Lead Cyber Operations Analyst

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.

MITRE is seeking an experienced technical professional to join our Digital Investigations Department in support of a high-impact sponsor mission in the McLean, Virginia area.

Our department transforms digital data into actionable understanding by combining technical analysis, investigative tradecraft, software development, data analytics, and mission context. Our work spans digital evidence and forensics, digital intelligence and OSINT, investigative analytics, target and activity analysis, operational investigations, and the development of new investigative tools and capabilities.

This position requires a strong Python developer who can work directly with sponsor personnel to understand mission problems, develop and evolve technical solutions, and provide technical leadership to other members of the team. The successful candidate will be comfortable moving between hands‑on development, technical problem solving, solution design, and direct sponsor interaction.

This is an
on-site position supporting a sponsor location in the McLean, VA area
. Regular presence at the sponsor site is required.

In this role, the selected candidate will:

• Lead Technical Development:Design, develop, test, and maintain Python-based applications, analytical tools, automation, and data-processing capabilities supporting digital investigations and related mission needs.
• Set Technical Direction:Translate complex or ambiguous sponsor problems into technical approaches, make architecture and implementation decisions, and help establish the direction of work performed by other team members.
• Remain Hands‑On:Personally develop and review production‑quality Python code while contributing to troubleshooting, debugging, integration, testing, and deployment activities.
• Solve Complex Technical Problems:Analyze difficult technical and mission challenges, evaluate possible solutions, and apply sound engineering judgment to develop practical and innovative approaches.
• Work Directly with Sponsors:Build a strong understanding of sponsor workflows, priorities, constraints, and operational needs and use that understanding to shape technical solutions.
• Guide and Elevate the Team:Provide technical guidance and mentorship to more junior staff, conduct code and design reviews, share technical knowledge, and help improve the quality and effectiveness of the team's work.
• Build Sustainable Capability:Develop reusable tools, libraries, workflows, documentation, and engineering practices that improve work beyond an individual task or project.
• Connect Across Disciplines:Collaborate with investigators, analysts, data scientists, engineers, and other technical experts to integrate capabilities and solve multidisciplinary problems.
• Communicate Technical Concepts:Explain complex technical issues, design decisions, risks, and recommendations clearly to both technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Evaluate Technologies and Approaches:Assess existing and emerging software, data sources, platforms, and analytical techniques and identify opportunities to improve investigative capabilities and mission outcomes.

• Strong software development experience using
  Python
  , including demonstrated experience developing, debugging, testing, and maintaining non‑trivial software or…