What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Joint Exercise Planner supporting USINDOPACOM position at By Light Professional IT Services?
By Light Professional IT Services LLC readies warfighters and federal agencies with technology and systems engineered to connect, protect, and prepare individuals and teams for whatever comes next. Headquartered in McLean, VA, By Light supports defense, civilian, and commercial IT customers worldwide.
We are seeking an experienced Senior Joint Exercise Planner to support USINDOPACOM J7/J73 in designing, coordinating, and executing complex joint, multi-domain, and cyberspace-focused training exercises across the Indo-Pacific region. The ideal candidate brings strong operational planning expertise, joint fires knowledge, cyberspace operations understanding, and hands-on experience working alongside Cyber Mission Force elements such as Cyber Mission Teams (CMTs), Cyber Protection Teams (CPTs), and Combat Support Teams (CSTs).
This role requires a planner who can integrate land, maritime, air, space, and cyberspace considerations into exercise design while serving as a trusted liaison among senior leaders, components, interagency partners, and mission stakeholders. The planner will help deliver realistic, high-impact training events that enhance readiness and strengthen operational relationships across the joint force and partner nations.
Exercise Planning & Execution
We are seeking an experienced Senior Joint Exercise Planner to support USINDOPACOM J7/J73 in designing, coordinating, and executing complex joint, multi-domain, and cyberspace-focused training exercises across the Indo-Pacific region. The ideal candidate brings strong operational planning expertise, joint fires knowledge, cyberspace operations understanding, and hands-on experience working alongside Cyber Mission Force elements such as Cyber Mission Teams (CMTs), Cyber Protection Teams (CPTs), and Combat Support Teams (CSTs).
This role requires a planner who can integrate land, maritime, air, space, and cyberspace considerations into exercise design while serving as a trusted liaison among senior leaders, components, interagency partners, and mission stakeholders. The planner will help deliver realistic, high-impact training events that enhance readiness and strengthen operational relationships across the joint force and partner nations.
Exercise Planning & Execution
- Lead the design, development, and execution of joint, multi-domain, and cyberspace-enabled exercises across the Indo-Pacific.
- Apply the Joint Exercise Life Cycle (JELC) to manage exercise concepts, MEL/MIL injects, cyber and kinetic scenarios, objectives, assessments, and after-action reporting.
- Integrate cyberspace operations, joint fires, targeting, ISR, electronic warfare, and multi-domain concepts into exercise design.
- Design injects and scenarios that incorporate CMT, CPT, CST, and broader Cyber Mission Force (CMF) mission profiles.
- Support modeling, simulation, and LVC environments for joint and cyber-integrated events.
- Provide subject matter expertise on cyberspace operations, CMF structure, capability integration, and cyber mission planning.
- Advise on doctrine related to joint operations, targeting, cyber operations, fires planning, command relationships, and JPP.
- Translate Cyber Mission Force and Joint Force training requirements into exercise environments that enable mission rehearsal and certification.
- Act as a primary liaison with USINDOPACOM J7/J73, service components, JFHQ-C, other COCOMs, and interagency partners.
- Lead planning conferences, working groups, and cyber-focused synchronization meetings.
- Represent the team in senior leader briefs, exercise design reviews, and operational concept discussions.
- Develop and deliver insights, observations, lessons learned, and recommendations for both kinetic and cyber components.
- Conduct readiness assessments and support improvements to training architectures, inject libraries, and scenario development.
- 10 years of experience in joint exercise planning, cyberspace operations, operational planning, or J7/J33/J35 mission areas.
- Experience supporting USINDOPACOM, USERPAC, or other COCOM-level exercises (TTXs, CPXs, FTXs, JNTC, or combined/joint cyber exercises).
- Deep familiarity with JELC, USINDOPACOM J7/J7.3 processes, and Indo-Pacific operational environment.
- Experience supporting or integrating CMT, CPT, CST, or broader Cyber Mission Force activities in training or operational environments.
- Joint Fires / Targeting experience (JFO, JTAC, Fires Planner, JTC, or JFACC support).
- Working knowledge of cyberspace operations, defensive/offensive cyber tools, CMF capability sets, and cyberspace doctrine.
- Ability to coordinate across services, components, CMF teams, and interagency partners.
- Strong knowledge of joint doctrine, JPP, and multi-domain operations including cyberspace.
- Strong technical literacy in cyber planning tools, networks, TTP development, or cyber operational architecture.
- Active TS/SCI clearance required.
- Former military officer or senior enlisted with experience in operational-level HQs (COCOM, JFHQ, Service Component HQ).
- Direct experience with CMF teams in exercise or operational settings.
- Familiarity with modeling & simulation, LVC training environments, and cyber range integration.
- Experience supporting USINDOPACOM events such as Balikatan, RIMPAC, Valiant Shield, Talisman Sabre, Keen Edge, or Pacific Sentry.
- Expertise developing cyber or multi-domain injects for operational or training events.
- Exceptional communication skills and ability to produce high-quality deliverables under tight timelines.
- Active TS/SCI clearance required