Virologist

The Capital Area Division (CAD) of Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) has an immediate opportunity for a Virologist to provide advice and decision support to the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) as part of its 24/7/365 Technical Reachback contract. Technical Reachback is an analytical modeling and decision support cell that provides assistance across all levels of government. The team is multidisciplinary and is comprised of subject matter experts in chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosive (CBRNE) analysis and related topics. We provide extensive epidemiological and public health support for customers and are active in providing dynamic population disease modeling for COVID-19, seasonal influenza, and other domestic/international global health concerns.

Primary responsibilities of the position:

• Providing subject matter expertise to conduct, implement, and sustain R&D and operational support in virology, epidemiology, and/or public health science for Technical Reachback
• Providing a support capability for deliberate, crisis, and immediate planning and operations for the following groups/agencies: Combatant Commands; Office of the Secretary of Defense; Joint Staff; Intelligence Community; command elements; first responders, and federal, state, and local government organizations
• Using applied knowledge to develop, integrate, test, verify, validate, and apply CBRNE software/scenarios based on results of experiments and predicted phenomena based on theoretical and computational methods
• Working closely with other scientists and engineers to define modeling objectives, obtain required model inputs and outputs, and verify/validate results
• Presenting modeling results and decision support aid to both internal and external customers in the form of written reports and oral presentations
• Reviewing technical work of others

Required Qualifications:

• Master's degree in virology or related field and at least 2 years of scientific experience in virology, epidemiology, public health, disease modeling, or bio-defense
• Ability to work rotating shifts
• Strong communication skills (both written and verbal) along with Microsoft Office proficiency
• Interest in working with a multi-disciplinary team and contributing to other subject areas
• Ability to travel up to 10% of the time
• U.S. citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI DoD clearance

Desired Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in virology or related field
• Experience in Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) threats (primarily through modeling and simulation and/or test experience)
• Experience with ArcGIS tools
• Experience with public health threats such as COVID-19, Ebola, pandemic influenza, emerging infectious agents, and biological warfare agents
• Experience working with organizations within the Department of Defense (especially relating to issues concerning WMD) along with other government agencies such as HHS, CDC, etc.
• Active DoD Top Secret security clearance

COMPANY INFORMATION:

Applied Research Associates, Inc. is an employee-owned international research and engineering company recognized for providing technically superior solutions to complex and challenging problems in the physical sciences. The company, founded in Albuquerque, NM, in 1979, currently employs over 1200 professionals. ARA offices throughout the United States and Canada provide a broad range of technical expertise in defense technologies, civil technologies, computer software and simulation, systems analysis, environmental technologies, and testing and measurement. The corporation also provides sophisticated technical products for environmental site characterization, pavement analysis, and robotics.

At ARA, employees are our greatest assets. The corporation realizes that employee ownership spawns greater creativity and initiative along with higher performance and customer satisfaction levels. ARA gives its employees the tools, training, and opportunities to take more active roles as owners. The culture is challenging; innovation and experimentation are the norm. Employees are eligible for contributions which not only add to the company's success, but also their own through the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). The motto, "Engineering and Science for Fun and Profit" sums up the ARA experience. For additional information and an opportunity to join this unique workplace, please visit our website at www.ara.com.

Please apply at www.careers.ara.com for the Virologist position.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)