Supply Chain and Economics Research Professional

Job Description Summary The Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence & Security (ARLIS) at the University of Maryland is a University‑Affiliated Research Center dedicated to advancing research, innovation, and technology transition to improve decision making for U.S. national security. ARLIS focuses on intelligence analysis, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence / machine learning, quantum science, and human‑machine teaming. Researchers, scientists, engineers, and analysts collaborate with government agencies, industry partners, and academic institutions to deliver actionable insights and transformative solutions. Employees contribute to projects of critical importance, directly supporting national security with a culture of integrity, collaboration, and professional growth. ARLIS seeks qualified candidates with expertise in supply chain and economics and their implications for national and economic security. Candidates should conduct interdisciplinary research at the intersection of people, policy, and technology, apply systems thinking to evaluate complex national security problems, and engage in collaborative, multi‑disciplinary teams while communicating analytic findings through technical deliverables and briefings for government stakeholders. Roles and Responsibilities Conducting interdisciplinary research on supply chain and economic security challenges at the intersection of people, policy, and technology, with an emphasis on national security relevance Applying systems thinking approaches to frame and evaluate national security problems, including mapping interdependencies across suppliers, production stages, logistics, markets, and institutions Assessing supply chain vulnerabilities and resilience, including chokepoints, single points of failure, concentration risk, substitution constraints, lead times, and surge capacity Analyzing industrial base and production ecosystems, including R&D‑to‑production pathways, scaling dynamics, and the role of standards, regulation, and incentives in shaping outcomes Evaluating economic drivers and constraints affecting supply chain behavior (e.g., pricing, market structure, investment incentives, trade‑offs between efficiency and resilience) and their implications for policy and strategy Contributing to research proposals and technical work plans, including scoping research questions, defining methods, and supporting sponsor engagement as needed Collaborating with interdisciplinary teams including engineers, data scientists, domain experts, behavioral and social scientists, and policy analysts to integrate methods and findings Preparing technical deliverables and briefings for government stakeholders, translating complex analyses into clear, decision‑relevant products (reports, slide briefings, memos, and research summaries) Qualifications Research Specialist Qualifications Entry Level Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as industrial engineering, economics, operations research, operations management, science and technology policy, international affairs, supply chain, management science, or related discipline, plus relevant experience ~2 years of demonstrated experience in organizing and managing projects through volunteer, extracurricular, or work activities Demonstrated potential for excellence in the execution, administration, and/or management of research or academic programs Ability to work as part of a multi‑disciplinary opportunity team in a matrixed organization with a collaborative and team‑centric culture Strong oral and written communication skills Excellent analytical and deep‑dive skills Mid‑Level Master’s degree in a relevant field such as industrial engineering, economics, operations research, operations management, science and technology policy, international affairs, supply chain, or management science, plus relevant experience and 3+ years of experience in a technical role or project management position for defense or intelligence R&D programs with experience in technology assessment, systems design, system analysis, executing on multiple technical programs with scheduled deliverables, and communicating and interfacing with government customers; or Bachelor’s Degree and 5+ years of relevant experience in a role of equivalent responsibility Superior ability to deliver excellence in the execution, administration, and/or management of research or academic programs Interact with U.S. government sponsors, customers, and stakeholders Ability to work as part of a multi‑disciplinary opportunity capture team in a matrixed organization with a collaborative and team‑centric culture Strong oral and written communication skills Excellent analytical and deep‑dive skills Senior‑Level Master’s degree in a relevant field such as industrial engineering, economics, operations research, operations management, science and technology policy, international affairs, supply chain, or management science, plus relevant experience and 7+ years of experience in a technical role or project management position for defense or intelligence R&D programs with experience in technology assessment, systems design, system analysis, executing on multiple technical programs with scheduled deliverables, and communicating and interfacing with government customers; or Bachelor’s Degree and 10+ years of relevant experience in a role of equivalent responsibility Superior ability to deliver excellence in the execution, administration, and/or management of research or academic programs Knowledge of DoD appropriations and requirements processes Lead engagements with U.S. government sponsors, customers, and stakeholders Ability to work as part of a multi‑disciplinary opportunity capture team in a matrixed organization with a collaborative and team‑centric culture Strong oral and written communication skills Excellent analytical and deep‑dive skills Research Engineer Qualifications Assistant Research Engineer PhD plus 5 years of research experience in a relevant field such as industrial engineering, economics, operations research, operations management, science and technology policy, international affairs, supply chain, or management science; including success leading research projects and a record of engineering achievement and show promise of continued productivity Initiate new projects with long‑term research goals, tackling more complex problems than an Assistant Research Engineer, leading work on multiple, concurrent projects, and managing cross‑functional engineering teams Serve as Principal Investigator or having primary responsibility for a significant part of a project Interact with U.S. government sponsors, customers, and stakeholders Expected to identify funding opportunities and serve as Principal Investigator on large proposals Mentor junior staff and Professional Track Faculty Specialists and participating in their promotion sub‑committees Associate Research Engineer PhD plus 5 years of PhD‑level research experience, including success capturing and leading large projects and a record of significant engineering achievement and show promise of continued productivity Recognized as an authoritative subject matter expert and receive commensurate recognition Initiate new projects with long‑term research goals, tackling more complex problems than an Assistant Research Engineer, leading work on multiple, concurrent projects, and managing cross‑functional engineering teams Serve as Principal Investigator or having primary responsibility for a significant part of a project Interact with U.S. government sponsors, customers, and stakeholders Identify funding opportunities and serve as Principal Investigator on large proposals Mentor junior staff and Professional Track Faculty Specialists and participating in their promotion sub‑committees Full Research Engineer PhD with at least 10 years of PhD‑level research experience, including success capturing and leading large projects and a record of significant engineering achievement and show promise of continued productivity Established reputation for outstanding engineering practice, design, and development and viewed nationally as an authoritative subject matter expert Tackle problems of considerable scope and complexity with currently non‑existent solutions requiring unconventional, novel approaches and sophisticated research techniques Pursue funding opportunities and serve as Principal Investigator or have primary responsibility for a significant part of a multi‑investigator project Lead the design and implementation of large projects with many components (subcontractors, teams, etc.) Lead engagements with U.S. government sponsors, customers, and stakeholders Build and execute new research programs Hold leadership positions within ARLIS, on campus, or professional committees Mentor junior staff and Professional Track Faculty Specialists and participating in their promotion sub‑committees Physical Demands Sedentary work performed in a normal office environment; exerts up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Ability to attend meetings both on and off campus. Spending long hours in front of a computer screen. Preferences Active TS/SCI. Minimum Qualifications The appointee shall hold a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant area and show potential for excellence in the administration and/or management of academic or research programs. Faculty Specialists are expected to engage in activities such as developing curriculum and/or innovative means for delivering curriculum, supervising the non‑research activities of graduate or post‑doctoral students, serving as grant writers or authors of other publications for an academic or research program, conducting specialized research duties or other such duties that would generate intellectual property to which the faculty member shall retain the rights. Appointments to this rank are typically one to three years and are renewable. EEO Statement The University of Maryland, College Park is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment. Please read the University’s Equal Employment Opportunity Statement of Policy. #J-18808-Ljbffr