Subject Matter Expert / Instructor - Fall VALEX, USAFA

Yorktown Systems Group • Colorado Springs, CO

26d • Onsite

About The Position

Yorktown Systems Group, Inc. (YSG) is seeking qualified Subject Matter Expert / Instructors (SME/Is) for a contingent, temporary surge assignment supporting the anticipated Fall Validation Exercise (VALEX) at the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA). Current planning assumes contract award and an on-site USAFA kickoff around 3 August 2026, with VALEX occurring approximately 45 days after award in mid-September 2026. Team YSG anticipates a requirement for multiple SME/Is across the team for up to two weeks. Exact event dates, shifts, training locations, staffing quantities, and assignments remain subject to contract award, Government direction, the on-site kickoff, and the Government-approved Cadet Military Training Schedule. The compressed award-to-execution timeline will require rapid onboarding, event preparation, and availability. These positions are anticipated to be event-specific 1099 independent contractor engagements and are not year-round positions.

Anticipated Event and Work Conditions:
Contract and event status: This opportunity is contingent upon contract award and final Government requirements. Team YSG currently anticipates award and an on-site kickoff around 3 August 2026; final VALEX specifics will be confirmed after stakeholder coordination.
Engagement status: Temporary, event-specific 1099 independent contractor engagement, subject to successful selection, completion of onboarding and access requirements, execution of the applicable independent contractor agreement, and final staffing authorization.
Anticipated performance window: VALEX is expected approximately 45 days after award, likely in mid-September 2026, with individual assignments of up to two weeks. Candidates should be prepared to support the full assigned preparation, execution, and closeout window.
Accelerated readiness: Selected personnel must be responsive during the compressed phase-in period and complete required contractor onboarding, access actions, event orientation, training-product familiarization, safety preparation, and virtual or on-site rehearsals before supporting cadets.
Schedule: VALEX operations are anticipated to include a Wednesday-evening-through-Saturday execution window and may require early mornings, evenings, extended shifts, weekend work, and pre-event preparation outside the primary exercise period.
Work environment: USAFA and designated training areas or ranges in the Colorado Springs area, including outdoor field and exercise environments. Selected personnel may be required to report before the event for in-processing, orientation, or rehearsal.
Assignment and compensation: Selection does not guarantee a specific number of days or hours. Final assignments and compensation will be based on Government-approved staffing requirements, relevant experience, specialty, assigned responsibilities, event duration, and any Surge Team Lead duties. Rates will be communicated before execution of the independent contractor agreement and remain subject to Team YSG's final approved rate structure.

Specific Duties May Include, but Are Not Limited to:
Complete event-specific preparation including contractor onboarding, standards of conduct, non-personal services boundaries, cadet interaction expectations, curriculum/facilitator guide review, safety preparation, evaluation and data-capture procedures, communications protocols, and rehearsal with WTAs or Team Leads. Execute approved instruction and exercise support under Warfighter Training Advisor (WTA), surge Team Lead, and permanent party oversight. Duties may include scenario setup, lane or exercise facilitation, role-player/control functions, delivery of approved injects, communications and reporting support, and specialized warfighter skills instruction. Serve as a Team Lead when designated based on experience and event requirements. Team Leads coordinate assigned SME/Is under Team YSG management, maintain instructor accountability and span of control, reinforce safety and reporting discipline, synchronize with WTAs and the Operations and Training Coordinator, and elevate execution issues without directing Government personnel or exercising command authority. Support one or more warfighting functional areas such as Command and Control, Intelligence, Information/OPSEC, Fires, Movement and Maneuver, Protection, or Sustainment. Personnel must also be flexible to support adjacent functions or multiple exercise roles as requirements evolve. Observe and document cadet or team performance using Government-approved rubrics, observation logs, digital forms, and AAR inputs. SME/Is support performance documentation and data capture; USAFA retains formal cadet evaluation and decision authority. Enforce approved safety standards within assigned responsibilities; identify and promptly elevate hazards, deviations, medical concerns, or stop-training conditions through established Government and contractor channels. Participate in synchronization meetings, briefs, and AARs and provide concise observations on training execution, cadet performance, safety, resource constraints, and potential improvements. Maintain professional contractor conduct including contractor identification, appropriate boundaries with cadets, compliance with approved training plans, and adherence to the Team YSG chain of accountability.

Primary PWS Alignment: This position primarily supports PWS Task 3, Execution and Management. Limited support to Task 4 consists of performance observations and AAR inputs; limited support to Task 5 consists of using designated digital tools to record assessments and required event data.

Requirements

• Six or more years of relevant military operational and/or instructional experience.
• Demonstrated expertise in at least one applicable warfighting functional area: C2, Intelligence, Information, Fires, Movement and Maneuver, Protection, or Sustainment.
• Experience delivering or facilitating military training in field, exercise, simulation, or classroom environments.
• Ability to follow approved POIs, facilitator guides, scenarios, and evaluation criteria and to document observations accurately and on time.
• Demonstrated safety mindset, professional judgment, and communication skills appropriate for a Government-led cadet training environment and performance under stress.
• Ability to perform assigned duties in field and exercise environments including extended periods outdoors and nonstandard work hours.
• Availability for the assigned VALEX preparation and execution window and willingness to complete all required onboarding, access, training, and rehearsal activities before supporting cadets.
• Must be eligible for USAFA installation and training-area access and successfully complete required background, identity, and access screening within the compressed onboarding period.

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience as an instructor, evaluator, observer-controller/trainer, exercise controller, or training lane lead.
• For Team Lead consideration: demonstrated experience leading or coordinating instructors, observer-controller/trainers, exercise support personnel, or training lanes; maintaining accountability and span of control; enforcing safety and reporting requirements; resolving execution issues; and communicating with senior exercise leadership.
• Experience with OPORDs/FRAGOs, PACE planning, tactical reporting, post-mission debriefs, fieldcraft, or structured AARs.
• Experience supporting pre-commissioning, cadet, service-academy, ROTC, or comparable junior-leader development programs.
• Familiarity with digital assessment, learning-management, or mobile data-capture tools.
• An active SECRET clearance is not a stated minimum requirement for the SME/I position; clearance status may be considered for specialized or future assignments.

Responsibilities

• Complete event-specific preparation including contractor onboarding, standards of conduct, non-personal services boundaries, cadet interaction expectations, curriculum/facilitator guide review, safety preparation, evaluation and data-capture procedures, communications protocols, and rehearsal with WTAs or Team Leads.
• Execute approved instruction and exercise support under Warfighter Training Advisor (WTA), surge Team Lead, and permanent party oversight.
• Perform duties including scenario setup, lane or exercise facilitation, role-player/control functions, delivery of approved injects, communications and reporting support, and specialized warfighter skills instruction.
• Serve as a Team Lead when designated, coordinating assigned SME/Is, maintaining instructor accountability and span of control, reinforcing safety and reporting discipline, synchronizing with WTAs and the Operations and Training Coordinator, and elevating execution issues.
• Support one or more warfighting functional areas such as Command and Control, Intelligence, Information/OPSEC, Fires, Movement and Maneuver, Protection, or Sustainment, and be flexible to support adjacent functions or multiple exercise roles.
• Observe and document cadet or team performance using Government-approved rubrics, observation logs, digital forms, and AAR inputs.
• Enforce approved safety standards within assigned responsibilities; identify and promptly elevate hazards, deviations, medical concerns, or stop-training conditions through established Government and contractor channels.
• Participate in synchronization meetings, briefs, and AARs and provide concise observations on training execution, cadet performance, safety, resource constraints, and potential improvements.
• Maintain professional contractor conduct including contractor identification, appropriate boundaries with cadets, compliance with approved training plans, and adherence to the Team YSG chain of accountability.

Benefits

• Contingent, temporary surge assignment
• Event-specific 1099 independent contractor engagements
• Travel may be required for non-local personnel
• Assignment-specific travel authorization, reporting instructions, and reimbursable travel terms, if applicable, will be addressed in the independent contractor agreement or task authorization.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed