Senior Project Manager - Risk

The Mission Concepts and Capabilities (MCC) Division of Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) has an exciting opportunity for a full-time Senior Project Manager - Risk . The potential candidate will provide support to the office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Nuclear Deterrence, Chemical, and Biological Defense Policy and Programs. In this role, the candidate will identify, capture, and track integrated risks, as well as aggregate technical, geopolitical, operational, and programmatic risks associated with the nuclear enterprise, including sustainment, modernization, and future planning. This requires someone who has a strong background and proven history in supporting senior-level officials and advising on enterprise strategy, policy, and implementation of programs in a cross-functional, interagency setting.

Essential Functions:

• Provide expertise in key nuclear enterprise modernization, sustainment, and subject-matter areas, such as supply chain; defense industrial base; development, production, manufacture, logistics, and operationalization of systems; major defense acquisition programs; acquisition policies and procedures.
• Coordinate with Office of the Secretary of War organizations, the Services, Department of Energy, the Joint Staff, alliance partners, defense industry, and other interagency entities
• Support the management and oversight of other risk-related studies, analyses, and other endeavors sponsored by the office and assist in program execution, engage with technical and non-technical audiences throughout the DoW and across the US Government
• Translate complex technical and intelligence insights into actionable recommendations for senior decision-makers
• Support senior-level meeting preparation and execution, including developing read-aheads, presentations, white papers, and after-action reports, as needed to support client requirements

Required Qualification:

• Bachelor's degree
• Without a degree: 8 years’ experience working with U.S. Navy or U.S. Air Force nuclear enterprise
• Familiar with DoW acquisition processes, roles, missions, and organizational structur
• Excellent writing skills; the ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing
• 8+ years of experience working directly with U.S. Navy or U.S. Air Force nuclear modernization or sustainment activities
• Expertise in Microsoft Office applications
• Ability to manage and prioritize numerous assignments
• Applicant must hold an active Top Secret or DOE Q security clearance with SCI eligibility to perform work
• Applicant must be a U.S. citizen

Desired Qualification:

• Bachelor's degree in a recognized discipline that is relevant to the contract (e.g. STEM, international affairs, global security, cybersecurity, intelligence analysis)
• Experience with quantitative analysis technical tools and techniques.
• 5+ years of experience supporting DoW or DOE risk management

• Experience in DoW policy, DoW strategic infrastructure sustainment or modernization, and/or DoW technology development
• Demonstrated experience implementing modeling and simulation tools for cost and schedule risk impact analysis of nuclear weapons modernization, sustainment, or life extension programs
• Experience with quantitative risk analysis software/systems
• Experience deploying multiple risk management programs in DOE or DoW

COMPANY INFORMATION:

Applied Research Associates, Inc. is an employee-owned international research and engineering company recognized for providing technically superior solutions to complex and challenging problems in the physical sciences. The company, founded in Albuquerque, NM, in 1979, currently employs over 2000 professionals. ARA offices throughout the United States and Canada provide a broad range of technical expertise in defense technologies, civil technologies, computer software and simulation, systems analysis, environmental technologies, and testing and measurement. The corporation also provides sophisticated technical products for environmental site characterization, pavement analysis, and robotics.

At ARA, employees are our greatest assets. The corporation realizes that employee ownership generates greater creativity and initiative along with higher performance and customer satisfaction levels. ARA gives its employees the tools, training, and opportunities to take more active roles as owners. The culture is challenging; innovation and experimentation are the norm. Employees are eligible for contributions which not only add to the company’s success, but also their own through the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). The motto, “Engineering and Science for Fun and Profit” sums up the ARA experience. For additional information and an opportunity to join this unique workplace, please visit our website at

Please apply at for the Senior Project Manager - Risk position.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities


This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.
For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.