PRIMARY PURPOSE
The Special Activities and Intelligence (SAI) team in CNA’s Operational Warfighting division is seeking an applied scientist with a background in cognitive or behavioral science, neuroscience, or psychology. Experience, background, or interest in human decision making, cognitive load, interaction effects with artificial intelligence, and/or human decision aids and tools is a plus.
Applicants should possess or be nearing completion of a PhD in cognitive neuroscience, psychology, or related field and have an interest in applied, operations or policy-oriented research and the ability to write, speak, and present to both technical and non-technical audiences in a clear and concise format. Applicants should also have:
- Strong analytic curiosity and creativity;
- The ability to operate both independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary environment;
- Strong critical thinking skills;
- Knowledge of relevant research techniques and recent advancements;
- Strong planning and organizational skills;
- Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills; and
- The ability to interact positively and somewhat independently with clients.
Strong consideration will be given to applicants with experience with quantitative methodologies, stochastic modeling and simulation, and/or statistics.
As part of the Department of Navy’s Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC), CNA’s Operational Warfighting Division provides analysis that helps naval warfighters organize, plan, train, and execute their missions. The Special Activities and Intelligence program conducts operational assessments of how warfighters can synchronize maneuver and non-kinetic effects, integrate operational teams across domains and echelons, and optimize the extraction of operational value from information and intelligence feeds to provide decision advantage.
As a Research Analyst, you will provide analysis to help develop and evaluate how commanders see, understand, and decide at the operational level of war; identify cross-domain advantages or dependencies; and craft policies, concepts, and requirements for synchronized effects. Major research areas include the application, integration, and assessment of artificial intelligence, autonomy, and multi-INT sensor fusion for command and control, integrated fires, data governance and interoperability, and special operations.
CNA fosters an inclusive culture that values diverse backgrounds and perspectives. Our flexible and engaging work environment encourages iterative and creative collaboration at every stage of the problem solving process. Our employees are committed to helping clients develop effective solutions to better manage their programs through scientific, data-driven approaches. We are looking for creative and innovative individuals to help carry out our mission.
JOB DESCRIPTION AND/OR DUTIES
1. With minimal or no guidance, meets CNA’s quality standards when working on well-structured pieces of a project. Demonstrates ability to develop sound analytic frameworks and associated analytic methodologies/ techniques for addressing both structured and unstructured problems. With direction and supervision, clearly defines, structures, and executes a piece of a complex study to meet quality standards. Demonstrates analytic creativity and curiosity.
2. Develops and maintains broad, general institutional knowledge of primary clients/sponsors; their culture, organization, and issues.
3. Contributes productively and harmoniously to the work of others; treats everyone respectfully, professionally and fairly. Keeps others informed. Proactively identifies and seeks out others working on similar topics. Works to identify opportunities for collaborations within team, division, and operating unit.
4. Supports business development efforts and/or marketing activities by maintaining strong client relationships through high quality work, increasing the visibility of our work, and other related activities such as proposal preparation.
5. Interacts with sponsors/clients under the supervision of an experienced colleague, and with study POCs independently.
6. Makes significant contributions to research publications and analytic products for individual projects.
7. Demonstrates ability to communicate results of work in a clear and concise fashion. Effectively communicates one-on-one and in groups. Can document work efficiently and accurately. Can effectively present work to colleagues, sponsors, and small audiences that are familiar with content.
8. Works with minimal or no guidance on focused, well-structured pieces of projects. Works under closer supervision on more complex, less-structured tasks. Can serve as task lead for pieces of projects by managing own activities. May lead small projects under the supervision of an RTL/CMD.
9. Exhibits a positive attitude in interactions with colleagues and clients/sponsors. Provides clear guidance to colleagues on tasks. Takes responsibility for own actions and outcomes.
10. Performs other duties as assigned.
JOB REQUIREMENTS
1. Education: Minimum Master’s degree in a relevant field or equivalent experience, PhD preferred. An advanced degree in cognitive or behavioral science, neuroscience, psychology, or related field is preferred.
2. Experience: Typical minimum requirements Ph.D. & 0+ years or Master’s & 2+ years of experience in research and analysis. Experience, background, or interest in human decision making, cognitive load, interaction effects with artificial intelligence, and/or human decision aids and tools is a plus.
3. Skills: Ability to make significant contributions to projects/analyses; Strong analytic curiosity/ creativity; Ability to operate independently in the execution of assignments; Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary environment; Strong critical thinking skills; Knowledge of research techniques; Strong planning and organizational skills; Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills; Ability to interact positively and somewhat independently with clients. Strong consideration will be given to applicants with experience with quantitative methodologies, stochastic modeling and simulation, and/or statistics.
4. Other: Ability to obtain and maintain an Active TS/SCI Security Clearance.
Skills Required
- Minimum master's degree in a relevant field or equivalent experience
- PhD in cognitive or behavioral science, neuroscience, psychology, or a related field
- PhD with 0+ years or master's degree with 2+ years of research and analysis experience
- Strong analytic curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, and research methodology knowledge
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary environment
- Strong planning, organizational, interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills
- Ability to interact positively and somewhat independently with clients or sponsors
- Experience with quantitative methodologies, stochastic modeling and simulation, or statistics
- Ability to obtain and maintain an active TS/SCI security clearance
- U.S. citizenship for positions requiring access to classified information
CNA Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about CNA and has not been reviewed or approved by CNA.
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Retirement Support — Retirement contributions are described as notably strong, with a 401(k) featuring company contributions. Examples include an automatic employer contribution plus a dollar‑for‑dollar match on employee deferrals, supporting long‑term savings.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Paid time off is described as generous, with PTO purchase options and paid family leave highlighted. Examples cite 3–4 weeks of PTO for full‑time employees alongside standard paid holidays.
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Parental & Family Support — Family‑building and caregiving benefits include paid family leave, adoption/surrogacy reimbursement, and LGBTQ+‑inclusive advocacy resources. These provisions complement an Employee Assistance Program for broader support.
CNA Insights
What We Do
CNA is one of the largest U.S. commercial property and casualty insurance companies. Backed by more than 125 years of experience, CNA provides a broad range of standard and specialized insurance products and services for businesses and professionals in the U.S., Canada and Europe. As a company of allies, we understand the importance of fostering an inclusive and supportive culture for all employees. Our eight Employee Resource Groups elevate the voices of underrepresented groups and champion critical DEI initiatives in the workplace and beyond. We strive to promote an environment of inclusion and continuously work to ensure all employees feel valued and respected.
Why Work With Us
CNA knows the importance of having the tools you need to expand your expertise and develop your career. With a variety of cross-discipline and cross-functional opportunities, CNA provides you with the tools and resources needed to customize your career path and understand what is needed to be effective in your role.
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