Principal Policy Analyst Job Listing at SPA in Alexandria, VA (Job ID 2024-18573)

Description

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Political Science, History, International Relations, National Security Studies, Public Administration, or related field.
• 25+ years of experience working within or in support of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) or the U.S. Navy on matters related to strategic deterrence policy or operations and arms control policy implementation.
• Demonstrable experience supporting DoD Nuclear Weapons Council and Navy Nuclear Deterrence Mission Oversight Council processes and activities.
• Demonstrable knowledge of legacy Navy non-strategic nuclear weapons policies, procedures, and concepts of operations.
• Capable of breaking down complex issues into simplified problem statements and laying out objective approaches to identify and compare the merits of competing solutions.
• Ability to identify and assess nuclear program issues and risk mitigation options.
• Ability to translate relevant information and communicate issues across DoD organizations.

Desired Qualifications: 

• Demonstrable experience executing Navy participation in and implementation of the 2010, 2018, and 2022 Nuclear Posture Reviews and the 2022 Missile Defense Review, as well as demonstrable familiarity with integrated deterrence concepts and issues.
• Thorough understanding of evolving global and regional developments and threats as relevant to U.S. strategic deterrence policy, plans, and operations.
• Demonstrable experience formulating Navy policy positions on and providing senior Navy leaders with advice on strategic deterrence, arms control, and counter-weapons of mass destruction topics.
• Experience coordinating on strategic deterrence and arms control topics with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Joint Staff, Combatant Commanders, other Service Staff, Navy Components, and Navy Strategic Systems Programs.

The candidate will support the development and execution of various efforts within Strategic Systems Programs' Deterrence Technology Branch.  The candidate is expected to perform work on various National Security topics in support of a range of defense nuclear enterprise and Navy customers.  The candidate will be responsible for advising on the development and execution of complex analytical studies, developing or reviewing papers that analyze or recommend positions to take on political issues, developing or reviewing briefing materials, and advising the development of materials necessary for policy execution.    The candidate should be able to review and analyze nuclear strategy and guidance documents and provide recommendations to leadership on issues regarding alignment with national strategy and operational feasibility.  The candidate should be able to conduct comprehensive reviews of policy guidance on nuclear and/or strategic related issues and ensure consistency with national policy and guidance.  The position requires that the candidate be comfortable working in a fast paced, dynamic environment.  It also requires that the candidate be able to quickly digest and interpret large amounts of information, break down complex issues into simplified problem statements, and lay out objective approaches to identify and compare the merits of competing solutions.  Additionally, the candidate is required to be able to clearly communicate complex ideas in an accessible and understandable way via presentations to senior decision-makers or briefings to large groups.