Research Specialist Jobs in Virginia
Research Specialist jobs in Virginia are in consistent demand, concentrated in federal contracting, life sciences, higher education, and think-tank policy research across Northern Virginia, Richmond, and the Hampton Roads corridor. Major employers with an established Virginia presence include Booz Allen Hamilton, Leidos, and MITRE, all of which maintain large research divisions in the region. The most sought-after specialties are quantitative data analysis, policy and program evaluation, and biomedical or clinical research support. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Showing 5 of 25+ Research Specialist jobs
Company Overview
Orbis is a technology company that delivers sovereign intelligence and decision capabilities to the United States Government and its allies. We convert complex information and operational systems into decisive outcomes, giving public institutions and critical enterprises the tools to move faster, see clearer, and act first in an increasingly contested world.
We are not a consulting firm and not a systems integrator. Every Orbis team is built around practitioners who have operated at the mission edge, and every engagement is judged on one thing: whether it produces working capability, not slide decks. Solutions forged from experience; that is how we build, and it is how we hire.
Job Summary
Orbis is seeking a Digital Research Specialist for a mission critical customer in the Intelligence Community. The Specialist will be responsible for finding unique ways to leverage an array of tools and methodologies to conduct open-source research to assist our customers in planning and evaluating activities. This is a multi-year project with growing potential, on which the specialist will have the opportunity to demonstrate intellectual agility by exploring and leading cutting-edge research design, data collection, and data analysis for a client in the US Intelligence Community, all centered around the open-source environment. This project features the opportunity to interact with a wide range of key stakeholders, including those at senior levels. This is an exciting opportunity for an intellectually curious, energetic researcher to work on a project with real impact helping our client develop ways of better meeting the needs of its customers. The position is remote with a once-a-week requirement for McLean office consultations for a portion of the day.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and implement research designs centered around social media and open-source systems with practical strategies for conducting evaluations of policies, processes, programs, and training
- Work cross functionally to develop and implement a team of social media experts to assist in our customers' growing need for open-source data
- Develop and implement new cutting-edge solutions revolving around all open source to assist in our customer's program evaluation activities
- Work with a diverse team of mission specialists to leverage open source and social media data to assist in our customer's program planning and evaluation activities
- Perform a variety of research activities to include document reviews, structured interviews, and focus group facilitation; involves stakeholder identification and design of interview guides and focus group questions as well as logistical coordination for data collection activities and documentation of discussions
- Design and conduct survey research; includes sample identification, instrument development, survey distribution and response analysis
- Analyze both qualitative and quantitative information to provide the customer with comprehensive insights into organizational strengths and challenge areas
- Prepare reports and presentations for senior leadership based on research plans, activities, findings and recommendations
- Brief Senior-level customers on research plans, status of activities, findings and recommendations
Required Qualifications
- Active TS/SCI clearance with Poly
- A bachelor's degree is required for this position.
- Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience.
- Demonstrated experience researching social media presence and trends
- Demonstrated proficiency with highly prevalent social media platforms
- Demonstrated experience leading qualitative research and program evaluation activities
- Experience developing presentations and providing briefings to middle and senior management
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, including visual representation of data using charts and graphs
- Ability to perform in an individual contributor role while also excelling in a team environment
- Ability to analyze information and identify implications for policy, processes, communications and training
Desired Qualifications
- Familiarity with advanced statistical concepts
- Experience with survey design
- Advanced proficiency with MS Excel and PowerPoint
Physical Requirements
- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
- Participation in virtual and in-person meetings
- Ability to attend planned meetings and/or work in classified spaces for extended periods within the specified work regions
Orbis Benefits
Beyond the opportunity to work alongside practitioners who have operated at the mission edge, joining Orbis means real ownership over outcomes that matter; the chance to build technology that gives the United States Government and its allies a genuine decision advantage, not just another dashboard. From competitive retirement matching to a PTO policy that encourages real time off, we're committed to creating an environment where our team can do their best work and still have a life outside of it.
Our comprehensive benefits package is designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. A full list of benefits is shared with candidates following an initial conversation with our HR team, so you'll have a clear picture of the support and resources available to you as part of the Orbis team.
Orbis Locations
Orbis works in whatever arrangement the mission requires. Depending on the role, that might mean five days a week on a customer site, full-time in one of our offices, a hybrid schedule, or fully remote work; our team is spread across 25 states and four countries to match. We make sure every team member has the tools and access needed to do the work, wherever that work happens.
Travel is common across many Orbis roles, particularly those supporting customer missions in the field.
Orbis is headquartered in McLean, VA, with additional office locations in Taipei, Taiwan, and Canberra, Australia.
Orbis is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We are committed to providing a work environment free of discrimination and harassment, and we make employment decisions based on merit,
qualifications, and business need. Orbis does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable law.
Orbis complies with all applicable equal opportunity and non-discrimination laws in every jurisdiction in which we operate. Reasonable accommodation is available to applicants and employees with disabilities upon request.
Company Overview
Orbis is a technology company that delivers sovereign intelligence and decision capabilities to the United States Government and its allies. We convert complex information and operational systems into decisive outcomes, giving public institutions and critical enterprises the tools to move faster, see clearer, and act first in an increasingly contested world.
We are not a consulting firm and not a systems integrator. Every Orbis team is built around practitioners who have operated at the mission edge, and every engagement is judged on one thing: whether it produces working capability, not slide decks. Solutions forged from experience; that is how we build, and it is how we hire.
Job Summary
Orbis is seeking a Digital Research Specialist for a mission critical customer in the Intelligence Community. The Specialist will be responsible for finding unique ways to leverage an array of tools and methodologies to conduct open-source research to assist our customers in planning and evaluating activities. This is a multi-year project with growing potential, on which the specialist will have the opportunity to demonstrate intellectual agility by exploring and leading cutting-edge research design, data collection, and data analysis for a client in the US Intelligence Community, all centered around the open-source environment. This project features the opportunity to interact with a wide range of key stakeholders, including those at senior levels. This is an exciting opportunity for an intellectually curious, energetic researcher to work on a project with real impact helping our client develop ways of better meeting the needs of its customers. The position is remote with a once-a-week requirement for McLean office consultations for a portion of the day.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and implement research designs centered around social media and open-source systems with practical strategies for conducting evaluations of policies, processes, programs, and training
- Work cross functionally to develop and implement a team of social media experts to assist in our customers' growing need for open-source data
- Develop and implement new cutting-edge solutions revolving around all open source to assist in our customer's program evaluation activities
- Work with a diverse team of mission specialists to leverage open source and social media data to assist in our customer's program planning and evaluation activities
- Perform a variety of research activities to include document reviews, structured interviews, and focus group facilitation; involves stakeholder identification and design of interview guides and focus group questions as well as logistical coordination for data collection activities and documentation of discussions
- Design and conduct survey research; includes sample identification, instrument development, survey distribution and response analysis
- Analyze both qualitative and quantitative information to provide the customer with comprehensive insights into organizational strengths and challenge areas
- Prepare reports and presentations for senior leadership based on research plans, activities, findings and recommendations
- Brief Senior-level customers on research plans, status of activities, findings and recommendations
Required Qualifications
- Active TS/SCI clearance with Poly
- A bachelor's degree is required for this position.
- Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience.
- Demonstrated experience researching social media presence and trends
- Demonstrated proficiency with highly prevalent social media platforms
- Demonstrated experience leading qualitative research and program evaluation activities
- Experience developing presentations and providing briefings to middle and senior management
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, including visual representation of data using charts and graphs
- Ability to perform in an individual contributor role while also excelling in a team environment
- Ability to analyze information and identify implications for policy, processes, communications and training
Desired Qualifications
- Familiarity with advanced statistical concepts
- Experience with survey design
- Advanced proficiency with MS Excel and PowerPoint
Physical Requirements
- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
- Participation in virtual and in-person meetings
- Ability to attend planned meetings and/or work in classified spaces for extended periods within the specified work regions
Orbis Benefits
Beyond the opportunity to work alongside practitioners who have operated at the mission edge, joining Orbis means real ownership over outcomes that matter; the chance to build technology that gives the United States Government and its allies a genuine decision advantage, not just another dashboard. From competitive retirement matching to a PTO policy that encourages real time off, we're committed to creating an environment where our team can do their best work and still have a life outside of it.
Our comprehensive benefits package is designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. A full list of benefits is shared with candidates following an initial conversation with our HR team, so you'll have a clear picture of the support and resources available to you as part of the Orbis team.
Orbis Locations
Orbis works in whatever arrangement the mission requires. Depending on the role, that might mean five days a week on a customer site, full-time in one of our offices, a hybrid schedule, or fully remote work; our team is spread across 25 states and four countries to match. We make sure every team member has the tools and access needed to do the work, wherever that work happens.
Travel is common across many Orbis roles, particularly those supporting customer missions in the field.
Orbis is headquartered in McLean, VA, with additional office locations in Taipei, Taiwan, and Canberra, Australia.
Orbis is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We are committed to providing a work environment free of discrimination and harassment, and we make employment decisions based on merit,
qualifications, and business need. Orbis does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable law.
Orbis complies with all applicable equal opportunity and non-discrimination laws in every jurisdiction in which we operate. Reasonable accommodation is available to applicants and employees with disabilities upon request.
See All 25 Research Specialist Jobs in Virginia
Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Research Specialist JobsResearch Specialist Jobs by City in Virginia
Where Virginia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Research Specialist Job Market in Virginia
A snapshot from current Virginia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Education
What Virginia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in research specialist jobs across Virginia.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in a research-relevant field such as social science, public policy, or life sciences
- Demonstrated experience designing studies, collecting data, and analyzing findings using statistical methods
- Proficiency with analytical tools such as SPSS, SAS, R, or Python in a professional or academic setting
- Ability to obtain or maintain a federal security clearance, required by many Virginia contractors
- Strong written communication skills for producing technical reports, briefs, and peer-reviewed documents
- Experience coordinating IRB submissions or working within human subjects research compliance frameworks
Research Specialist Jobs in Virginia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a research specialist in Virginia?
Most research specialist positions in Virginia require at minimum a bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline such as public policy, social science, biology, or data science, with a master's degree preferred for senior roles. Virginia does not issue a state license specific to research specialists, so employers substitute credential signals like IRB certification, federal clearance eligibility, or completion of graduate research training programs at institutions such as the University of Virginia or Virginia Commonwealth University.
Which companies hire research specialists in Virginia?
Virginia research specialist roles are posted by William & Mary, University of Virginia, and Virginia Commonwealth University and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Virginia's dense concentration of federal agencies and defense contractors means a large share of openings come from organizations holding government research and evaluation contracts.
Which Virginia cities have the most research specialist jobs?
Virginia, Arlington, and Charlottesville account for the largest share of research specialist openings in Virginia. Northern Virginia dominates because of its proximity to federal agencies and the contractor ecosystem around Washington, D.C., while Richmond draws openings from state government, VCU Health, and financial services firms, and Hampton Roads reflects demand from Navy and defense research installations.
Are there remote research specialist jobs in Virginia?
Yes, and more than most fields, since research specialist work is largely desk-based and output-driven. About 38% of research specialist openings tied to Virginia are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the analytical and writing-heavy nature of the role. Literature review, data analysis, and report writing are the tasks most commonly performed fully remotely, while primary data collection and stakeholder interviews are more likely to require some in-person presence.
How can I get hired as a research specialist in Virginia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through a graduate research assistantship or a project coordinator role at a Virginia university or federal contractor, where you build documented research experience under supervision. Institutions like George Mason University, Virginia Tech, and VCU regularly hire research assistants and program support staff who transition into specialist roles. A portfolio of completed research projects, an IRB human subjects certification, and familiarity with at least one statistical software package give early-career candidates a meaningful edge over those without them.
Where can I find and apply to research specialist jobs in Virginia?
You can find and apply to research specialist jobs in Virginia on Migrate Mate, which lists current Virginia openings updated regularly. Search by specialty, location, or experience level to identify roles that fit your background, then apply directly to the positions that match.
See All 25 Research Specialist Jobs in Virginia
Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Research Specialist Jobs