About This Role
Driving the strategic integration of advanced analytics across the SOF Enterprise is the core of this senior, named-position technical leadership role. You will lead the data science team, transforming operational data into mission decision advantage for a U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) customer. This is a foundational role as a founding member of a senior team, working in direct contact with senior mission owners.
Responsibilities
- Own the data science and analytics strategy for the program, covering descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive analytics across HQ Staff, SOF Service Components, and Theater Special Operations Commands (TSOCs)
- Centrally manage distributed data support teams across SOF organizations at HQ echelon, setting the technical bar, mentoring analysts, and defining team operating rhythms
- Serve as the primary technical interface between the contractor team and senior Government mission owners, briefing findings to GO/FO-level leadership
- Translate operational mission questions into rigorous analytical work, framing the problem, leading the analytical team, and delivering the readout
- Drive integration of data, analytics, and AI capabilities, partnering with the Data Operations Technical Lead, AI/ML engineers, and AI Product Managers to move models from notebook to production
- Support the SOF Enterprise's adoption of integrated governance standards, aligning data and analytics products with applicable security and data strategies
- Recruit, mentor, and retain a distributed analytics team across multiple SOF organizations
Requirements
- Active TS/SCI clearance (held within the last 5 years, with no break longer than 24 months in clearance eligibility)
- U.S. Citizenship
- 5+ years working in SOF analytical support roles
- 3+ years centrally managing distributed data support teams at SOF HQ echelon
- 3+ years experience with SOF digital capabilities
- 3+ years experience across SOF HQ elements, SOF Service Component HQs, AND SOF Theater Special Operations Commands (TSOCs)
- Strong Python and SQL fluency; comfortable with modern ML frameworks (PyTorch, scikit-learn, or equivalent)
- Demonstrable ability to communicate complex technical work to senior non-technical stakeholders
Nice to have:
- CI Poly or FS Poly
- Graduate degree in a quantitative field (Statistics, Operations Research, Computer Science, Applied Math, Data Science)
- Prior employment as a senior leader at a cleared defense data firm with SOF program experience
- Government employment history at a SOF HQ J-code (J2/J5/J8) or as a uniformed senior SOF officer (O-4 to O-6 retired)
- Published or presented work in data science / operations research / mission analytics