The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Research Analyst executes in-depth research and analysis to inform decision makers and the public at large about future trends in the realm of national security through the aerospace lens. This position focuses on supporting project leaders through research, analysis, graphics creation, and research source summaries.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
Research (approximately 40% of effort):

• Complete subject matter investigation focused on aerospace strategy, operational concepts, tactics, and technology.
• Complete investigative source cultivation—primary source documentation, secondary source publications, media coverage, federal budget materials, and first-person experts
• Analyze Department of Defense budget documents and hardware inventory listings.
• Perform qualitative and quantitative analysis.

Writing and production (approximately 30% of effort):

• Draft report sections as requested by project lead.
• Edit written materials drafted by project lead.
• Partner with other members of the Mitchell Institute team to help execute overarching events and produce a range of written products.

Event support (approximately 25% of effort):

• Coordinate with team members to plan and execute workshops and tabletop exercises tied to research projects.
• Schedule first person subject matter expert research meetings for project leads.
• Help execute public engagement sessions in coordination with team members, including video webinar and podcast creation tied to Mitchell Institute focus areas.

Other Duties as assigned (approximately 5% of effort):

• Other duties as assigned
• Must be able to travel 

REQUIRED JOB QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in international relations, history, political science, or relevant field or work experience.

Education and Experience Preferred:

• Master’s degree, with focus on security studies.
• Familiarity with military operations and emerging technology trends
• Knowledge of the Air Force and/or Space Force preferred.

Certifications and Licenses Preferred:

• Familiarity with the handling of sensitive and proprietary information.

Other Requirement(s):

• Must be able to travel up to 5% of time.
• Must be able and willing to work overtime as required.

Department Core Competencies:

• Technical Competencies (Research)
• Strategic Planning
• Decision-Making
• Business Acumen

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required:

• Excellent verbal and written communication and analytic skills, including adept presentation skills and the ability to speak in front of large groups and senior leaders.
• Strong ability to build and cultivate working relationships with a customer-service orientation.
• Ability to be consistently reliable, responsible, and dependable in completing assigned tasks and engaging in a collaborative, teamwork approach.
• Strong time management skills and ability to independently prioritize work and meet deadlines.
• Ability to be consistently thorough and demonstrate attention to detail in completing tasks.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office product suites (especially Excel and PowerPoint) and knowledge or ability to learn other computer-based systems.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the Federal policy and budget processes.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Works out of Air Force Association’s headquarters in Arlington, VA.
• Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday, subject to modification based on theneeds of each program or site.
• Operates in a professional office environment with travel to local offices, community partners,and events.
• Routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, copiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

Physical Demands:

The position requires sedentary work (sitting most of the time with no adverse environmental exposure) and occasional exertion of up to 25 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. The position also includes the following physical requirements:

• Movement. The employee in this position needs to occasionally move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc.
• The employee in this position needs to be able to operate a computer and other office productivity machinery such as a copy machine and printer.
• The employee is required to communicate and hold verbal conversations with others by means of the spoken word. Employee must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.