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Description

The Mission Concepts and Capabilities (MCC) Division of Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) is seeking to contingently hire a motivated, energetic, and experienced Senior Operations Manager to serve as the On-Site Task Lead for ARA’s effort supporting the Assistant Secretary of War for Critical Technologies (OASW(CT)). The successful candidate will serve as the Senior Operations Manager leading a large task order supporting and coordinating with the OASW(CT) Principal Directors and support staff overseeing Critical Technology Areas, including Scaled Directed Energy (SCADE), Scaled Hypersonics (SHY), Integrated Sensing & Cyber (IS&C), Space Technology, Energy Resilience, Applied Artificial Intelligence (AAI), Trusted & Assured Microelectronics (T&AM), Technology Innovation, Strategic Intelligence and Analysis, Nuclear Command, Control & Communications (NC3), Biomanufacturing (BIO), Contested Logistics Technologies (LOG), and Quantum and Battlefield Information Dominance (Q-BID).

The Senior Operations Manager will be responsible for leading ARA operations management support to the OASW(CT) front office for senior OASW(CT) leadership. This support will include continuous process improvement, mapping and tracking workflows, facilitating interdepartmental communication, and allocating resources necessary for the timely completion of all tasks and assignments. The Senior Operations Manager must be proficient in interfacing, communicating, and collaborating with government personnel at all levels (e.g., action officer to senior leader, civilian and military).

This position is contingent upon ARA winning the Critical Technologies task order, customer acceptance of the successful candidate’s resume, and security clearance verification. We expect contract award in the first quarter of calendar year 2026.

Essential Functions:

+ Lead on-site program and operations support, conducting frequent and effective communication and coordination across internal OASW(CT) offices and external organizations to ensure success

+ Manage and allocate staff resources, de-conflicting priorities and ensuring timely completion of OASW(CT) tasks

+ Facilitate continuous process improvement, mapping and tracking workflows to maximize efficiency

+ Deliver high-quality read-aheads, briefings, and correspondence on time, ensuring accuracy and senior-leader readiness

+ Manage the Correspondence and Task Management System (CATMS) and related tools to track and ensure timely completion of all taskers

+ Maintain workforce stability and on-site coverage, coordinating schedules to ensure continuous operational support

+ Organize and store work products per government policy, supporting OASW(CT) knowledge-management practices

Required Qualifications:

+ Bachelor and Master’s degree in a relevant discipline from an accredited college or university

+ Top Secret security clearance with SCI eligibility

+ 10 years of relevant Program or Project Management experience

+ Excellent written and verbal communication skills

+ Strong leadership abilities

Preferred Qualifications:

+ Strong technical foundation with the ability to grasp diverse DoD technologies and communicate effectively with stakeholders

+ Experience working with task management software systems such as CATMS or the Task Management Tool (TMT)

+ Recent OASW(CT) experience as Government employee or contractor

COMPANY INFORMATION:

Applied Research Associates, Inc. is an employee-owned international research and engineering company recognized for providing technically superior solutions to complex and challenging problems in the physical sciences. The company, founded in Albuquerque, NM, in 1979, currently employs over 2000 professionals. ARA offices throughout the United States and Canada provide a broad range of technical expertise in defense technologies, civil technologies, computer software and simulation, systems analysis, environmental technologies, and testing and measurement. The corporation also provides sophisticated technical products for environmental site characterization, pavement analysis, and robotics.

At ARA, employees are our greatest assets. The corporation realizes that employee ownership fosters greater creativity and initiative along with higher performance and customer satisfaction levels. ARA gives its employees the tools, training, and opportunities to take more active roles as owners. The culture is challenging; innovation and experimentation are the norm. Employees are eligible for contributions which not only add to the company’s success, but also their own through the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). The motto, “Engineering and Science for Fun and Profit” sums up the ARA experience. For additional information and an opportunity to join this unique workplace, please visit our website at www.ara.com.

Please apply at www.careers.ara.com for the **Critical Technologies Operations Manager** position.

Qualifications

Behaviors

Required

+ **Team Player:** Works well as a member of a group

+ **Leader:** Inspires teammates to follow them

+ **Enthusiastic:** Shows intense and eager enjoyment and interest

+ **Detail Oriented:** Capable of carrying out a given task with all details necessary to get the task done well

+ **Dedicated:** Devoted to a task or purpose with loyalty or integrity

Motivations

Required

+ **Job Security:** Inspired to perform well by the knowledge that your job is safe

+ **Growth Opportunities:** Inspired to perform well by the chance to take on more responsibility

Education

Required

+ Bachelors or better

Preferred

+ Masters or better

Experience

Required

+ 10-12 years: Relevant Program or Project Management experience

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.

For further information, please review the Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster) notice from the Department of Labor.