Operational Response Team (ORT) Senior/Principal Technical Advisor

OPEN TO ALL US CITIZENS.

This announcement will be accepting candidate submissions until 11:59 PM, EST, 1 June 2026.

The AFRL DAF C3BM Operational Response Team (ORT) is seeking a visionary and results-oriented Senior or Principal Technical Advisor to provide strategic guidance to a 30+ personnel team primarily located at Nellis AFB, NV with C3BM partners at Hanscom AFB, MA, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, and the Pentagon (Arlington, VA). This DR-03/04 engineering position will bridge the gap between acquisitions and operations, spearheading a risk-tolerant approach to capability development. The Technical Advisor role is central to ORT strategy of using rapid prototyping, hands-on experimentation, and direct operational feedback to solve the military's most pressing challenges and will oversee a significant budget, helping share the future of C3BM technology and concepts of operations (CONOPs).

Position duties include, but are not limited to:

• Define and direct the technical strategy for the entire C3BM portfolio's prototyping, experimentation, and exercise integration efforts.
• Serve as the chief technical authority, guiding the development of solutions that align with the strategic goals of C3BM.
• Act as the primary technical liaison between the acquisition, engineering, and operational communities to refine requirements and test new CONOPs.
• Lead the end-to-end development of Minimum Viable Products (MVPs from initial concept to sustained operational evaluation.
• Direct both Requirements-Informed and Discovery Experimentation to validate complex system designs, reduce technical risk, and resolve key operational unknowns.
• Champion data-driven decision-making by overseeing field experimentation and data collection to provide critical feedback to engineering and program teams.
• Provide strategic advising and mentoring to a high-performing team of over 30 experienced operators and technical subject matter experts.
• Develop and execute a resource-informed project pipeline, prioritizing efforts against urgent warfighter needs and program gaps.
• Command a substantial annual budget (over $30M) to fund all prototyping, experimentation, and mission-support activities.
• Ensure the seamless transition of technologies from architecture and prototyping into formal acquisition programs and fielded operational systems.
• Provide expert technical and operational guidance to the Program Acquisition Executive (PAE) to expedite capability development and delivery cycles.

• United States Citizenship.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance with eligibility for SCI.
• Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience related to the position at the next lower grade IAW the OPM Qualification Standard for Professional and Scientific Positions. For DR-03 consideration, applicants must have a minimum of GS-13 equivalent experience and for DR-04 consideration, applicants must have a minimum of GS-14 equivalent experience related to applying advanced S&E theories, principles, concepts, standards, and/or methods to ensure assigned projects/processes remain consistent with program objectives.
• Applicants must be able to meet the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for Scientific and Professional positions and the Individual Occupational Requirements for All Professional Engineering Positions, 0800 when the position is filled. OPM Qual Standards can be found at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=Occupational-Series
• A Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical S&E field is required and applicants must provide transcript(s).
• The incumbent may be subject to random drug testing.
• PCS may or may not be paid.
• Positions may be designated as an acquisition position, covered by the Acquisition Professional Development Program (APDP). Applicants must list all APDP certification(s) on the resume and will have 60 months to meet APDP requirements.
• Positions are eligible for situational telework but incumbents must live within the commuting area of the assigned duty station.

• Master's degree in Engineering or a related technical field is highly preferred.
• Extensive experience in systems engineering, software development, or a related technical field within the defense or aerospace industry.
• Proven track record of leading multidisciplinary technical teams in a fast-paced, agile, or rapid-prototyping environment.
• Demonstrated experience managing large, complex technical projects and associated budgets.
• Hands-on experience with modern software development practices, DevSecOps, and digital engineering.
• Strong background in operational test and evaluation, experimentation, and systems integration.
• Deep understanding of the DoD acquisition lifecycle and requirements generation process.
• Expertise in one or more areas of the C3BM domain (e.g., data links, sensor fusion, battle management software, communications networks).
• Exceptional ability to communicate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to align technical execution with high-level organizational goals.

• When uploading documents, please utilize the naming convention listed below.
  • The Requisition Number for this announcement is 47140.
  • Resume: Req No_Last Name_First Name_Resume
  • Transcripts: Req No_Last Name_First Name_Transcripts
  • Acceptable file types: .doc,.docx,.pdf

Requisition Number 47140