ARA‘s ISR division is looking to hire a Chemist. As the Chemist, you will provide chemical expertise to DTRA’s training events and exercises. Articulates Chemical Warfare Agent (CWA) related information, responds to questions, and assists in building lab scenarios that capture the audience’s training objectives.
Chemist Responsibilities:
Construct chemical warfare agent labs and evaluate unit safety and sampling procedures while in the lab. Provide a course of instruction focused on CWA, their development, characteristics, historic use, emerging threats, precursors, and signs and symptoms of exposure as needed. Design and build all the CWA lab processes and ensure required chemicals and equipment are available. Provide feedback to the training unit on safety, sampling procedures, and explanation of the lab process while in the lab. Serve as a SME on the following: Chemical warfare agents, their synthesis, exposure routes, signs, and symptoms, and their mode of transmission as well as the detection equipment to include basic instrument maintenance, operational theory, and interpretation of instrument outputs / responses to both simulant and live agent chemical challenges. Instruments will include currently fielded US DoD equipment (e.g. M8 & M256A2 CDK, JCAD, RMX - Raman, FTX - FTIR, MX908 HPMS) and select nonstandard detection equipment (e.g. multi-gas - 4 gas detector w/ PID, colorimetric test papers and length of stain tubes). Decontamination of chemical warfare agents and the physical removal techniques utilized by US DoD personnel. Respiratory protection to include air purifying respirators (APR), powered air purifying respirators (PAPR), canister function, break through, and proper respiratory PPE / IPT selection based established threat agent. Be familiar with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) / Individual Protective Technologies (IPT) to include knowledge of protective fabrics, to include permeation resistance to traditional and emerging threats. Experience with neutralization media application and evaluation utilizing US DoD specific solid and liquid decontaminants. While conducting Live Agent Training, assist facility personnel, as required, with filling lab process with appropriate precursor chemicals and CWA and provide safety oversight of lab operations during training. Shall meet medical requirements to wear a protective mask in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.134.Offer is contingent upon contract award.
Chemist Required Qualifications:
US citizen with an active Secret Clearance to start. Must be able to obtain a Top-Secret clearance. Master’s degree 10 to 13 years or PhD with 8+ years in a Chemistry-related field from an accredited school is highly desired. Must be able to obtain a US Passport Experience in chemical weapons use and consequence management of their use. Maintain assigned protective mask to include assembly and disassembly. Maintain assigned chemical protective ensemble. Experienced with practical application of CBRN-related skills, to include operating in contaminated environment and employment of CBRN PPE. Work in an office and field environment Possess effective oral and written communication skills, and proficient in using the Microsoft Office Suite of tools. Emphasis placed on PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and Visio. Shall be able to travel worldwide on short notice and work non-standard hours. This includes obtaining the required immunizations. Shall be able to perform duties in all weather and climate conditions and be capable of carrying loads of up to 60 pounds over uneven terrain. Shall be capable of flying in utility helicopters for extended periods of time and be available for expeditious foreign travel for extended periods of time.Chemist Preferred Qualifications:
Current Top-Secret Clearance Knowledge in CWA design and manufacturing processes is highly desired. Experienced with laboratory equipment to demonstrate the manufacture of CWA is highly desired.Who is ARA?
Do you want to work for a purpose? Applied Research Associates, Inc. (aka ARA) is an employee-owned international research and engineering company. We have been providing technically superior solutions to complex and challenging problems in the physical sciences since 1979. ARA has over 2,271 employee-owners and continues to grow rapidly. Together, our offices throughout the U.S. and Canada provide a broad range of technical expertise in defense, civil, and health technologies, computer software and simulation, systems analysis, environmental technologies, and testing and measurement.
ARA also prides itself, on having a challenging culture where innovation & experimentation are the norm. The motto, “Engineering and Science for Fun and Profit” sums up the ARA experience. Employee ownership ensures you have a voice with what happens in the company. We are also very proud of our Women’s Initiative Network (WIN), whose purpose is to motivate, support, and encourage professional career development for women to maximize career and professional accomplishments.
To find out more about what the Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance Division has to offer, visit our website at: https://www.ara.com/benefits/