Director (R&D)

Riverside Research Institute•Fair Oaks, VA

About The Position

Riverside Research is seeking a senior dynamic, strategic, operational, and growth focused Director to lead a research and development team. As a key member of our Cognitive Intel Solutions (Sensors & Systems) group, the Director will pursue and grow applied R&D opportunities with IC and DoW customers (e.g. NGA, NRO, AFRL, military services, etc.), lead corporate-wide Independent Research & Development (IR&D) efforts and manage existing R&D contracts. The Director will manage team members located across Fairfax, Lexington, and Beavercreek research offices while reporting to the Vice President of the Sensors & Systems Business Unit. Riverside Research is an independent National Security Nonprofit dedicated to research and development in the national interest. We provide high-end technical services, research and development, and prototype solutions to some of the country’s most challenging technical problems. All Riverside Research opportunities require U.S. Citizenship.

Requirements

Active TS/SCI clearance and ability to obtain SAP access.
A bachelor's degree and 15 years’ experience, 12 years with a master's degree, 8 years with a PhD; or equivalent work experience is typically required for an employee at this level, and 8 years of supervisory experience.
Experience in leading teams to solve complex technical problems, and developing and growing teams and an organization around a unified vision
Experience in new business capture, such as shaping program opportunities and proposal writing; preferred if experienced leading proposal efforts
Motivated individuals with strong problem-solving abilities, willingness to perform a wide variety of related tasks, have exceptional oral and written skills, and experience presenting to technical and non-technical audiences
Demonstrated understanding of program management processes and ability to prioritize multiple, concurrent tasks with minimal supervision
An established professional reputation for excellence in customer support and program execution
Collaborative leader with the highest integrity and moral compass
Sound business judgment, keen conceptual skills, intellectual discipline, self-confidence, imagination, well-developed management skills, and the personal ambition to play a major role in the growth and success of a high-end government research and services company with a strong heritage for high quality and responsive service to its clients.

Nice To Haves

A bachelor's degree and 15 years’ experience, 12 years with a master's degree, 8 years with a PhD
Experience with automation of intelligence collection, orchestration, and analysis activities through software, particularly efforts leveraging Agentic AI, Large Language Models (LLM’s) and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG).
Has an existing network of USG Customer contacts at DoD and IC research and development organizations, or has experience growing and maintaining a customer contact network
Demonstrated success in leading the capture of DoD and / or IC R&D opportunities at organizations such as NRO, NGA, AFRL, DARPA, USSF, SDA,
Technology roadmap development experience
Experience with programming and scripting languages (e.g., Java, C++, MATLAB, Python, Bash)
Proven ability to lead a diverse organization across multiple sites
A minimum of bachelor’s degree in related field (Engineering, Physics, Electrical and Computer Engineering, etc.) and several years of relevant experience required with strong preference for PhD degree.

Responsibilities

Development and execution of the portfolio strategy to pursue R&D funding to achieve annual growth
Provide technical direction, leadership, and management oversight of a substantial IR&D budget in artificial intelligence and software development.
Lead and shape capture and proposals, developing strategy to expand our existing technology baseline in alignment with the Riverside Research wide strategy and vision.
Significant customer interaction, initiating customer contact to create new business opportunities at DoD and IC organizations such as NRO, NGA, AFRL, USSF, SDA, etc.
Collaboration across the larger Riverside Research organization to facilitate the development and transition of revolutionary solutions in important technology areas in the intelligence automation, system and sensor orchestration and sensor technology spaces, including machine learning/artificial intelligence, system integration, field testing, data collection, and software development.
Experience as a Principal Investigator for programs, setting technical direction and guiding teams in executing complex development projects that regularly involve multiple technical fields and cross-disciplinary work.
Grow the next generation of associate directors, managers, and scientists through mentorship
A leader that is responsible for developing consensus from among competing inputs to include customer feedback, diverse technical opinions, and team dynamics