Operations Research Specialist

Why do you need to choose between doing important work and having a fulfilling life? At Ardent, we have both. Ardent employees are committed to solving our customers’ most difficult problems—and we are committed to the well-being, personal goals, and professional development of our employee. We are “All In.” We put forth our strongest effort possible to get the mission accomplished and we do it together. We respect the skills and experience you bring to the Ardent team. And we provide a rewarding environment to help you succeed. 

We offer highly competitive benefits, professional development opportunities, and an exceptional culture that embraces flexibility, innovation, collaboration, and career growth. A collective service mindset underpins our work, and a shared camaraderie to serve clients, colleagues and our communities set us apart. Our full commitment to being "All In" for our employees and our clients is not just our approach, it is our standard. If this sounds like the perfect fit for you, choose Ardent and make a difference with us. 

Ardent is seeking an Operation Research Specialist to join our team.  

This is a hybrid position located in the Washington DC area.

Position Description:

Ardent is seeking a highly skilled Operations Research Specialist to join our team. In this role, you will apply advanced analytical techniques and methodologies to solve complex problems in operations, logistics, and system optimization. You will work closely with clients to design and implement data-driven solutions that improve performance, reduce costs, and optimize processes. The ideal candidate will have expertise in statistical analysis, simulation modeling, and optimization techniques, and will play a key role in supporting decision-making processes for a variety of industries, including defense, healthcare, and public safety.

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Apply operations research methodologies such as mathematical modeling, optimization, and statistical analysis to solve client-specific challenges.
• Work with cross-functional teams to gather and analyze operational data, identifying trends and patterns to inform decision-making.
• Design, develop, and implement simulation models and optimization algorithms to support system and process improvement.
• Support the development and implementation of decision support systems (DSS) and provide analytical insights to improve operational efficiency.
• Provide expert advice to clients on quantitative analysis, forecasting, and predictive modeling to enhance business and operational performance.
• Develop reports, presentations, and other documentation to communicate analytical findings to non-technical stakeholders and clients.
• Collaborate with other technical experts and project managers to ensure the integration of operations research solutions with existing IT systems.
• Evaluate existing systems and processes to recommend improvements and provide guidance on best practices in operations research.
• Conduct cost-benefit analyses and other forms of sensitivity analysis to assess the impact of proposed changes and optimizations.
• Stay up to date with emerging technologies and methodologies in operations research, recommending innovative approaches to enhance the effectiveness of solutions.
• Provide leadership and mentoring to junior analysts and team members.

Requirements: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Operations Research, Mathematics, Industrial Engineering, Statistics, Computer Science, or a related field. A Master’s degree is preferred.
• 4 years of professional experience in operations research, quantitative analysis, or a related field, with practical experience in the application of operations research methods to solve real-world problems.
• Key Skills:
  • Proficiency in mathematical modeling, optimization, and statistical analysis.
  • Experience with simulation modeling (e.g., Monte Carlo simulation, discrete event simulation).
  • Strong knowledge of programming languages for operations research, such as Python, R, MATLAB, or C++.
  • Expertise in data analysis tools (e.g., Excel, SAS, SPSS, SQL).
  • Ability to apply machine learning techniques and data mining to enhance decision-making.
  • Familiarity with systems engineering concepts and process optimization techniques.
  • Experience in developing and using decision support systems (DSS) or similar technologies.
  • Knowledge of operations research software tools, such as Gurobi, CPLEX, or AnyLogic.
  • Ability to present complex analytical concepts in a clear and understandable way to non-technical stakeholders.

Certifications (Preferred):

• Certified Analytics Professional (CAP).
• INFORMS Certified Operations Research Analyst or equivalent.

Due to the nature of the work we support, all candidates in consideration for this role must be willing to undergo the government issued background investigation process.

Ardent is an equal opportunity employer. We will not discriminate and will take affirmative action measures to ensure against discrimination in employment, recruitment, advertisements for employment, compensation, termination, upgrading, promotions, and other conditions of employment against any employee or job applicant on the bases of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran's status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.