Senior Social Scientist

Parsons•Honolulu, FL

About The Position

Parsons is looking for an amazingly talented Sr. Social Scientist to join our team! In this role you will get to apply social and behavioral science expertise to support Operations in the Information Environment (OIE) and Irregular Warfare (IW) by analyzing the cultural, psychological, and social dynamics that shape how audiences perceive, interpret, and respond to information and actions.

Requirements

Bachelors degree and 13+ years experience. Years of comparable experience can be used in lieu of degree. (HS diploma 17+ years, Associates 15+ years, Masters 10+ years)
Must have a current/active TS/SCI clearance or higher Security Clearance Requirement: An active Top Secret SCI security clearance is required for this position.

Responsibilities

Provides behaviorally grounded insight that informs planning, execution, and assessment across J39 activities.
Designs and conducts qualitative and quantitative research—including surveys, interviews, focus groups, and social network analysis—to develop a nuanced understanding of target audiences, group dynamics, identity drivers, and influence pathways relevant to mission objectives.
Translates research findings into operationally actionable insights that support Target Audience Analysis (TAA), COA development, narrative design, and risk assessment.
Collaborates closely with planners, analysts, behavioral scientists, content developers, and assessment teams to ensure OIE plans, messaging, and influence approaches are culturally informed, behaviorally realistic, and ethically sound.
Advises on cultural resonance, social norms, and potential unintended effects, helping mitigate risk and improve campaign effectiveness.
Supports the development of assessment frameworks by identifying behaviorally valid indicators and proxies, interpreting results in context, and contributing to lessons learned and plan adaptation.
Ensures research methods and findings are rigorous, transparent, and compliant with applicable authorities and ethical standards, preserving commander trust and analytic credibility.