M&C Saatchi World Services US is seeking a Senior Behavioral Scientist to apply behavioral science, psychology, human factors, and sociological frameworks to understand how stakeholders make decisions, process information, and engage with federal programs within a large federal and DoD-aligned mission environment.
ABOUT THE ROLE:This role analyzes emotional and cognitive drivers, behavioral barriers, communication patterns, motivation factors, and adoption challenges impacting mission effectiveness and program engagement. The Behavioral Scientist provides research-driven insights to inform modernization strategies, program communications, user experience enhancements, performance optimization, and change management across multiple mission areas. This role supports both qualitative and quantitative research, behavior-driven analytics, and strategic recommendations grounded in human-centered behavioral science.
This is a hybrid role; however, the ideal candidate will live in the greater NYC area or the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) region.What you'll do:- Analyze stakeholder behavior, motivations, emotional drivers, and engagement patterns using behavioral science methods.
- Study cognitive and psychological factors influencing adoption of federal programs, communications, and digital services.
- Conduct qualitative research (interviews, behavioral mapping, ethnographic studies) and quantitative research (surveys, behavioral datasets, pattern detection).
- Identify behavioral barriers, friction points, and psychological drivers affecting program usage and mission outcomes.
- Develop behavioral personas, decision-making models, and influence frameworks.
- Analyze mission communications to ensure they align with behavioral insights and motivation science.
- Produce research-backed recommendations to improve engagement, adoption, retention, and user trust.
- Partner with product teams, UX designers, PMO staff, and analysts to align behavioral insights with program decisions.
- Support A/B testing, pilot evaluations, and behavioral experiments to validate hypotheses.
- Document research findings, behavioral models, and insights in reports, presentations, and briefings.
- Track emerging behavioral science trends, tools, and methods relevant to mission operations.
You'll bring:- Strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
- Excellent communication skills for conveying behavioral insights to technical and non-technical audiences.
- Ability to synthesize complex psychological and behavioral factors into concise recommendations.
- Strong interpersonal skills for conducting interviews and qualitative research.
- High attention to detail and methodological rigor.
- Strong knowledge of behavioral science frameworks, decision models, and motivational psychology.
- Familiarity with qualitative research methods (interviews, observation, ethnography).
- Experience with quantitative analysis, survey design, or behavioral data interpretation.
- Understanding of human-centered design and human factors principles.
- Experience conducting behavioral studies, qualitative/quantitative analysis, and user behavior research.
- Experience supporting federal, DoD, or large enterprise programs.
WHAT YOU GETWe offer a competitive salary ($120,000-$140,000) and a benefits package designed to support your health, family life, financial wellbeing, and growth.
Family & parental support- 12 weeks' full pay for Primary Carers and 6 weeks for Secondary Carers (after one year of service; return requirements apply for subsequent leave)
- Applies to birth, adoption, and surrogacy
- Up to 10 days' paid fertility leave per year (5 per cycle)
- 2 days' paid leave for new grandparents
- $2,500 annual interest-free parental loan
- $6,000 interest-free fertility treatment loan
Healthcare & wellbeing- Three medical plans (HSA at $0 cost; EPO 75% employer funded; PPO 65% employer funded)
- $0 employee-cost dental and vision
- 10 days' health leave per year (mental and physical)
- 24/7 mental health support through Self Space
- Wellhub subscription
Financial & practical support- 401(k) match (3% after 3 months; 4% after 1 year)
- Pre-tax commuter benefits
- 10 days' paid military leave
- Full pay for jury duty (state/city payments declined)
- Uber/taxi home after 9:30pm
Time off & flexibility- 23 days' PTO (with 3 discretionary carryover days; CA/CO policies follow state mandate)
- 10 federal holidays, plus the day after Thanksgiving
- Option to swap 2 federal holidays (excluding Thanksgiving and the day after)
- Office closed between Christmas and New Year
- 10 days' special emergency leave (including bereavement)
- 10 days' volunteering leave (5 paid, 5 unpaid)
- Half-day for blood donation
- Work from anywhere for up to 2 weeks per year (subject to approval)
Culture & development- $300 annual cultural stimulation allowance (accrued monthly; available after 90 days)
- Weekly Thursday happy hour
- Mentorship and Buddy programmes
Group company M+C Saatchi World Services Role MD Americas Locations Washington DC, New York (WS) Remote status Hybrid Yearly salary $120,000 - $140,000 Employment type Full-time
