Research Associate - Safety Act
Overview:
The Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) is a Federally-Funded Research and Development Center supporting the Department of Defense (DoD), and other federal agencies. IDA’s mission is to provide objective analyses of national security issues and related national challenges, particularly those requiring extraordinary scientific and technical expertise. IDA takes great pride in the high caliber and timeliness of its analyses, which are produced in an atmosphere that encourages collaboration, independent thinking, and objective results.
An opportunity now exists in our Cost Analysis and Research Division (CARD) for a Research Associate to support our work with the Department of Homeland Security’s SAFETY Act. The SAFETY Act provides industry with incentives to invest in the development and deployment of anti-terrorism technologies by establishing a system of litigation and risk management protections. Candidates should be able to manage multiple concurrent work products, bring an exceptional attention to detail, and be used to working with strict deadlines. Work at IDA is conducted in a team environment and often involves a multi-disciplinary approach. Researchers work closely with each other and are in frequent contact with government sponsors. Consequently, strong communications and interpersonal skills will be greatly valued.
Responsibilities:
IDA is seeking a Research Associate to join the Cost Analysis and Research Division (CARD). Research Associates directly contribute to IDA research efforts as part of diverse and interdisciplinary research teams. The candidate for this position will support CARD’s SAFETY Act work and may also collaborate with analysts from other divisions at IDA. RAs will generally perform fact-finding tasks, develop preliminary analyses, and shape findings and recommendations for the team. RAs are expected to be familiar with standard information collection, compilation, summary and analysis methods; be able to develop or apply appropriate methods to support studies or analyses; use strong communication (oral and written) and interpersonal skills to contribute effectively to study teams. A Research Associate in CARD will likely be asked to:
- Research topics independently,
- Build and develop statistical or economic models,
- Assist in developing and maintaining information sources,
- Attend and participate in project meetings,
- Interact with Governmental sponsors and industry representatives,
- Provide presentations of analyses,
- Contribute to the writing of reports and papers.
Minimum Job Qualifications:
- Bachelor's or Master’s Degree in business, economics, political science, national security studies, government, data science (or a similar field) is required.
- Demonstrated strong communications skills are essential.
- Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of project teams is vital.
- Experience working with data, including data collection, normalization, analysis, and visualization is highly desirable.
- Prior work experience or internships is preferable.
- Skills working with programming languages (e.g., R, Python, STATA) are a plus.
- Ability to obtain and maintain necessary security clearances is mandatory.
- U.S. Citizenship is required.
Research has shown that candidates from underrepresented backgrounds are less likely to apply unless they meet all of a job’s requirements. Learning and professional growth are foundational to IDA’s culture. If you think that your skills and experience are a fit for this role, IDA encourages you to apply.
U.S. Citizenship is required
Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance is required
IDA is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing a fair recruiting process and working environment free from discrimination. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identify, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. Click here to learn more about IDA's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
IDA is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process or in order to perform the essential functions of a position, please send an email to employment@ida.org and let us know the nature of your request and contact information.