Senior Research Fellow, Airpower

The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies is seeking a Senior Fellow for Airpower Studies that will be responsible for leading research regarding national security topics, airpower strategy and operational concepts, the aerospace industrial base, enabling technologies, and related policy and budget issues. The Senior Fellow for Airpower Studies is a unique position in the Washington DC region that will provide insights, analysis, and perspectives for the national security community on all areas related to military strategy, operational concepts, and technologies through an airpower lens.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND GENERAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

Research, Publish, Promote (approximately 65% of effort):

• Produce regular, timely reports and issue papers in a collaborative manner that provide unique analysis and will help inform the national security debate and decision-making process, with a focus on airpower topics
• Stimulate and inform forward-leaning topical coverage in the news media, including authoring regular opinion essays
• Help foster collaborative relationships with members of the Air and Space Forces across the spectrum of operators, technologists, and strategists
• Host working groups that bring government officials, industry experts, and members of the science and technology community together to collaboratively consider key points of interest
• Host forums and symposium panels to discuss key airpower topics, including at the Air Force Association’s Air, Space, and Cyber Conference and other Mitchell Institute functions
• Serve as an informal educator and advisor to leaders in the Department of Defense, on Capitol Hill, industry, and the broader policy and budget community
• Participate as a regular voice on the Mitchell Institute Aerospace Nation video series and Aerospace Advantage podcast series
• Conduct self-guided professional development to maintain a leading edge understanding of current and emerging issues, decisions, trends, and challenges in airpower strategy and associated operational concepts, the industrial base that supports it, and related technology applications

Business Development for Mitchell Institute programs (approximately 20% of effort):

• Develop and promote the Mitchell Institute’s profile and contacts of with potential sponsors to further revenue and growth
• Maintain necessary professional networks to facilitate issue expertise, subject matter currency, subject matter expert access, fundraising capability, and general mission execution
• Coordinate within Mitchell Institute and AFA to collaboratively execute objectives
• Share network contacts with other Mitchell Institute staff to facilitate broader enterprise goals
• Seek business opportunities for broader Mitchell Institute program portfolio

Support Mitchell Institute program events (approximately 10% of effort):

• Partner with operations staff to facilitate event logistical arrangements (book venues, catering arrangements, on-site coordination, media coordination, speaker coordination, host, etc.)
• Manage event strategy and ensure individual event goals and overall standards of quality are met
• Serve as a key point of contact during events to support speakers and attendees
• Author and edit scripts and coordinate content with featured guests for Mitchell Institute virtual and in-person forums

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

• Perform other duties for projects as assigned

Education and Experience Required:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s in a national security-related field
• A minimum of 15+ years professional experience and a min of 5 years at a senior level in the Department of Defense, Congress, or defense industry focused on national security issues

Education and Experience Preferred:

• Master’s Degree or PhD

Certifications & Licenses Preferred:

• Weapons School Graduate

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required:

• Strong policy research and analysis skills
• Demonstrated understanding of research methodology
• Robust writing skills
• Dynamic presentation skills, as well as excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Solid judgment/decision-making skills and political/business acumen
• Effective and comfortable in engaging military and/political leaders at various levels
• Proven record of productive collaboration with diverse colleagues in a highly matrixed work environment
• Proactive and self-motivated, ability to exhibit initiative
• Understanding of project management and planning principles and practices
• Demonstrated ability to be honest and ethical
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office; Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

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 the needs of each program or site.
• Operates in a professional office environment with travel to local offices, community partners, and events.
• 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.

Physical Demands:

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.

Benefits:

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan (401k)
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
• Short Term & Long Term Disability
• Wellness Resources

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