R&D Investment Strategy Analyst (TS/SCI #25-211)

Strategic Analysis, Inc.•Arlington, VA

37d

About The Position

Strategic Analysis, Inc. is seeking an economist who thrives on solving "DARPA-hard" problems at the intersection of economics, technology, and national security. This is a unique, high-impact opportunity to influence the direction of breakthrough technologies-from Artificial Intelligence to advanced materials-and ensure their successful transition to both military use and the commercial market. You will move beyond traditional academic research to deliver actionable, real-world strategies for maximizing the return on high-risk, high-reward government investments.

Requirements

Education: A Ph.D. in Economics or a closely related quantitative field (e.g., Finance, Public Policy with a strong economics focus) from an accredited university.
A minimum of 2-3 years of post-Ph.D. experience in applied economics, with a significant portion focused on R&D, innovation, industrial organization, technology policy, or defense economics.
Demonstrated expertise in quantitative methods, including advanced econometrics, microeconomic theory, computational modeling, and proficiency with statistical software (e.g., R, Python, MATLAB).
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with a proven ability to distill complex analytical findings into clear, concise, and persuasive recommendations for non-economist decision-makers.
Must be a U.S. Citizen and be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI security clearance.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience advising senior leadership within the Department of Defense (DoD), Intelligence Community (IC), or other federal science agencies.
Demonstrated experience using economic models to analyze and propose solutions for supply chain risk and the security of the defense industrial base.

Responsibilities

R&D Portfolio Strategy: Develop and apply quantitative economic models and frameworks to analyze the social and private returns of DARPA's R&D investments, guiding portfolio-level strategic planning.
Technology Transition Analysis: Design and execute studies on the commercialization and technology transfer pathways for DARPA-funded innovations, focusing on economic market failures, industrial base vulnerabilities, and effective policy levers (e.g., prizes, subsidies, IP strategies).
Adversarial Economics: Conduct economic warfare and threat finance analysis related to the defense industrial base, supply chain resilience, and foreign adversary investment in critical U.S. technologies.
Policy and Counsel: Serve as a primary economic advisor to DARPA Program Managers (PMs) and senior Agency leadership, preparing high-impact, timely briefings and reports for the Director's Office and the Department of Defense (DoD).
Modeling and Simulation: Utilize econometrics and advanced statistical methods (e.g., causal inference, machine learning) to model the economic effects of different R&D funding mechanisms and acquisition strategies.

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