Behavioral Scientist

Behavioral Scientist The Ascendancy Group’s Mission

To be the unequaled provider of special operations forces (SOF) and Intelligence Community focused technical, service, and training-based solutions.

The Behavioral Scientist position is a full-time position supporting Operations in the Information Environment (OIE) by applying behavioral science principles to influence target audiences, optimize communication strategies, and assess the effectiveness of OIE activities. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in behavioral science, psychology, or a related field, with experience in developing, implementing, and assessing influence strategies in a defense or intelligence context.

This position is contingent upon contract award.

TS/SCI or TS w/SCI Eligibility

• Contribute to design of opinion research and interpretation of findings. Examples of opinion research includes survey, flash polls, focus groups, and in-depth interviews.
• Conduct behavioral analysis of target audiences to identify psychological, cultural, and social factors influencing behavior.
• Design and implement influence strategies, including message development, narrative crafting, and media selection.
• Collaborate with OIE planners, PSYOP, and MISO teams to integrate behavioral science insights into operational planning.
• Conduct post-operation assessments to measure the effectiveness of influence activities and refine approaches.
• Develop metrics and analytical tools to evaluate the impact of influence strategies on target audiences.
• Provide subject matter expertise in cognitive and behavioral sciences for OIE planning and execution.
• Present research findings and analysis to senior leadership, contributing to strategic decision-making.
• Define use cases and key questions or topics to ensure that data visualization and quantitative analysis can be completed to support mission needs.
• Review studies conducted by similar organizations and determine reliability, validity and other strength factors for potential use in theater.
• Contribute to methodology advancement for analyzing and extracting insights from large-scale qualitative and quantitative data sets to enhance comprehension of target audience behaviors and reactions.

• Degree in Behavioral Science, Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, or a related field
• Experience in behavioral analysis, influence operations, or a related field, preferably within a defense or intelligence environment
• Experience supporting U.S. military or intelligence community operations
• Experience in social media analysis, digital marketing, or online influence campaigns
• Experience designing, implementing, and assessing influence or persuasion strategies
• Familiarity with cognitive modeling, cultural analysis, and psychological profiling

• Familiarity with OIE principles, MISO (Military Information Support Operations), PSYOP, and other influence activities
• Knowledge of influence and persuasion theories