Senior Director, Long-Range Research Initiative & Applied Science Strategies | Washington, DC

Senior Director, Long-Range Research Initiative & Applied Science Strategies

📍 Location: Washington, DC (Onsite)
🏢 Department: Regulatory & Scientific Affairs
👤 Reports To: Vice President, Regulatory & Scientific Affairs
💼 Employment Type: Full-Time
✈️ Travel: Up to 20%
🚫 Visa Sponsorship: Not Available
🚚 Relocation Assistance: None
💰 Compensation: $211,629 – $254,000 Base Salary
💵 Annual Bonus: Performance-Based Merit Increases & Discretionary Bonus

Overview

A leading national scientific and regulatory organization is seeking a Senior Director, Long-Range Research Initiative & Applied Science Strategies to lead its flagship scientific research program while shaping research strategy, applied science, and regulatory decision support across the chemical industry.

This executive leadership role will oversee the organization's Long-Range Research Initiative (LRI), driving scientific investment, research governance, international collaboration, and science-based policy development. The successful candidate will work closely with industry leaders, academic researchers, government agencies, and international scientific organizations to ensure research priorities support sound regulatory decision-making and advance scientific understanding.

This is an exceptional opportunity for an accomplished scientific leader who enjoys combining research strategy, stakeholder engagement, science policy, and executive-level influence.

Why This Opportunity Stands Out

This role offers the opportunity to:

• Lead one of the industry's most influential scientific research initiatives

• Shape future research priorities impacting global chemical safety

• Partner with leading scientists from academia, industry, and government

• Influence regulatory policy using evidence-based science

• Represent the organization within international scientific collaborations

• Present directly to executive leadership, member companies, and Board members

• Lead strategic investments in scientific research with global impact

Key Responsibilities

Scientific Research Leadership

• Lead the organization's Long-Range Research Initiative (LRI)

• Develop long-term scientific research strategies aligned with organizational objectives

• Identify emerging scientific issues and future research priorities

• Translate scientific findings into practical regulatory and policy recommendations

• Ensure research supports evidence-based decision making

Research Program Management

• Manage all aspects of the LRI program, including:

• Budget management

• Resource allocation

• Consultant management

• Contract oversight

• Research funding

• Oversee competitive proposal and grant selection processes

• Direct research project execution from concept through completion

• Ensure projects remain aligned with strategic priorities

Scientific Strategy & Applied Science

• Apply scientific research to improve regulatory methods and policy development

• Interpret complex scientific studies and emerging research

• Develop scientific strategies addressing evolving regulatory challenges

• Collaborate with subject matter experts across multiple disciplines

• Identify opportunities to strengthen scientific understanding across the industry

Stakeholder & International Collaboration

• Lead the LRI Topic Committee, including:

• Scientific agenda development

• Meeting facilitation

• Cross-company collaboration

• Build strong relationships with:

• Industry scientists

• Academic researchers

• Government agencies

• International scientific organizations

• Coordinate research priorities through the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA)

• Foster collaboration on multinational scientific initiatives

Executive Communication & Policy Support

• Present research strategies and findings to:

• Executive Leadership

• Board Members

• Member Companies

• External Scientific Organizations

• Translate complex scientific concepts into actionable recommendations

• Support science policy advocacy using research findings and data analysis

• Serve as a trusted scientific advisor to internal leadership

Required Qualifications

Education

• Master's or Doctoral degree in Science or a related technical discipline

Experience

• 10+ years of experience within:

• Chemical industry

• Government

• Scientific research organizations

• Related technical fields

• Experience managing scientific research programs

• Experience overseeing research budgets, contracts, and consultants

• Experience developing scientific research strategies

• Experience interpreting complex scientific data and studies

• Experience working with international scientific organizations

• Experience supporting multinational scientific initiatives

• Experience with chemical assessment programs and scientific regulatory venues

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced expertise in:

• Toxicology

• Environmental Science

• Public Health

• Related scientific disciplines

• Knowledge of chemical regulatory frameworks

• Risk assessment methodology expertise

• Science communication experience

• Experience translating scientific research for policymakers and executive audiences

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will have:

• Master's or PhD in a scientific discipline

• 10+ years leading scientific research programs

• Strong chemical industry or government research experience

• Deep expertise interpreting complex scientific research

• Experience influencing science-based regulatory policy

• International scientific collaboration experience

• Outstanding executive presentation and communication skills

• Strong program management, budgeting, and contract oversight experience

• Ability to build relationships across academia, government, industry, and global scientific organizations

Screening Questions

1. Describe a scientific research program you have managed. How did you oversee budgeting, contracts, consultants, and resource allocation while ensuring alignment with strategic objectives?

2. Tell us about your experience collaborating with industry, academia, government agencies, or international scientific organizations. How did you build and maintain those relationships?

3. Describe a time you used complex scientific research or data to influence regulatory policy, advocacy efforts, or executive decision-making. How did you communicate technical findings to non-technical stakeholders?

Interview Process

1. HR Director Interview

2. Hiring Manager Interview

Compensation & Benefits

Compensation

• Base Salary: $211,629 – $254,000

• Annual Performance Bonus

• Annual Merit Increase Program

Benefits

• Medical Insurance

• Dental Insurance

• Vision Insurance

• Life Insurance

• Retirement Plan

• Paid Time Off

• Additional Employee Benefits

Ideal Backgrounds

Strong candidates are likely to come from organizations such as:

• Chemical manufacturers

• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

• Government scientific agencies

• Regulatory science organizations

• Toxicology institutes

• Environmental health organizations

• Scientific research institutes

• Trade associations

• International regulatory organizations

• Public health research organizations

What Success Looks Like

The successful candidate will combine deep scientific expertise with strategic leadership, translating cutting-edge research into meaningful policy, strengthening international scientific collaboration, and ensuring research investments drive measurable improvements in chemical safety, regulatory science, and evidence-based decision-making.

Lead Software Engineer – DevOps Architect | TS/SCI with Poly | Palm Bay, FL

Lead Software Engineer – DevOps Architect (TS/SCI with Poly)

📍 Location: Palm Bay, FL (100% Onsite)
🏢 Industry: Aerospace & Defense
💼 Employment Type: Full-Time
🗓️ Work Schedule: 9/80 Schedule (Every Other Friday Off)
🔒 Security Clearance Required: Active TS/SCI with Polygraph
🚫 Visa Sponsorship: Not Available
🚚 Relocation Assistance: Available
✈️ Interview Travel: Reimbursed
💰 Compensation: $140,000 – $180,000 Base Salary

Overview

A leading aerospace and defense organization is seeking a Lead Software Engineer – DevOps Architect to lead the design, modernization, and long-term evolution of a containerized microservices platform supporting mission-critical applications.

This is a highly technical architecture role focused on DevOps engineering, containerization, CI/CD, infrastructure automation, and platform modernization. The successful candidate will provide technical leadership across architecture, implementation, and engineering best practices while partnering closely with software engineering, infrastructure, cybersecurity, and program stakeholders.

This is an ideal opportunity for an experienced DevOps Architect, Platform Architect, Software Architect, or Cloud Infrastructure Architect who enjoys designing scalable, secure, and resilient distributed systems.

Key Responsibilities

DevOps & Platform Architecture

• Lead the architecture and design of Docker-based microservices platforms.

• Develop scalable, secure, and resilient distributed system architectures.

• Define platform roadmaps and long-term modernization strategies.

• Establish architecture standards and engineering best practices.

Containerization & Orchestration

• Design and implement containerized application environments.

• Drive technical decisions around container orchestration platforms.

• Improve platform scalability, availability, and operational resilience.

• Guide platform standardization across engineering teams.

CI/CD & Infrastructure Automation

• Design modern CI/CD pipelines and deployment strategies.

• Drive Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and automation initiatives.

• Improve build, release, deployment, and monitoring processes.

• Promote DevOps best practices across the software lifecycle.

Software Architecture

• Produce detailed architectural designs and interface specifications.

• Define deployment models and technical design documentation.

• Support API integration and service-to-service communication.

• Evaluate architecture tradeoffs and recommend improvements.

Technical Leadership

• Lead architecture and design reviews.

• Mentor engineering teams and provide technical guidance.

• Identify technical risks and mitigation strategies.

• Collaborate with software, infrastructure, cybersecurity, and program leadership.

Required Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's Degree with 9+ years of relevant experience

OR

• Master's Degree with 7+ years of relevant experience

OR

• 13+ years of related experience in lieu of a degree

Security Clearance

✔ Active TS/SCI with Polygraph (Required)

Required Technical Expertise

DevOps & Platform Engineering

• DevOps Architecture

• Platform Engineering

• Distributed Systems Architecture

• Microservices Architecture

• Docker

CI/CD & Automation

• Continuous Integration / Continuous Delivery (CI/CD)

• Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

• Configuration Management

• Automated Deployments

Container Technologies

• Docker

• Kubernetes

• OpenShift (or similar orchestration platforms)

Software Architecture

• API Design

• Service-to-Service Communication

• Distributed Systems

• Platform Modernization

Security & Reliability

• Secure Platform Engineering

• Scalability & Performance Optimization

• System Reliability & Observability

• Infrastructure Resilience

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with:

• Kubernetes

• OpenShift

• Docker Enterprise

• Infrastructure Automation

• Platform Modernization

• Enterprise DevOps

• Cloud-Native Platforms

• Large-Scale Distributed Systems

Strong experience producing:

• Architecture documentation

• Technical design artifacts

• Interface specifications

• Engineering decision records

Must-Have Skills

Architecture

• Docker-Based Architecture

• Microservices

• Distributed Systems

• Platform Engineering

DevOps

• CI/CD Pipelines

• Infrastructure as Code

• Configuration Management

• Deployment Automation

Leadership

• Technical Leadership

• Architecture Reviews

• Engineering Mentorship

• Cross-Functional Collaboration

Infrastructure

• Kubernetes / OpenShift

• API Integration

• Secure Platform Engineering

• Monitoring & Observability

Screening Questions

1. Do you currently hold an active TS/SCI clearance with Polygraph?

2. How many years of experience do you have in DevOps engineering, software architecture, or platform architecture?

3. Have you designed and implemented Docker-based microservices architectures?

4. What experience do you have with container orchestration platforms such as Kubernetes or OpenShift?

5. Have you designed and implemented enterprise CI/CD pipelines and Infrastructure as Code solutions?

6. Have you produced detailed architectural documentation, technical designs, and deployment models?

7. Do you have experience designing secure distributed systems, APIs, and service-to-service communication patterns?

8. Have you led architecture reviews, mentored engineering teams, and driven technical direction?

9. What tools or technologies have you used for infrastructure automation and configuration management?

10. Are you able to work onsite full-time in Palm Bay, Florida?

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will:

• Hold an active TS/SCI with Polygraph.

• Be an experienced DevOps or Platform Architect with deep expertise in distributed systems.

• Have extensive experience designing Docker-based microservices platforms.

• Possess strong Kubernetes or OpenShift experience.

• Be comfortable defining enterprise architecture standards and long-term technology roadmaps.

• Thrive in highly collaborative engineering environments.

• Demonstrate strong mentoring, communication, and technical leadership skills.

• Balance hands-on engineering with strategic architectural decision-making.

Candidate Snapshot

Requirement

Details

Clearance

Active TS/SCI with Polygraph

Experience

10–15+ Years

Architecture

DevOps, Platform & Microservices

Containerization

Docker

Orchestration

Kubernetes / OpenShift

DevOps

CI/CD, IaC, Configuration Management

Software

API Design, Distributed Systems

Location

Palm Bay, FL

Work Arrangement

100% Onsite

Schedule

9/80 (Every Other Friday Off)

Compensation

$140K – $180K

Relocation

Available

What Makes Someone Successful in This Role?

• Deep expertise in DevOps architecture and distributed systems.

• Strong experience designing Docker-based microservices platforms.

• Ability to architect scalable, resilient, and secure enterprise solutions.

• Proven success implementing CI/CD, Infrastructure as Code, and automation strategies.

• Strong technical leadership with experience mentoring engineering teams.

• Excellent communication skills, capable of presenting architectural concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Ability to drive platform modernization while ensuring operational reliability and long-term maintainability.