Position Title: Principal Operations Subject Matter Expert
Location: Hybrid with 50% travel to client site in Ottawa, Canada
Clearance Requirement: TS/SCI
Employment type: Full Time
Research Innovations, Inc. (RII) is breaking through the big, slow, status quo with transformative technology that fundamentally changes and improves the world. We develop cutting-edge software for all levels of the government and military. Using agile development practices and user-centered design, we create innovative software solutions for complex real-world problems.
The Principal Operations Subject Matter Expert serves as a key liaison responsible for leading engineering and operational support for rapid prototyping, capability piloting, and CJADC2 technology integration. In this role, you will establish evaluation frameworks and metrics, collaborate with teams to translate user requirements into technical solutions, to support the Canadian Joint Warfare Center (CJWC) and optimize the Joint Operations Fusion Lab (JOFL). The position requires a deep understanding of warfighting functions and joint doctrine to modernize operational concepts, while providing expert guidance and training to Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Joint Targeting organizations. Success in this role hinges on your ability to work autonomously, interact effectively with senior military and corporate stakeholders, and refine operational procedures to enhance C2/C4ISR network capabilities.
This role requires an active US Secret clearance level as a minimum. TS/SCI clearance is preferred.
WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING
Lead and facilitate engineering and operational support for rapid prototyping, capability piloting, and innovative technology integration to address Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) priority requirements.
Advise on the integration of emerging coalition-enabling CJADC2 technologies, ensuring they are scalable and interoperable with existing and planned DND networks and databases.
Establish and document key metrics, testing criteria, and evaluation frameworks for Joint Command and Control (C2) test and evaluation activities in collaboration with CAF stakeholders.
Collaborate with Systems Engineers and DevOps/ProdOps teams to identify and document user needs, software modifications, and information assurance requirements across the prototype mission lifecycle.
Deliver professional documentation and training on experimental prototype applications to ensure capabilities are readily usable by CJWC and CAF personnel during operational exercises.
Optimize the Joint Operations Fusion Lab (JOFL) by providing system and software integration support of specialized applications, network architectures, and physical/virtual IT infrastructures.
Support the CJWC event lifecycle by reviewing, analyzing, and documenting exercises, training plans, experiments, and war-gaming events to deliver formal recommendations for enhanced C2/C4ISR integration.
Author comprehensive Event Lessons Learned reports capturing data, operational outcomes, system performance, and procedural gaps to refine CJWC training execution and control procedures.
Develop system administration and maintenance procedures for specialized C2, C4ISR, and geomatics systems within the JOFL to ensure high availability and baseline configuration control.
Coordinate and deliver maintenance services for geomatics and C4ISR networks across multiple organizations, including the CJWC, JOFL, and Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC).
Provide dedicated engineering and operational SME support to the CAF Joint Targeting Centre of Expertise and strategic targeting organizations, including the Joint Targeting Intelligence Centre (JTIC), Joint Operations and Effects (JOE), Director Strategic Effects and Targeting (DSET), and Targeting Capability Implementation Team (TCIT).
Advise Joint Targeting governance bodies on requirements development, analytical best practices, and innovative technologies to drive successful joint targeting planning and execution.
Develop, deliver, and integrate individual and collective Joint Targeting training programs into the Master Training Plan, authoring all required training documents, scenarios, and student materials.
Formulate recommendations for policy direction, standards evaluation, and doctrine updates to modernize CAF joint targeting practices and align them with allied coalition capabilities.
Synthesize intelligence integration and other warfighting functions (movement and maneuver, fires, protection, sustainment, command and control, information) into modernized organizational operational concepts.
Deliver operational expertise on US 7 Joint Warfighting Functions and associated joint doctrine, identifying capability gaps and defining actionable systems engineering requirements to resolve them.
Conduct Course of Action (COA) analysis to evaluate the operational, technical, and doctrinal implications of proposed changes to CAF procedures, joint battle rhythms, and strategic decision-making architectures.
WHAT YOU HAVE DONE
Understanding of the CAF: Demonstrated experience providing direct operational and/or engineering support to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), including the Canadian Joint Warfare Centre (CJWC), Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC), and strategic joint targeting organizations. Proactively advising, mentoring, and delivering tailored training to senior CAF leaders and GO/FO authorities to institutionalize Joint Targeting, Joint C2, and C4ISR capabilities across the joint enterprise.
Digital Fires Support Systems: Proven, hands-on operational and technical experience with JADOCS and other critical Joint or Service-specific Targeting systems, databases, and digital fire support architectures.
Operational Staff Experience: Experience working at a Combatant Command (e.g., J2, J3, J5, J8), Sub-unified Command, Service Component Command, or Joint Staff level. Must possess a deep understanding of operational and strategic staff functions sufficient to engage senior military leadership on battle rhythm events, operational concepts, and system integration.
Process Standardization: Demonstrated experience developing and refining highly structured Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs), or doctrinally focused operational process documents.
Analytical & Data Skills: Proven history of gathering, analyzing, and presenting complex operational facts using structured data collection, analysis, and dissemination tools.
Communication & Stakeholder Management: Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills, with a proven ability to interact confidently with senior military, government, and corporate stakeholders (General Officers, Executive Directors, etc.) and extract actionable strategic takeaways.
Autonomy & Travel: Ability to work independently with limited daily oversight and function effectively as part of a geographically separated operations team. Must be willing and able to travel up to 50% (22–24 weeks per year) to Ottawa, Canada, or relocate.
EVEN BETTER
Education: Equivalent of a bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, Military History, or a related technical/operational discipline.
Joint Targeting Enterprise: Prior training or operational experience in Joint Targeting and Intelligence Fusion.
Systems Engineering & Agile: Familiarity with Agile software development frameworks, systems engineering processes for documenting user requirements, and rapid prototyping lifecycles.
Skills Required
- Direct operational or engineering support experience with the Canadian Armed Forces, including CJWC, CJOC, or strategic joint targeting organizations
- Experience advising, mentoring, and training senior military leaders and government stakeholders on Joint Targeting, Joint C2, and C4ISR capabilities
- Hands-on operational and technical experience with JADOCS and other joint or service-specific targeting systems, databases, and digital fire support architectures
- Operational staff experience at a Combatant Command, Sub-unified Command, Service Component Command, or Joint Staff level
- Deep understanding of operational and strategic staff functions, battle rhythm events, operational concepts, and system integration
- Experience developing and refining SOPs, TTPs, or doctrinally focused operational process documents
- Experience gathering, analyzing, and presenting complex operational data using structured collection, analysis, and dissemination tools
- Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills with senior military, government, and corporate stakeholders
- Ability to work independently with limited daily oversight and within geographically separated operations teams
- Willingness and ability to travel up to 50% to Ottawa, Canada, or relocate
- Active U.S. Secret clearance at minimum
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, Military History, or a related technical or operational discipline
- Training or operational experience in Joint Targeting and Intelligence Fusion
- Familiarity with Agile software development, systems engineering requirements documentation, and rapid prototyping lifecycles
What We Do
Research Innovations is a small technology company focused on the development and application of emerging technologies that solve complex problems within the Defense and Intelligence communities.
