Operations Research Analyst, Mission Engineering

Location: Los Angeles Metropolitan Area, California
Compensation: $175,000–$225,000 base + equity and benefits
Clearance: Ability to obtain a TS/SCI clearance required

About the Company

Our client is a rapidly growing defense technology company developing advanced systems designed to give military and government customers a decisive advantage across complex operational environments. The company is backed by leading venture investors and is scaling a portfolio of next-generation technologies across multiple defense domains.

This is an opportunity to join a high-impact engineering organization at an early stage of building its Mission Engineering function.

About the Role

We are seeking an Operations Research Analyst to apply modeling, simulation, statistics, and operational analysis to complex defense and national security problems.

This is a mission-level analysis role, focused on understanding how multiple platforms, sensors, communications systems, weapons, and other assets interact within realistic operational scenarios. Your work will help answer high-value questions around system effectiveness, mission planning, capability tradeoffs, and investment decisions.

You will work closely with engineering, product, business development, and customer-facing teams to turn ambiguous operational questions into rigorous analytical studies and defensible recommendations.

This is a foundational role on a newly developing Mission Engineering team, providing significant ownership and the opportunity to help establish analytical methodologies, simulation infrastructure, and best practices as the function scales.

What You'll Do

• Plan and execute operations research, modeling and simulation, and mission analysis studies aligned with program and customer objectives.
• Develop and execute mission- and engagement-level simulations using tools such as AFSIM, ESAMS, Brawler, Ansys STK, or equivalent platforms.
• Model and analyze interactions between sensors, communications systems, aircraft, unmanned systems, weapons, spacecraft, and ground or maritime platforms.
• Conduct system-of-systems and kill-chain analysis across operationally relevant scenarios.
• Design and apply statistical methodologies to simulation outputs to quantify Measures of Effectiveness (MOEs), Measures of Performance (MOPs), system effectiveness, uncertainty, and confidence.
• Design and analyze large-scale Monte Carlo simulations, Design of Experiments (DOE), and sensitivity analyses.
• Develop Python-based tools and analytical pipelines for data processing, statistical analysis, simulation post-processing, and visualization.
• Use Python and MATLAB along with scientific computing and data analysis libraries such as NumPy, Pandas, SciPy, Scikit-learn, Matplotlib, and similar tools.
• Develop clear data visualizations, CONOPS, OV-1 diagrams, technical reports, and briefing materials that communicate complex analytical findings.
• Document analytical methodology, assumptions, limitations, validation approaches, and conclusions so results are rigorous and defensible.
• Present findings to technical teams, senior leadership, and government or customer stakeholders.
• Partner with engineering, product, growth, and customer teams to translate operational questions into structured analytical approaches.
• Contribute to technical proposals, RFI/RFP responses, white papers, customer engagements, and new business pursuits.
• Help establish and improve modeling, simulation, verification, validation, and analytical best practices across the Mission Engineering organization.

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Operations Research, Industrial Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Physics, Systems Engineering, Data Science, or a related technical discipline.
• 5+ years of experience supporting defense, intelligence, national security, or advanced technology programs for industry or government.
• Experience leading or owning mission-level operations analysis, modeling and simulation, or system effectiveness studies.
• Hands-on experience with AFSIM, ESAMS, Brawler, Ansys STK, or equivalent mission- or engagement-level simulation tools.
• Strong understanding of operations research, statistical analysis, probability, optimization, or mathematical modeling.
• Experience analyzing simulation results and translating quantitative findings into decision-quality recommendations.
• Strong proficiency in Python and MATLAB and experience with scientific computing, statistical analysis, or data visualization libraries.
• Experience working with Monte Carlo simulation, Design of Experiments, sensitivity analysis, or uncertainty quantification.
• Strong data visualization and technical communication skills, including the ability to create clear CONOPS / OV-1 visuals and executive-level presentations.
• Comfortable working in Linux/Unix environments, using version control, and developing scalable analytical scripts and tools.
• Ability to independently lead analytical studies from problem definition through methodology, execution, analysis, and final presentation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain technical analysis to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI clearance.
• Experience analyzing the full kill chain: find, fix, track, target, engage, assess (F2T2EA).
• Experience across multiple domains such as air-to-air, air-to-surface, surface-to-air, space, electronic warfare, or integrated air and missile defense.
• Deep experience modeling and analyzing radar, sensors, communications, weapons, aircraft, spacecraft, or other defense systems in mission-level simulation environments.
• Experience with model verification and validation (V&V), model accreditation, threat-informed scenario development, or study methodology development.
• Experience leading analytical teams, technical working groups, or cross-organizational studies.
• Experience with Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS), MAK VR-Forces, SIMDIS, or similar visualization/networking environments.
• Experience supporting DoD, DARPA, ONR, AFRL, Combatant Commands, acquisition organizations, or advanced commercial technology programs.
• Experience supporting capture and business development, including RFI/RFP responses, technical exchanges, white papers, or customer presentations.
• Experience applying operations research to cost-effectiveness, trade studies, force structure, capability assessment, or investment decisions.

Why Join

This is an opportunity to work on technically challenging defense problems where rigorous analysis directly influences product strategy, engineering decisions, and customer outcomes.

You'll have significant ownership within a growing Mission Engineering organization and the opportunity to help establish how mission analysis, modeling and simulation, and operational effectiveness are performed at scale.

You'll receive:

• $175,000–$225,000 base salary, plus equity
• Medical, dental, and vision benefits fully covered by the company
• 401(k) with company matching
• HSA, FSA, life insurance, and additional benefits
• Relocation assistance
• Unlimited PTO
• Daily catered lunch
• No-meeting Fridays
• Collaborative, technically driven environment

If you're an Operations Research Analyst, Mission Analyst, Modeling & Simulation Engineer, Military Operations Analyst, or related professional who enjoys using quantitative analysis to answer complex defense and mission-level questions, we'd like to hear from you.