Junior Cost Analyst

Responsibilities

• Develop and/or evaluate program technical and programmatic baselines
• Develop innovative development, production and operating and support (O&S) cost estimating techniques for a broad range of cost elements
• Create and validate program life cycle cost estimates and associated risk, uncertainty, and sensitivity analysis
• Conduct economic analyses, including business case analyses, cost/benefit analyses, and analysis-of-alternatives
• Evaluate the credibility of government and industry cost estimates and economic analyses
• Evaluate the credibility of industry cost proposals
• Evaluate the credibility of government and industry cost savings initiatives
• Evaluate industry contract cost and schedule performance and conduct variance root cause analysis
• Document and present/defend analytical results
• Train less experienced cost analysts
• Apply highly effective customer service skills and work effectively with teams to foster a collaborative work environment across the organization
• Manage competing priorities, multiple tasks, and work requirements
• Communicate complex issues and present results to senior managers and others in a clear and concise manner
• Present as a value-focused professional, comfortable with presenting analytical results, engaging clients, and collaborating across Integrated Project Teams (IPTs)

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a quantitative discipline (e.g., engineering, mathematics, operations research, statistics, economics, or business)
• Documented completion of college-level coursework in mathematics through Calculus II
• Ability to think analytically, creatively, and critically
• Effectively operate in environments with evolving requirements, incomplete data, and/or shifting priorities
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel for performing cost analysis, data reconciliation, quick-turn financial modeling, and working with large and/or calculation-intensive datasets

Desired Qualifications

• Active SECRET Clearance (highly desirable)
• Knowledge of cost estimating and economic analysis models, methods, theories, and their application
• Knowledge of weapons and/or automated information systems design procedures and methodology, system production technology and techniques, system sustainment, operations and support processes
• Knowledge of physical and performance characteristics of various weapons systems and auxiliary equipment
• Knowledge of weapons and/or automated information systems work breakdown structures
• Knowledge of weapons and/or automated information systems cost drivers
• Knowledge of government cost, technical and programmatic data sources
• Knowledge of government and industry financial/accounting systems
• Knowledge of Department of War (DoW) Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) system
• Familiarity with the DoW acquisition and contracting environment, including program office support, cost estimating, CDRL development, and/or contracting support including support of contract negotiation
• Experience producing clear technical documentation, including methodologies, assumptions, data sources, and analytical conclusions
• Experience conducting ground-breaking research
• Experience using RStudio to perform data analysis, trend analysis, and/or basic statistical modeling in support of cost estimates or program reviews
• Experience building reports and visualizations in Power BI to communicate cost, schedule, or performance insights to stakeholders
• Experience using Microsoft PowerApps and Power Automate to create basic workflow solutions, data collection tools, or process automations
• Experience using Python for data cleaning, analysis, or automation of repeatable analytical tasks
• Experience visually drafting innovative applications using Figma
• ICEAA Certification or Defense Acquisition Workforce Initiative Act (DAWIA) certification