Principal Acquisition Transformation Strategist

Why choose between doing meaningful work and having a fulfilling life? At MITRE, you can have both. That's because MITRE people are committed to tackling our nation's toughest challenges—and we're committed to the long-term well-being of our employees. MITRE is different from most technology companies. We are a not-for-profit corporation chartered to work for the public interest, with no commercial conflicts to influence what we do. The R&D centers we operate for the government create lasting impact in fields as diverse as cybersecurity, healthcare, aviation, defense, and enterprise transformation. We're making a difference every day—working for a safer, healthier, and more secure nation and world. Our workplace reflects our values. We offer competitive benefits, exceptional professional development opportunities for career growth, and a culture of innovation that embraces adaptability, collaboration, technical excellence, and people in partnership. If this sounds like the choice you want to make, then choose MITRE - and make a difference with us.Our nation’s ability to defend the homeland, deter aggression, and build a resilient Joint force rests on our capacity to identify, prioritize, and successfully field the optimal set of effective, suitable, and survivable systems. We must re-envision national security to keep pace with advanced adversaries, leveraging the entire spectrum of the Nation’s Innovation Base, while creating and leveraging a growing set of new options and authorities for accelerating Joint and whole-of-nation capabilities.That’s where MITRE’s Acquisition Studies & Analysis (ASA) Department comes in. We are a diverse group of defense acquisition experts, operations research / system analysts, cybersecurity professionals, and communication systems engineers– all with a united passion to solve problems for a safer world. We’re experienced professionals who advise senior leaders and decision-makers across the national security enterprise. Our evidence-based work garners visibility and provokes thought and action. We’re team players who build partnerships across government, industry, academia, and research centers.And above all - we bring objectivity, innovation, courage, and technical excellence to help our sponsors make the right decision.Roles & ResponsibilitiesMITRE’s ASA Department seeks a well-connected and recognized expert on defense acquisition and innovation. The ideal candidate will be a credible authority on defense acquisition, emerging technologies, and national security processes You will belong to a high-performing team that regularly initiates and implements projects in support of sponsors’ strategic initiatives, often before a sponsor can fully recognize or articulate that they are needed. The team may publish, speak at high visibility events, and advise senior government officials.Responsibilities include:Lead transformation in how defense acquisition processes operate within existing statutory and regulatory frameworks. This role contributes acquisition process expertise that complements technical modernization leaders; and it includes streamlining governance, reducing friction across requirements, engineering, acquisition, and budgeting processes, and enabling adoption of modern acquisition approaches to facilitate continuous capability delivery.Shape and scale acquisition execution models across sponsor portfolios to better enable incremental capability delivery and continuous value realization.Advance acquisition approaches that improve software acquisition execution and enable interoperable, mission-ready capabilities across the Department of War.Influence governance structures, decision forums, and oversight approaches to align acquisition control mechanisms with modern engineering and delivery practices.Design practical execution architectures that integrate requirements, funding, contracting, engineering, test, and sustainment into synchronized delivery systems.Partner with engineering leaders to ensure acquisition strategies reinforce — rather than constrain — DevSecOps, iterative development, and platform-based approaches.Reframe performance management from milestone completion toward measurable delivery outcomes.Identify systemic barriers within acquisition structures (organizational, financial, cultural, or procedural) and implement pragmatic transformation strategies that improve portfolio throughput.Guide sponsors in structuring acquisition pathways — including Software Pathway, hybrid models, and alternative contracting mechanisms — to accelerate transition from prototype to continuous capability delivery.Advise senior leaders on portfolio-level prioritization, sequencing, and risk trade-offs to improve capability delivery performance.Contribute to development of repeatable frameworks, playbooks, and reference models that can be applied across multiple sponsors to institutionalize modernization gains.Serve as a trusted advisor to program teams and senior leaders.Proactively help sponsors identify and shape modernization opportunities.Build and sustain trusted relationships across sponsors, FFRDC partners, industry, and academic stakeholders to support integrated modernization efforts.Serve as an active member of multidisciplinary teams integrating acquisition, engineering, and delivery expertise to improve capability outcomes.Basic Qualifications:Typically requires a minimum of 10 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 8 years and a Master’s degree; or a PhD with 5 years’ experience; or equivalent combination of related education and work experience.Demonstrated experience navigating or improving DoW acquisition processes in programs, portfolios, or enterprise settings.Working knowledge of the Adaptive Acquisition Framework (AAF), including the Software Acquisition Pathway, and related requirements and resourcing processes.Practical knowledge of acquisition mechanisms such as OTAs, FAR-based strategies, and innovation pathways to enable adaptive delivery approaches.Experience implementing modern acquisition approaches in traditional acquisition or AAF environments.Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional working groups and drive change across organizational boundaries with measurable improvement.Experience supporting or implementing governance improvements.Strong analytical, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement skills.Strong critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills.Ability to operate in dynamic sponsor environments with evolving objectives.Active DoD Secret clearanceU.S. Citizenship required.Willingness to support hybrid on-site engagement as required by sponsors.This position requires a minimum of 50% hybrid on-site presence.Preferred Qualifications:Experience with the DoW software acquisition pathway supporting critical acquisition modernization or reformAbility to obtain and maintain a DoD Top Secret clearance with access to Secure Compartmented Information (TS/SCI).Private sector experience defense, technology, or consulting industries.Experience working with OSD Research and Engineering and/or Acquisition and Sustainment staffs. Demonstrated ability to maintain and leverage a strong professional network to provide thought leadership across the acquisition enterprise.This requisition requires the candidate to have a minimum of the following clearance(s):SecretThis requisition requires the hired candidate to have or obtain, within one year from the date of hire, the following clearance(s):SecretSalary compensation range and midpoint:$173,200 - $216,500 - $259,800 AnnualWork Location Type:HybridIt is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.Commitment to Non-DiscriminationAll qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, local or international law.MITRE intends to maintain a website that is fully accessible to all individuals. If you are unable to search or apply for jobs and would like to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of MITRE’s employment process, please email View email address on click.appcast.io for general support and View email address on click.appcast.io for intern positions. This service is for individuals requiring reasonable accommodation requests. Please note that vendor solicitations will not receive a reply.Benefits information may be found here.Copyright 1997-2026, The MITRE Corporation. All rights reserved. MITRE is a registered trademark of The MITRE Corporation. Material on this site may be copied and distributed with permission only. Job SummaryJob number: R116156Profession: Engineering