Project Manager _ Government R&D Programs (2026

Open Position

Zeichner Risk Analytics (ZRA) has an immediate opening for a full-time Project Manager to support government research and development programs involving emerging technologies and national security. The Project Manager will oversee project planning, execution, coordination, and reporting to help ensure that program objectives are completed on time and in accordance with client requirements.

This is a hybrid position requiring approximately 50% remote work and 50% in-person work in Arlington, Virginia.

About ZRA

Zeichner Risk Analytics (ZRA) is a boutique professional services firm based in Arlington, Virginia. We provide policy, legal, risk, program management, and strategic support to federal government and private-sector clients. ZRA works closely with senior stakeholders to manage complex initiatives, address emerging challenges, and support the development and implementation of forward-looking programs.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage multiple government R&D projects throughout the project lifecycle, from planning and initiation through execution, monitoring, and closeout.
• Develop and maintain project plans, schedules, milestones, work breakdown structures, and other project-management documentation.
• Coordinate project activities among clients, internal team members, technical subject-matter experts, and external stakeholders.
• Monitor project scope, schedules, deliverables, dependencies, risks, and action items.
• Identify potential project risks and develop appropriate mitigation and contingency plans.
• Lead project meetings, prepare agendas, document decisions, and track action items through completion.
• Provide clients and leadership with regular project updates, progress reports, and performance information.
• Manage competing priorities and help ensure that deadlines, contractual requirements, and quality standards are met.
• Support resource planning, workload coordination, and the assignment of responsibilities across project teams.
• Produce and review high-quality deliverables, including project plans, status reports, briefings, meeting materials, analytic reports, and executive summaries.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with clients and project stakeholders.
• Support continuous improvement by developing and refining project-management processes, tools, templates, and reporting practices.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in project management, business administration, management, public policy, national security, international affairs, or another relevant field.
• At least three years of professional experience managing or coordinating projects, programs, or cross-functional initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience developing and maintaining project plans, schedules, milestones, risk registers, action-item trackers, and status reports.
• Strong understanding of project-management principles, methods, and best practices.
• Experience leading meetings and coordinating activities across multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and project-tracking tools.
• Ability to prepare and deliver briefings to clients, leadership, and other stakeholders.
• Ability to work full-time, including approximately 50% in-office at ZRA’s headquarters in Arlington, Virginia.
• Eligibility to obtain a Top-Secret security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or progress toward obtaining the certification.
• Master’s degree in project management, business administration, public administration, national security, or another relevant field.
• Five or more years of project or program management experience.
• Experience supporting federal government contracts or government R&D programs.
• Familiarity with Agile, Waterfall, or hybrid project-management methodologies.
• Experience with project-management platforms such as Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, Jira, Asana, or comparable tools.
• Experience tracking project budgets, resources,…