Behavioral Science Task Leader​/Senior Contributor - Personnel Testing and Assessment

Description

Leidos Health & Services Sector is seeking a Behavioral Science Task Leader/Senior Contributor to support the Department of Defense’s personnel testing and assessment mission. The role provides senior‑level leadership and technical oversight for behavioral research, assessment development, and measurement efforts supporting DoD’s personnel testing enterprise, directly contributing to research, psychometric evaluation, test design, and operational improvement of accession‑related assessments.

The contract provides comprehensive scientific, analytic, and operational support to the DoD for the development, administration, evaluation, and continuous improvement of its personnel testing and assessment programs. Support includes behavioral science research, psychometric analysis, test development, operational test administration, data collection, statistical modeling, and technical assistance for computer‑based and paper‑and‑pencil testing systems—including the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), language proficiency tests, and other accession‑related assessments.

• Lead teams to develop assessment items, instruments, and research protocols.
• Direct statistical analysis of behavioral and assessment data.
• Ensure quality and defensibility of testing methodologies.
• Oversee documentation, study execution, and research compliance.
• Coordinate work across multidisciplinary technical teams.

• Academic and experience requirements:
  • Minimum bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Industrial‑Organizational Psychology, Educational Measurement, Cognitive Science, Human Factors, or related field plus 15 years of related experience, OR Master’s degree plus 12 years of related experience, OR Ph.D. plus 10 years of related experience.
• Experience:
  • Applied behavioral science, test development, psychometrics, or large‑scale research programs.
  • Leadership of test development teams, content review panels, or multidisciplinary research groups.
  • Support of high‑stakes testing programs, preferably within federal government, military, or national assessment organizations.
  • Design and execution of validation studies, psychometric analyses, survey development, and instrument evaluation.
  • Development of technical reports, test specifications, scoring plans, and documentation aligned with APA/AERA/NCME standards.
  • Coordination with IT, psychometrics, data science, and operational stakeholders to integrate behavioral science requirements into broader system workflows.
• Skills:
  • Excellent written and verbal communication.
  • Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
  • Collaborative teamwork and independent work.
  • Planning, prioritizing, and managing own work and the work of others.
  • High standards for product and service quality.
  • Desire to learn and develop inventive methods that respond to client needs.
  • Leadership of assessment development, research activities, measurement strategies, and methodological decision‑making with scientific rigor.
  • Development of constructs, specifications, items, forms, scoring rubrics, surveys, and supporting materials from conception to operational readiness.
  • Management of timelines, deliverables, data workflows, and staff assignments with quality and compliance to testing standards.
  • Translation of complex technical and scientific concepts for multiple audiences, including senior leaders, operational personnel, and technical domains.
  • Review of research plans, analytic outputs, test materials, and technical documentation for completeness, defensibility, and accuracy.
• Security Clearance:
  Must possess or be able to obtain a DoD Common Access Card (CAC) and complete FBI fingerprint check and NACI check. U.S. citizenship required.
• Location:
  
  Eligible for 75% remote work; occasional on‑site work required. Candidate must be located or willing to relocate within commuting distance of Seaside, CA.

• Experience working with or within the DoD.
• Familiarity with DTAC and its mission.
• Familiarity with DoD or federal personnel testing, recruiting, or classification processes.
• Knowledge of military accession, recruiting, and classification processes.
• Experience with…