Strategic Research Consultant

Job Description: Strategic Research Consultant – 2025

Who We Are: Zeichner Risk Analytics (ZRA) is a boutique cybersecurity consulting firm in Arlington, Virginia that provides policy, legal, risk, and management consulting services to private sector and federal government clients. We work at the intersection of law, business, and technology to help our clients adapt to constantly evolving threat environments.

What We Do: ZRA consults for prominent public and private entities that operate in challenging and contested cybersecurity domains. We work closely with high-level stakeholders to create strategies to address cutting edge issues and set the course for future technology development. Our work regularly involves developing novel solutions to address complex and challenging problems.

Why ZRA: ZRA’s diverse project portfolio ensures that employees are exposed to a wide range of technologies and challenges. We work actively and openly in collaborative teams to address objectives, share knowledge, and realize goals. We are a small company, which provides the opportunity to quickly grow into a high-impact role and directly engage with clients.

Open Position: We have an immediate opening for a Strategic Research Consultant.

Location: The position is based in the Washington, D.C. area (Arlington, VA) and is a hybrid position that will include frequent in-office time; local candidates or those with the ability to relocate to the Washington D.C. area preferred.

Duties for this position include:

·        Conduct research on cybersecurity, risk, and policy for clients and evaluate the importance of topics for client portfolios.  

·        Consult and develop strategic research planning and execution.

·        Produce high-quality deliverables for a non-technical audience; deliverables include briefings, analytic and research reports, white papers, and work plans.

·        Apply professional and educational knowledge to analyze situations and take effective action.

·        Consult, communicate, and advise private sector and federal clients to support risk management decisions and other projects.

·        Prepare and provide articles for written publication.

·        Establish and maintain client relationships with regular, effective communication and project updates.

Required Skills and Experience:

·        Bachelor’s degree; Master’s degree preferred.

·        2-5 years professional experience, preferably in a role involving writing and research.

·        Academic or professional background in research, international affairs, security, cybersecurity, political science, risk approaches, liberal arts, teaching, journalism, or another relevant field.

·        Ability to conduct research on complex subject matter and translate research for client deliverables, at an executive level.

·        Ability to quickly extract key findings from comprehensive literature reviews on relevant emerging trends.

·        Interest in working in a multidisciplinary team and fast-paced, collaborative environment.

·        Excellent written and oral communications skills.

·        Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.

·        Cooperative team leader and team member.

·        The position is based in the Washington, D.C. area (Arlington, VA); local candidates or those with the ability to relocate to the Washington D.C. area preferred.

Additional Information:

·        Selected applicants must pass a pre-employment drug test and background review, which includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications.

·        Applicants for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain an upper-level security clearance (Top Secret), which requires U.S. citizenship. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.

·        Applicants offered employment are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

·        Applicants for employment also need to be able to obtain and maintain DHS Suitability.

·        For more information on security clearance requirements, please visit https://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/sf86.pdf

·        As part of holding and maintaining a security clearance, selected candidates may be given random tests for the absence of any illegal drug as defined in 10 CFR 707.4 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-10/chapter-III/part-707), and subsequent reinvestigations may be required.

• In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

To Apply:

·        Please submit a resume and cover letter to jobs@zra.com and include “Strategic Research Consultant – 2025” in the subject line.

·        No phone calls, please. Preference will be given to applicants who can start immediately. Fee commensurate with experience.

·        Deadline: Open until filled.