Department Summary:

This is an opportunity for a Space Modeling & Simulation Analyst to join MITRE's Operations Analysis department. We are a large group of over 60 operations research professionals, including over 20 PhDs, who provide thought leadership on a variety of strategic and technical issues, perform analysis that enable our sponsors to make more effective decisions, lead internal research and development activities to bring new technical capabilities into the public sector, and serve as trusted third-party advisors to government sponsors on a variety of technical topics.

In short, we apply our problem-solving skills to complex interdisciplinary problems that occur within or at the intersection of organizations, operations, and technology. We support sponsor projects across the defense and public sectors including military logistics, radio-spectrum frequency management, health care delivery, cybersecurity analytics, fraud detection, satellite planning, homeland security and civilian aviation. We apply advanced analytic techniques such as longitudinal analysis, large-scale integer programming, metaheuristics, agent-based modeling, reinforcement learning, predictive modeling, mathematical modeling, forecasting, machine learning, optimization, statistics, probability modeling, Bayesian analysis, and different types of simulation to solve the nation's toughest problems. And our research pushes the boundaries on topics such as complex scheduling, medical image analysis, and identifying changes in data streams.

If you are passionate about project-based analytical work in the public interest, you have found the right place.

Roles & Responsibilities:

• Apply advanced analytical and mathematical techniques to make difficult policy and acquisition decisions, to maximize operational effectiveness and efficiency, and achieve highest quality engineering solutions
• Develop high-fidelity models of space systems (satellites, payloads, ground segments) to predict performance, behavior, and mission outcomes under realistic operating conditions.
• Build and run simulations to evaluate system concepts, mission architectures, and trade-offs (cost, performance, risk) before hardware is designed or launched.
• Analyze large volumes of simulation output to identify vulnerabilities, performance limits, and potential failure modes, and recommend design or operational changes.
• Model space environment effects (orbital dynamics, radiation, space weather, debris) and assess their impact on space systems over the mission life cycle.
• Support mission planning and operations by simulating timelines, tasking strategies, and contingencies to inform decision-makers and improve resiliency.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams (systems engineers, analysts, operators, intelligence professionals) to ensure models are accurate, validated, and aligned with mission needs and security requirements.

Basic Qualifications

• Typically requires a minimum of 8 years of related experience with a Bachelor's degree; or 6 years and a Master's degree; or a PhD with 3 years' experience; or equivalent combination of related education and work experience.
• U.S. citizenship and an active TS/SCI security clearance; ability to obtain and maintain additional accesses as required.
• Experience applying modeling and simulation, operations research, systems engineering, or statistical analysis to national security, defense, intelligence, or space missions.
• Experience developing, executing, validating, and documenting analytical models, simulations, or decision-support tools for complex systems.
• Experience developing and presenting analytical findings, technical briefings, white papers, and recommendations for senior technical and executive stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to work across multidisciplinary teams, manage multiple analytic efforts, and independently drive work from problem definition through decision support.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Must have an active Top Secret/SCI U.S Government issued Security Clearance and must be eligible to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI with CI Polygraph U.S Government issued Security Clearance. Per the U.S. Government's eligibility requirements, you must be a U.S Citizen to be considered for a security clearance.. Per the U.S. Government's eligibility requirements, you must be a U.S Citizen to be considered for a security clearance.
• This position requires a minimum of 4 days a week on-site.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree or PhD in operations research, applied mathematics, engineering, physics, computer science, systems engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Experience with space-focused modeling and simulation tools, such as AFSIM, MATLAB, Python, STK, or equivalent platforms.
• Experience developing or validating large-scale simulations, databases of system capabilities, orbital models, link budgets, performance measures, or constellation-replenishment models.
• Experience supporting U.S. Space Force, National Reconnaissance Office, U.S. Space Command, Air Force, Intelligence Community, or other national space organizations.
• Knowledge of space-system architectures, including space vehicles, ground systems, communications, orbital dynamics, mission planning, and/or sensor operations.
• Ability to assess operational performance, availability, resiliency, and risk across integrated space and ground architectures.
• Experience with digital engineering, model-based systems engineering, mission engineering, architecture analysis, or data-driven decision support.
• Experience planning or facilitating wargames, operational analyses, tabletop exercises, or architecture trade studies.
• Experience translating operational gaps into technical requirements, acquisition strategies, or future-capability recommendations.
• Experience leading analytic teams and engaging senior leaders across government, industry, and mission-partner organizations.
• Current TS/SCI with polygraph and/or SAP/SCI access.

This requisition requires the candidate to have a minimum of the following clearance(s):
Top Secret/SCI

This requisition requires the hired candidate to have or obtain, within one year from the date of hire, the following clearance(s):
Top Secret/SCI/Polygraph

Salary compensation range and midpoint:
$155,200 - $194,000 - $232,800 Annual

Work Location Type:
Onsite

Benefits information may be found here.