Associate Director, Research — Deloitte Center Government Insights; Defense, Security, and Justice

Position Summary

Deloitte Center for Government Insights is a source of insights and deep analysis on the most important issues facing senior-level decision-makers within government today. The Center, which publishes 50 plus studies a year, is staffed by professionals who bring a wide array of expertise from academic to professional to hands-on experience. When it comes to insight, what really matters is not just the quality of the idea, but also how to translate it into action.

Deloitte's Government and Public Services (GPS) teams bring deep public and private sector experience to help clients across government.t including-Civilian, National Security, and Health Care. As a key part of GPS, the Defense, Security, and Justice (DS&J) practice serves clients across the Defense, Homeland Security, Justice, and the Intelligence Community to improve mission performance and tackle some of the toughest and most meaningful national security challenges.

Our team includes researchers, policy experts, and marketing and operational professionals, working together to design, develop and disseminate research products that shape thinking on government's toughest challenges. The Center for Government Insights is one of seven research centers that form the Research & Insights organization at Deloitte.

We are seeking a Senior Research Leader at the Associate Director level to guide and expand our thought leadership agenda. This individual will play a pivotal role in shaping the Center's research strategy, advancing innovative methodologies, and delivering high-impact insights to the marketplace while working at the intersection of academia, policy, and government. As a Senior Research Leader at Deloitte, you will:

• Shape market-moving insights that guide government executives
• Engage with top decision makers in industry and government
• Mentor the next generation of research leaders

This position requires intellectual curiosity, a strong command of research methods, and the ability to communicate complex ideas to diverse executive audiences. The ideal candidate will bring not only research acumen but also strategic foresight to set priorities that influence industry direction and Deloitte's market positioning.

Washington, DC is the preferred location for this role, though qualified candidates based elsewhere may be considered if they can support regular collaboration with DC-based teams and stakeholders.

• Engage with senior Deloitte leaders from across the firm to define and lead the research agenda for Defense, Security, and Justice (DS&J) ensuring alignment with Deloitte's strategic priorities and emerging industry challenges. Relevant topics include, but are not limited to, defense innovation, acquisition, the defense industrial base, space, trade infrastructure and systems, and the future of justice.
• Research topics could address a range of areas including applications of AI and emerging technology including human-machine teaming, space defense technologies, quantum communication capabilities, cybersecurity, advanced electronics and power systems for defense platforms, supply chain resilience and manufacturing innovations addressing vulnerabilities in critical materials and production capacity, and hybrid cloud-edge architectures that balance cloud scalability with edge computing for military operations and logistics.
• Familiarity with space industry topics is a plus, including research related to commercial space, military space operations, space policy, and the evolving space economy.
• Design and oversee multiple large-scale, multi-method research studies (e.g., surveys, econometric modeling, AI-enabled analytics, structured interviews among others) concurrently.
• Advance innovative methodologies, integrating cutting-edge tools, academic rigor, and diverse data sources to generate unique insights.
• Cultivate collaborations with academic institutions, industry partners, and global thought leaders to expand the Center's research reach.
• Develop and promote new research methodologies via generative AI tools to increase quality, variety, and quantity.

• Serve as a visible thought leader within Deloitte's public sector community.
• Publish research, deliver keynote presentations, and engage with media to elevate Deloitte's brand.
• Translate complex findings into clear, compelling narratives that resonate with executive audiences and drive market impact.
• Position research as a…