Chief Scientist

hackajob is collaborating with MANTECH to connect them with exceptional professionals for this role.

MANTECH seeks a career and customer-oriented Chief Scientist to join our team in Washington, D.C. This is a hybrid position with 1 day onsite and 4 days remote per week.

The role requires an individual with a unique combination of deep technical knowledge, managerial acumen, and extensive experience within the DHS or Department of War (DoW) acquisition ecosystems.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Provide executive-level technical leadership and strategic oversight for scientific research, innovation, development, and technology strategies
• Establish long-term research and development priorities that align with S&T and DHS Headquarters objectives
• Oversee scientific methodologies, data collection, and analysis processes to ensure validity and reliability
• Act as a liaison between customers and external stakeholders and other DHS components
• Ensure the delivery of scalable, secure-by-design solutions that provide a decisive advantage in Homeland Security environments by bridging the gap between theoretical algorithms and operational DHS requirements
• Ensure that all deliverables meet DHS S&T quality standards
• Serve as a key bridge between mission requirements and technical implementation, ensuring that Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation efforts are consistently documented to support procurement decisions

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Sciences, or a related field
• 12+ years of relevant work experience
• 3+ years of experience with prototype development projects
• Experience with DHS acquisition policy and DHS systems engineering lifecycle
• Proven experience in developing complex technical reports and briefings for senior leadership

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree or PhD in Engineering, Sciences, or a related field
• War Acquisition University (WAU) or DHS System Engineering or Test and
  Evaluation Certification
• Comprehensive understanding of DHS Acquisition Management Instruction
  102-01

Security Clearance Requirements:

• Must possess active Top Secret clearance

Physical Requirements:

• The person in this position must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time
• Occasionally move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, or to communicate with co-workers, management, and customers, via email, phone, and or virtual communication, which may involve delivering presentations