Provide leadership and direction to team members working on the same project, guiding analytic approach, methods, and quality standards
• Mentor junior analysts and coordinate with engineers, testers, and operators to ensure integrated analytic efforts
• Contribute to technical reviews, milestones, and customer engagements as a recognized SME

What Required Skills You'll Bring

Education

• Master’s degree in Computer Science, Electronics Engineering, Operations Research, or other engineering or technical discipline is required with 6 years of experience OR
• 10+ years of relevant operations research or advanced analytical experience may be substituted for education

Experience

• Experience performing complex analysis, experimentation, or modeling and simulation in support of technical or operational problems
• Experience analyzing data and interpreting information to generate recommendations and solutions for specific problem areas
• Experience providing leadership and direction to teams conducting analytic or technical work
• Experience preparing clear, well-structured technical reports and recommendations for decision-makers

Technical Competencies

• Strong background in operations research, quantitative analysis, or related disciplines
• Familiarity with modeling/simulation tools, statistical analysis software, or scripting languages used for data analysis
• Ability to design and interpret experiments, simulations, and tests to answer operationally relevant questions
• Strong communication skills for framing problems, explaining methods, and presenting results to varied audiences

Security & Citizenship

• Must be a US Citizen
• TOP SECRET security clearance

What Desired Skills You'll Bring

Advanced Education & Certifications

• Advanced degree in Operations Research, Applied Mathematics, Systems Engineering, or related field
• Training or certifications in data analytics, modeling & simulation, or related tools/technologies

Specialized Experience

• Experience supporting DoD, defense, C-UAS, EW, or ISR-related analytic efforts
• Experience conducting campaign analysis, mission engineering, or force-on-force simulation

Additional Technical Skills

• Experience with data visualization tools and techniques for communicating complex results
• Familiarity with test and evaluation data, operational assessments, or field experimentation

Security Clearance Requirement: An active Top Secret security clearance is required for this position.​

This position is part of our Federal Solutions team.

The Federal Solutions segment delivers resources to our US government customers that ensure the success of missions around the globe. Our intelligent employees drive the state of the art as they provide services and solutions in the areas of defense, security, intelligence, infrastructure, and environmental. We promote a culture of excellence and close-knit teams that take pride in delivering, protecting, and sustaining our nation's most critical assets, from Earth to cyberspace. Throughout the company, our people are anticipating what’s next to deliver the solutions our customers need now.

Salary Range: $103,500.00 - $181,100.00

We value our employees and want our employees to take care of their overall wellbeing, which is why we offer best-in-class benefits such as medical, dental, vision, paid time off, Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), 401(k), life insurance, flexible work schedules, and holidays to fit your busy lifestyle!

Parsons is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other protected status.

We truly invest and care about our employee’s wellbeing and provide endless growth opportunities as the sky is the limit, so aim for the stars! Imagine next and join the Parsons quest—APPLY TODAY!

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