Senior Defense Cost Researcher

Job Type:

Position Description

Are you passionate about using your cost expertise and analytical skills to address critical defense policy challenges? RAND is seeking talented Senior Defense Cost Researchers to join our team and contribute to impactful research in national and homeland security.

RAND carries out acquisition research and cost analysis in four (4) federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs) that focus on U.S. national and homeland security policy issues. RAND Cost Researchers lead and contribute to innovative projects that inform the policies and decisions surrounding defense acquisition strategy and operations. They deliver objective, reliable insights for senior defense leaders and policymakers at the highest levels. They embrace diverse challenges that require strong analytic capabilities, technical knowledge, and deep experience in cost analysis or cost estimating.

Why RAND?

• Reputation for Excellence: Be part of a non-profit, non-partisan organization renowned for its rigorous and objective research.

• Dynamic Opportunities: Collaborate in multidisciplinary teams on diverse projects that challenge and expand your skills.

• Poised for Impact: Your research will inform thousands of defense leaders, policymakers, and other stakeholders around the world.

Responsibilities:

Senior Cost Researchers will use their skills and expertise in cost analysis to:

• Develop research approaches to solve complex defense acquisition policy problems.

• Execute this research using a broad range of analytically rigorous, quantitative and/or qualitative research tools, methods, and skills.

• Interpret research results to support decision-making surrounding complex defense acquisition policy problems.

• Communicate research results to defense decisionmakers and policymakers at all levels through written products and oral presentations.

• Maintain access to and knowledge of government and public data sources that support cost analyses; act as a subject matter expert of and query cost-related data sources for project data needs.

• Mentor and develop junior staff members to maintain RAND’s cost capabilities.

• Develop and maintain awareness of relevant acquisition policy challenges and leadership priorities to support the direction of RAND’s cost-related research.

Qualifications

Successful applicants will have demonstrated technical or methodological skills, and/or domain knowledge in cost analysis. Examples of relevant qualifications include:

• Certification as a Professional Cost Estimator/Analyst

• Use of system engineering techniques

  • For estimating costs of hardware and/or software acquisition and support

  • To translate programmatic and schedule requirements into quantified cost products

• Practical experience with accessing, querying, and analyzing databases that provide technical, programmatic and cost information necessary for cost analyses (e.g., ADVANA, DoD acquisition and VAMOSC systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics, etc.)

• Experience creating cost estimates and performing cost uncertainty and sensitivity analyses to support defense processes (e.g., AoAs, BCAs, LCCE, budget justifications)

• Knowledge of the full acquisition life cycle including how programs progress through various milestones

Experience applying these skills to DoD weapon systems is highly preferred. This may include systems developed for the Air Force, Space Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Army or other U.S. defense agency.

Successful applicants will be able to present strong evidence of research experience, demonstrated through authorship of academic publications, conference presentations, or prior professional reports.

All research positions at RAND require excellent analytic skills; the ability to communicate clearly and effectively in English, both orally and in writing; the ability to work effectively as a member of a multi-disciplinary team; and a strong commitment to RAND's core values of quality and objectivity.

Successful applicants with more than 10 years of professional experience will have demonstrated leadership experience through the following activities: mentoring and developing junior staff members, leading and directing multi-disciplinary teams, setting project standards and monitoring progress, engaging with stakeholders, and communicating research results to policy-making audiences.

Education Requirements

A PhD in Engineering, O