Hard Targets Project Lead Jobs

Hard Targets Project Lead

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MITRE's N281 Joint Cyber Operations Department is dedicated to developing innovative solutions that help our sponsors defend the nation, gather intelligence, and project power in and through cyberspace. We are seeking a Hard Targets Project Lead to lead complex cyber initiatives in support of these missions. The ideal candidate brings strong expertise in cyber operations, understands how these missions are executed today, and has a clear vision for how to transform and advance them. A key consideration for this role is demonstrated experience working with science and technology organizations, such as DARPA, Service laboratories, government laboratories, academia, industry research organizations, or similar advanced R&D entities, to transition strategic capabilities into operational mission use.

This leader will help USCYBERCOM and its subordinate warfighting headquarters identify, assess, mature, integrate, and transition advanced cyber capabilities from concept, prototype, or research program into campaign-ready operational capability. The selected candidate should be able to bridge the gap between emerging technology, operational needs, senior-leader decision-making, and executable transition plans.

Project Lead Role Overview Project Leads (PLs) in our work program are central to enabling sponsor mission success. They focus on sponsor decision-making, situational awareness, operational concepts, capability development, and mission management. As a Project Lead, you will be responsible for all facets of project execution, including:

• Leading and managing a multidisciplinary project team
• Shaping project and mission strategy in alignment with sponsor priorities
• Guiding sponsor development of new concepts, programs, and policies
• Helping sponsors identify, evaluate, and transition strategic capabilities from S&T organizations into operational cyber mission environments
• Overseeing the creation of deliverables, prototypes, and technical and programmatic strategies
• Supporting work-shaping activities to address both near-term needs and long-term strategic objectives
• Working directly with sponsors to understand requirements and drive impactful outcomes
• Contributing personally to MITRE products, including analyses, recommendations, and technical solutions

You will collaborate closely with peer Project Leads, the Department Manager, and the Department Chief Engineer to identify opportunities to expand the cyber operations workspace and to leverage related efforts within and outside the portfolio that can positively impact the USCYBERCOM mission space. This work is primarily based in the Annapolis Junction, MD area. You will meet regularly with sponsors and are expected to be accessible to the MITRE Ft. Meade/Annapolis Junction site and to sponsor locations in the area.

Project Lead Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic and technical leadership as a trusted advisor to USCYBERCOM, shaping all tasks under the Hard Targets project
• Define and execute project objectives based on sponsor priorities, identifying where MITRE's capabilities, cross-cutting initiatives, and external S&T investments can have the greatest mission impact
• Help sponsors transition advanced capabilities from S&T organizations into operational use by defining the desired operational end state, transition criteria, readiness measures, risks, gaps, dependencies, and required stakeholder actions
• Develop and apply repeatable decision tools and readiness assessment frameworks to help senior leaders determine whether cyber capabilities are ready to support specific campaigns, operational outcomes, or mission needs
• Translate project objectives into clear, actionable outcomes, deliverables, products, and transition plans
• Build and maintain strong relationships with Command senior leadership, division leadership, branch chiefs, government personnel, subordinate warfighting headquarters, S&T organizations, and other mission partners
• Partner with sponsors to assess operational trade space, identify gaps, assign or recommend Offices of Primary Responsibility, and inform decisions for the USCYBERCOM mission
• Guide the integration of current and future Lines of Effort into a larger system-of-systems architecture that supports operational planning, execution, assessment, and mission management
• Select, lead, and mentor Task Leads; ensure effective staffing by partnering with MITRE resourcing organizations and executing mission engineering strategy
• Set clear expectations and goals for Task Leads and project team members, aligning work to impactful sponsor outcomes
• Identify and leverage MITRE research, internal innovation programs, and related enterprise efforts to strengthen project outcomes and accelerate mission impact
• Connect sponsor needs with relevant S&T, research, prototyping, experimentation, and transition activities across MITRE, government, academia, industry, and other mission partners
• Ensure technical and analytical quality through division quality practices, in-progress reviews, peer reviews, effective knowledge management, and regular program execution reviews
• Oversee core project administration, including financial management, Clarity entries, project pages, meeting coordination, status reporting, facility needs, and task tracking
• Serve as a key point of contact for Group Leads on staff performance, career development, and recognition for project contributors

Basic Qualifications:

• Typically requires a minimum of 10 years of related experience with a Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering or related technical field; or 8 years and a Master's degree; or a PhD with 5 years' experience, or equivalent combination of related education and work experience.
• Self-starter with strong leadership and networking skills to reach back proactively into MITRE to identify and facilitate collaborative relationships in support of the program
• Ability to work onsite in a Secure Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) at both MITRE's Fort Meade and McLean sites, as well as attend regular engagements at the sponsor's Fort Meade site.
• Must have an active Top Secret/SCI U.S Government issued Security Clearance with the ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI w/Poly U.S. Government issued Security Clearance. Per the U.S. Government's eligibility requirements, you must be a U.S Citizen to be considered for a security clearance.
• This position requires a minimum of 4 days a week on-site.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Deep understanding of offensive cyberspace operations, target system analysis, and the intelligence lifecycle, with the ability to connect intelligence, targeting, capability development, execution, and assessment to operational cyber mission outcomes.
• Experience working with S&T organizations such as DARPA, IARPA, Service laboratories, government laboratories, FFRDCs, UARCs, academia, industry research organizations, or other advanced R&D entities
• Demonstrated success transitioning strategic capabilities from research, prototype, experimentation, or demonstration environments into operational mission use
• Experience developing transition strategies, operational end states, readiness criteria, capability roadmaps, risk assessments, and system-of-systems integration approaches
• Ability to help sponsors determine whether cyber capabilities are ready to deploy, what gaps must be addressed, and what actions are required to transition capabilities into campaign-ready operational use
• Experience supporting USCYBERCOM, Service Cyber Components, Joint Force Headquarters, Combatant Commands, the Intelligence Community, or related cyber mission organizations
• Exceptional communication, collaboration, organization, and leadership skills
• Proven ability to develop a trusted advisor relationship with a DoD or government sponsor
• Demonstrated success working across organizational boundaries to deliver results
• Demonstrated management of technical tasks and large engineering or multidisciplinary teams
• Effective organizational skills and discipline to keep the project well-scoped and the team focused on accomplishing specific project objectives
• Ability to quickly respond to changing programmatic, operational, and political environments while keeping strategic focus intact
• Ability to connect operational cyber needs with emerging technologies, research investments, experimentation results, and transition opportunities
• Strong understanding of how to move capabilities into an integrated enterprise, including identifying gaps, dependencies, responsible organizations, transition risks, and conditions required for operational adoption