Director of Training Assessments

University of Southern California • Los Angeles, CA

1d • $145,000 - $185,000

About The Position

The University of Southern California Institute for Creative Technologies seeks a Director of Training Assessments to lead applied research programs that improve service member and unit readiness, performance, training effectiveness, and decision superiority. The Director provides scientific and technical leadership for a portfolio of Department of War-sponsored research across human performance, physiological and behavioral monitoring, technology-enabled training, performance assessment, adaptive learning, and operational decision-making. The role translates rigorous basic and applied research into practical tools, measures, and training approaches for Navy, Marine Corps, and other Department of War organizations.

The Director leads research strategy, funding development, project execution, multidisciplinary teams, and sponsor and partner relationships. The role oversees study design and implementation, guides development and validation of monitoring approaches and training and decision-support technologies, and translates findings into products, recommendations, prototypes, training interventions, and transition plans. Research findings are disseminated through sponsor engagements, technical reports, peer-reviewed publications, and presentations. The Director also mentors researchers and technical staff, builds partnerships across USC and external organizations, and ensures research meets applicable institutional, sponsor, human-subjects, data-handling, and records-management requirements.

The position requires a doctorate in a relevant discipline and at least 10 years of progressively responsible research leadership experience. The annual base salary range is $145,000 to $185,000. USC notes that offers may consider factors including the position's scope, experience, education, skills, equity, funding, and market and organizational considerations.

Requirements

• Doctoral degree in psychology, cognitive science, neuroscience, physiology, kinesiology, biomedical engineering, human factors, learning sciences, computer science, or a closely related discipline. The posting also notes that combined experience and education may substitute for minimum education.
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience leading basic, applied, or translational research programs; the posting notes combined education and experience may substitute for minimum experience.
• Demonstrated success managing complex, multi-year research projects with government, academic, and/or industry partners.
• Demonstrated ability to develop research proposals and secure or support acquisition of externally funded research.
• Substantial expertise in at least one core technical domain, such as human performance, physiological monitoring, training and education, cognitive performance, decision-making, performance assessment, or human factors.
• Experience designing, conducting, analyzing, and reporting human-subjects research or operationally relevant performance research.
• Record of peer-reviewed publications, technical reports, or other recognized research products.
• Ability to communicate complex technical findings clearly to scientific, technical, and senior government audiences.
• Demonstrated team leadership, mentorship, project-management, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Knowledge of Department of War research priorities, organizations, acquisition or transition processes, and operational customer requirements related to readiness, training, human performance, or force development.
• Education and experience directly related to the field of research, expert knowledge of the field and statistical research, and fundraising expertise.
• U.S. citizenship is required for security-clearance eligibility.

Nice To Haves

• Experience supporting Navy, Marine Corps, or other Department of War human-performance, training, readiness, or operational communities.
• Experience integrating wearable, physiological, behavioral, cognitive, or performance data to assess readiness or predict performance outcomes.
• Experience developing or evaluating adaptive training, AI-enabled learning tools, simulations, serious games, virtual reality, or other technology-based training systems.
• Experience with decision-making research, expertise development, performance feedback, or assessment of individuals and teams in complex operational settings.
• Experience transitioning research products, measures, training systems, or decision-support capabilities to government sponsors or operational users.
• Experience serving as a principal investigator, research program manager, technical integration lead, or equivalent senior technical leader.
• Experience leading portfolios involving multiple performers across government, academia, and industry.
• Familiarity with research governance requirements, including human-subjects protections and data-management practices.
• Active security clearance, or ability to obtain and maintain a clearance, as required by assigned projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead applied research programs focused on human performance, readiness, training, assessment, and operational decision-making.
• Define technical strategy and research priorities with sponsors, ICT leadership, and external collaborators.
• Develop, submit, and manage research proposals and funded projects for Department of War, federal, and related sponsors.
• Direct multidisciplinary teams of researchers, engineers, data scientists, developers, and external performers throughout project execution.
• Design and oversee rigorous studies involving physiological, cognitive, behavioral, and performance data.
• Guide development and validation of wearable-monitoring approaches, performance measures, training technologies, and decision-support tools as applicable to the portfolio.
• Translate research findings into usable products, recommendations, prototypes, training interventions, and transition plans for operational stakeholders.
• Establish and sustain relationships with Navy, Marine Corps, and broader Department of War research, acquisition, training, and operational communities.
• Produce peer-reviewed publications, technical reports, briefings, and other research products.
• Present findings and demonstrate project capabilities at sponsor meetings, government installations, professional conferences, and other venues.
• Mentor junior staff, contribute to workforce development, and foster an interdisciplinary, mission-focused research environment.
• Ensure research complies with applicable institutional, sponsor, human-subjects, data-handling, and records-management requirements.

Benefits

• Opportunities for free, top-tier university education for employees and their children.
• Medical benefits.
• Matched retirement benefits.
• A quality work-life balance.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree