Decision Analyst, Principal Security Clearance

Position: Decision Analyst, Principal with Security Clearance
At MITRE, your passion fuels work that impacts our nation and improves lives. This is where your skills strengthen national security, cybersecurity, health, transportation, and citizen services. We're a nonprofit engineering, applied research, and advanced technology organization working in the public interest. With objectivity and integrity at our core, we lead federally funded research and development centers for U.S. government agencies - collaborating with industry and academia to deliver integrated, high-impact solutions that advance our nation's health, security, and prosperity.

Our people tackle the toughest technical challenges, supported by competitive benefits, meaningful career development, and a culture of innovation, collaboration, and technical excellence. Choose MITRE for a career with purpose - and help shape the future.

Department Summary:

MITRE's Acquisition Division, Department for Acquisition Transformation & Applied Technologies (L581) is focused on advancing the art and science of cost analysis, acquisition, and management for national security missions. Our multidisciplinary team delivers objective, data-driven insights to help government sponsors make informed decisions about resource allocation, technology investments, and acquisition strategies. By combining deep expertise in cost estimation, acquisition policy, operations research, and analytics, the Acquisition Division enables sponsors to accelerate modernization, transition emerging technologies, and solve complex management challenges.

We foster collaboration across government, industry, and academia-driving innovation and shaping resilient, effective solutions for the nation's most critical missions. And above all - we bring objectivity, innovation, courage, and technical excellence to help our sponsors make the right decision.

Roles & Responsibilities : L581 is seeking a well-connected and recognized expert on defense acquisition and innovation. The ideal candidate will be a credible authority on defense acquisition, emerging technologies, and national security processes. You will belong to a high-performing team that regularly initiates and implements projects in support of senior and executive level Sponsors' strategic initiatives within the Missile Defense Agency (MDA).

The team will advise senior and executive-level government officials and directly support the MDA Director for Acquisition and Sustainment.
* Effectively engage and motivate sponsors, stakeholders, and the larger enterprise on acquisition modernization and agility topics ranging from acquisition policy to technology assessments, commercialization, and mission needs.

* Provide subject matter expertise on DoW and/or US federal civilian acquisition practices, including Non-FAR procurement authorities, such as Other Transaction (OT), acquisition processes applied across the defense innovation and rapid acquisition ecosystems, and working knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Register (FAR), International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), and other US federal acquisition regulations.
* Develop and propose innovative strategies, policies, and processes that improve defense acquisition outcomes, ranging from programs, portfolios, and enterprise-wide initiatives.

* Contribute with impact as part of one or more integrated product teams to enable DoW to transition emerging technologies and prototypes.

* Strategically communicate internally and externally on key issues related to defense acquisition.

* Build and manage relationships between senior sponsors, MITRE, and other stakeholders (Federally Funded Research & Development Centers (FFRDCs), think tanks, Industry, academia).

* Increase collaboration and coordination on acquisition reform and improvement issues across policy, practice, and academic domains.

Basic Qualifications:

* Typically requires a minimum of 10 years of related experience with a Bachelor's degree; or 8 years and a Master's degree; or a PhD with 5 years' experience; or equivalent combination of related education and work experience.

* Broad exposure and significant roles across the DoW's acquisition environment, including the innovation ecosystem.

* Possession of an Acquisition Professional Development Program (APDP) certification at a minimum of Level II in Program Management (PM), or equivalent DAWIA or FAC-C, FAC-COR, or FAC-P/PM certification, demonstrating validated proficiency in defense acquisition principles, program execution, and compliance or on track to achieve

* Track record of providing successful thought leadership in applying, teaching, or leading defense acquisition reform or modernization - prior experience as an acquisition professional, by itself, is not sufficient for this role.

* Experience building coalitions and communities that span multiple organizations across government and the private sector.

* Strong critical thinking, analytic, and problem-solving skills - comfortable working in dynamic settings where task objectives may…