RESEARCH FELLOW (AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS)

Summary

National Defense University (NDU) supports the joint warfighter by providing rigorous Joint Professional Military Education to members of the U.S. Armed Forces and select others in order to develop leaders who have the ability to operate and creatively think in an unpredictable and complex world. This is a Title 10 Excepted Service Appointment. Appointment is not to exceed 2 years with the possibility for extension.

Duties

INTRODUCTION The mission of the United States (U.S.) National Defense University (NDU) is to educate joint warfighters and other national security leaders in critical thinking and the creative application of military power. The Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS) is the research arm of NDU. INSS Fellows provide decision advantage to the Department of War (DoW), including the Joint Staff, Office of the Secretary of War, Combatant Commands and Services through applied, cutting-edge research, analyses, and wargaming. MAJOR DUTIES The Research Fellow for Unmanned and Autonomous Systems ("Autonomous Systems") resides within INSS' Defense Industrial Base (DIB) Program. The major duties and responsibilities associated will be as follows: Research. All INSS Fellows are required to conduct applied research in support of the warfighter. This research may be conducted independently or as part of a collaborative team. INSS Fellows publish their research in the form of books, journal articles, and/or policy papers and are required to author no less than two, original, high-quality, peer-reviewed journal articles or policy reports annually. INSS Fellows also are encouraged to promote their research at symposia, through blogposts, and opinion pieces. Engagement. All INSS Fellows are required to coordinate their research topics with, and present findings to, DoW senior officials (General Officers / Senior Executive Service). INSS Fellows disseminate their findings in the form of interim and final briefings, trip reports, and/or policy memoranda. INSS Fellows also are encouraged to engage with other U.S. government stakeholders, U.S. military allies and partners, relevant think tanks, academic institutions, businesses, and the larger national security enterprise, depending on their expertise. These engagements may include conferences, workshops or wargames. Teaching/JPME. All INSS Fellows are considered research faculty. INSS Fellows also contribute to the intellectual community of Joint Professional Military Education institutions in general, and to the National Defense University in particular. This includes teaching core or elective courses, guest lecturing, contributing to curriculum developing, collaborating on programs targeting student, faculty, and/or staff development, and/or significant student mentoring or advisory programs within NDU. Teaching support is based on the needs of the colleges but also with consideration of INSS Fellows' expertise and ongoing research. University Service. All INSS Fellows are required to support NDU-wide scholarship. These activities may include serving on university hiring or promotion boards, participating in the Institutional Review Board, maintaining an NDU-wide community of interest (COI), supporting NDU leader engagements, and/or convening roundtables, tabletop exercises, or conferences (and publishing conference reports) for the NDU community and DoW stakeholders. Administrative Requirements. INSS does not have designated administrative support staff. As such, all INSS Fellows are expected to comply with administrative requirements in a timely manner. This requirement includes completing monthly reports, travel request forms, country and theater clearance request forms, travel vouchers, conflict of interest paperwork, training requirements, and other administrative tasks. The Autonomous Systems Fellow should expect to adhere to these basic administrative requirements.

Qualifications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS Education: Doctorate or all-but-dissertation status (ABD) from a regionally accredited university (or international equivalents) in an appropriate discipline including, but not limited to, public policy, international relations/affairs, political science, engineering, military history, data science, national security studies, computer science, or operations research. Or doctorate, all-but-dissertation status (ABD) from a regionally accredited university (or international equivalents) in an interdisciplinary field that integrates these and other relevant areas of study. Or Master's degree in fields listed above with at least five years professional experience in an industry, policy, government or defense-affiliated research position focused on unmanned and autonomous systems. Research & Publications: Record of high-quality, peer-reviewed, journal articles, books, and/or policy reports related to unmanned and autonomous systems, to include work drawing implications for the U.S. defense industrial base, force design, defense planning and/or joint warfighting. And demonstrated knowledge of research methodologies, including the ability to identify, acquire, and analyze primary and secondary sources of information pertaining to defense strategy and policy. Engagement: Experience presenting research findings and their implications for U.S. national security to DoW senior leaders, other federal government audiences, and industry executives. Preference will be given to candidates who demonstrate that their research has had an impact on U.S. defense strategy and policy. DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS Experience conducting research on autonomous systems directly for, or in support of, DoW, particularly as part of policy think tanks, DoW or industry-affiliated research labs, or federally funded research and development centers. Experience working in, with and/or coordinating with, industry in key areas of DoW programs in unmanned and autonomous systems and/or related technological areas. Experience in teaching graduate-level courses in relevant areas involving international affairs, national security policy, or joint warfighting. Experience conducting research or policy analysis on the implications of unmanned and autonomous systems for force design, defense planning, and/or joint warfighting Experience executing complex, multidiscipline, research studies and/or leading multidiscipline research teams. Experience conducting research or policy analysis on Defense Industrial Base dynamics related to unmanned and autonomous systems, including scaling production capacity, securing supply chains, and/or rapid acquisition. Current Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information Security Clearance. Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills, and can provide valuable training and experience that translates to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

Education Requirement: Doctorate or all-but-dissertation status (ABD) from a regionally accredited university (or international equivalents) in an appropriate discipline including, but not limited to, public policy, international relations/affairs, political science, engineering, military history, data science, national security studies, computer science, or operations research. Or doctorate, all-but-dissertation status (ABD) from a regionally accredited university (or international equivalents) in an interdisciplinary field that integrates these and other relevant areas of study. Or Master's degree in fields listed above with at least five years professional experience in an industry, policy, government or defense-affiliated research position focused on unmanned and autonomous syst