Research Analyst (Operations Research)

Arlington, VA, United States

CNA, 3003 Washington Blvd, Arlington, Virginia, United States of America Req #593

Thursday, January 18, 2024

PRIMARY PURPOSE

CNA is hiring for an Operations Research Analyst to join their Resources and Force Readiness Division (RFR). Staff at this level will be leading smaller/less complex activitiesor will be serving as an important contributing team member on projects.

The RFR division focuses on a full range of resource issues. Six programs within RFR address problems in manpower, personnel, training and education; energy, infrastructure and the environment; cost, acquisition processes, material and supply readiness and logistics; and health analytics and medical readiness.

CNA fosters an inclusive culture that values diverse backgrounds and perspectives. Our flexible and engaging work environment encourages iterative and creative collaboration at every stage of the problem solving process. Our employees are committed to helping clients develop effective solutions to better manage their programs through scientific, data-driven approaches. We are looking for creative and innovative individuals to help carry out our mission.

JOB DESCRIPTION AND / OR DUTIES

With minimal or no guidance, meets CNA’s quality standards when working on well-structured pieces of a project. Demonstrates ability to develop sound analytic frameworks and associated analytic methodologies/ techniques for addressing both structured and unstructured problems. With direction and supervision, clearly defines, structures, and executes a piece of a complex study to meet quality standards. Demonstrates analytic creativity and curiosity.

Develops and maintains broad, general institutional knowledge of primary clients/sponsors; their culture, organization, and issues.

Contributes productively and harmoniously to the work of others; treats everyone respectfully, professionally and fairly. Keeps others informed. Proactively identifies and seeks out others working on similar topics. Works to identify opportunities for collaborations within team, division, and operating unit.

Supports business development efforts and/or marketing activities by maintaining strong client relationships through high quality work, increasing the visibility of our work, and other related activities such as proposal preparation.

Interacts with sponsors/clients under the supervision of an experienced colleague, and with study POCs independently.

Makes significant contributions to research publications and analytic products for individual projects.

Demonstrates ability to communicate results of work in a clear and concise fashion. Effectively communicates one-on-one and in groups. Can document work efficiently and accurately. Can effectively present work to colleagues, sponsors, and small audiences that are familiar with content.

Works with minimal or no guidance on focused, well-structured pieces of projects. Works under closer supervision on more complex, less-structured tasks. Can serve as task lead for pieces of projects by managing own activities. May lead small projects under the supervision of an RPD.

Exhibits a positive attitude in interactions with colleagues and clients/sponsors. Provides clear guidance to colleagues on tasks. Takes responsibility for own actions and outcomes.

Other duties as assigned.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

Education: Minimum Master’s degree in operations research, systems engineering, industrial engineering, or in a field closely related to decision-making optimization , PhD preferred.

Experience: Typical minimum requirements Ph.D. & 0+ years or Master’s & 2+ years of experience in: Developing and parameterizing mathematical programs, such as linear, integer, quadratic and/or stochastic programs.

Using optimization to inform analysis of tradeoffs and business cases to support resourcing decisions.

Developing and coding simulation models using interpreted programming languages (R and Python) and commercial off-the-shelf software (Arena and ExtendSim).

Interpreting results of simulation models to inform decision making and evaluate alternative courses of action.

Experience in applying optimization and simulation techniques in the fields of personnel management and/or human resource management is highly desired .

Skills: Ability to make significant contributions to projects/analyses Strong analytic curiosity/ creativity

Ability to operate independently in the execution of assignments

Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary environment

Strong critical thinking skills

Knowledge of research techniques

Strong planning and organizational skills

Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills

Ability to interact positively and somewhat independently with clients.

4. Hybrid Work Eligibility: This position is eligible for hybrid work arrangements at the discretion of the Supervisor. Employees may be required to work at CNA headquarters or other work locations resulting in changes to the scheduled hybrid work arrangements.

5. Other: Ability to obtain and maintain an Active Secret Security Clearance.

Required Documents

Please include the following documents with your application:

Resume or CV

Cover letter - Please upload a cover letter as part of your application that introduces yourself, summarizes your relevant skills and experiences, and describes why you would be a valuable asset to CNA’s RFR Division.

Transcripts - Please upload your undergraduate and graduate transcripts (unofficial copies are acceptable).

Writing Sample - Please upload a research paper or journal article that demonstrates your writing and research skills (draft copies are acceptable)

Optional Documents

Letters of Recommendations – In a later stage of the hiring process, we will require 1-2 letters of recommendation. To have them considered as part of your application now, please upload them with your resume or CV.

***Voluntary (but highly desired) document***

Please include a personal statement as part of your application. A personal statement is a chance for us to get to know you. The statement is your opportunity to share your goals, interests, influences and show us that you will be a valuable asset to our organization. Please click here for personal statement guidelines – Click here

Personal statements will not be used as an elimination criteria for this position. They will only be used to enhance a candidate’s application

CNA is committed to providing equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, family medical history or genetic information, political affiliation, military service and protected veterans, or other non-merit based factors. In addition to federal legal requirements, CNA complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. These protections extend to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting and hiring practices, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training and career development programs. For more information about EEO protections, please view the EEO is the law posters here:"EEO is the Law" Poster ;"EEO is the Law" Poster Supplement . The pay transparency policy is available here:Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Poster . To be considered for hire, all individuals applying for positions with CNA are subject to a background investigation. For positions requiring access to classified information, U.S. citizenship is required. Individuals will also be subject to an additional government background investigation, and continued employment eligibility is contingent upon the ability to obtain and maintain an active security clearance. CNA, 3003 Washington Blvd, Arlington, Virginia, United States of America

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