Technical Analyst SME - Program Acquisition

Overview: We are seeking a highly experienced, proactive Senior Acquisition Subject Matter Expert (SME) to provide strategic advisory, program management guidance, and technical integration leadership to the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Special Operations Forces Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (SOF AT&L) Program Executive Office – Maritime (PEO-Maritime).
The successful candidate will serve as a trusted advisor to government Program Managers (PMs) and leadership, directly assisting in accelerating the development, prototyping, testing, integration, and fielding of advanced maritime capabilities to the Special Operations Forces (SOF) community. This role spans the full spectrum of maritime portfolios, including surface tactical combatant craft, undersea manned/unmanned platforms, dry deck shelters, and advanced combat diver systems.
Responsibilities:
- Acquisition Strategy & Lifecycle Execution
- Formulate, evaluate, and update comprehensive Acquisition Strategies (AS), Acquisition Plans (AP), and Life Cycle Sustainment Plans (LCSP) aligned with the Adaptive Acquisition Framework (AAF), Middle Tier of Acquisition (MTA), and rapid fielding directives.
- Assist in tailoring acquisition pathways to compress delivery timelines while maintaining strict compliance with statutory and regulatory guidelines.
- Identify program risks (technical, schedule, and cost) and draft mitigation strategies for complex maritime integration programs.

- Program Guidance & Advisory Support
- Provide direct, day-to-day advisory support to PEO-Maritime PMs across surface, undersea, and autonomous program offices.
- Assist government personnel in preparing for milestone decisions, program reviews, and senior-level briefings within USSOCOM and the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD).
- Guide teams through the nuances of rapid prototyping (Section 804) and rapid fielding initiatives.

- Requirements Synthesis & SOFCIDS
- Translate operational requirements from Naval Special Warfare Command (NSWC/WARCOM) and USSOCOM components into actionable technical performance specifications and System Engineering baselines.
- Author and review key acquisition documents, including Statements of Work (SOW), Performance Work Statements (PWS), and Capability Production Documents (CPD) under the SOF Capabilities Integration and Development System (SOFCIDS).

- Contracting & Source Selection Support
- Advise on contracting strategies utilizing both traditional FAR-based vehicles and non-traditional pathways, such as Other Transaction Authorities (OTAs), Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs), and Commercial Solutions Openings (CSOs).
- Assist the government in drafting solicitation packages, source selection plans, and evaluation criteria, serving as a non-voting technical advisor during source selection boards.

- Test, Evaluation & Operational Fielding
- Coordinate and align Developmental and Operational Test & Evaluation (DT&E/OT&E) frameworks.
- Ensure all systems meet safety, seaworthiness, and specialized naval certifications, including NAVSEA System Safety, Submarine Safety (SUBSAFE) where applicable, and Army/Navy transportability standards.
- Facilitate transition planning from rapid prototyping to full operational fielding and sustainment.

- Budget, Financial & PPBE Support
- Help program offices navigate the Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) process.
- Assist in the formulation of program budget documentation, spend plans, Program Objective Memorandum (POM) inputs, and life-cycle cost estimates.

- Inter-Agency Stakeholder Liaison
- Act as a key synchronization point between USSOCOM, NAVSEA (e.g., PMS 340), Naval Special Warfare Command, the defense industrial base, and research laboratories/academia.

Required Qualifications & Experience:
- Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Systems Management, Acquisition, or a related technical/management discipline. A Master’s Degree is highly preferred.
- Acquisition Experience: Minimum of twelve (12) years of progressive experience in defense acquisition program management, systems engineering, or technical advisory roles within the DoD or Department of Navy (DoW).
- Maritime Domain Expertise: Demonstrated experience managing or advising programs involving maritime combatant craft (e.g., CCM, CCH, CCA), subsea platforms (e.g., SWCS, DCS, Dry Deck Shelters), unmanned surface/underwater vehicles (USV/UUV), or advanced combat diving technologies.
- USSOCOM / SOF Familiarity: Direct experience working within USSOCOM, SOF AT&L, Naval Special Warfare Command (NSW), or related SOF-aligned program offices. Must possess a deep understanding of unique SOF acquisition authorities and the SOF operational environment.
- Statutory & Policy Mastery: Expert-level knowledge of DoD 5000-series directives, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), DFARS, SOFCIDS, and Section 804 Middle Tier of Acquisition pathways.
- Security Clearance: Must possess an active, current Top Secret (TS) security clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) eligibility. US citizenship is required.

Preferred Qualifications:
- Professional Certifications: DAWIA Level III (or Back-to-Basics Advanced) Certification in Program Management or Systems Engineering, or Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
- Contracting Innovation: Proven success planning or executing rapid acquisition projects utilizing OTAs, Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) transitions, or defense consortia.
- Platform Experience: Experience with specific PEO-Maritime programs of record, such as Combatant Craft Medium (CCM), Combatant Craft Heavy (CCH), Combatant Craft Assault (CCA), Shallow Water Combat Submersible (SWCS), Dry Combat Submersible (DCS), or Dry Deck Shelter (DDS).
- Technical Integration: Experience integrating complex C4ISR suites, EO/IR sensors, autonomous navigation/control architectures, and specialized weapons payloads onto tactical surface or undersea craft.

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