Jesse Watkins

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

DARPA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Defense with a singular and enduring mission: to make pivotal investments in breakthrough technologies for national security. The Agency explicitly reaches for transformational change instead of incremental advances. To do so, it works within an innovation ecosystem that includes academic, corporate and governmental partners, with a constant focus on the Nation's military Services, which work with DARPA to create new strategic opportunities and novel tactical options. DARPA comprises approximately 220 government employees in six technical offices, including nearly 100 program managers, who together oversee about 250 research and development programs. DARPA goes to great lengths to identify, recruit and support excellent program managers—extraordinary individuals who are at the top of their fields and are hungry for the opportunity to push the limits of their disciplines. These leaders, who are at the very heart of DARPA's history of success, come from academia, industry and government agencies for limited stints, generally three to five years. That deadline fuels the signature DARPA urgency to achieve success in less time than might be considered reasonable in a conventional setting. Program managers address challenges broadly, spanning the spectrum from deep science to systems to capabilities, but ultimately they are driven by the desire to make a difference. They define their programs, set milestones, meet with their performers and assiduously track progress. But they are also constantly probing for the next big thing in their fields, communicating with leaders in the scientific and engineering community to identify new challenges and potential solutions. DARPA is always on the lookout for outstanding individuals who can meet our demanding needs in the Agency's technical and support offices. Interested individuals may submit a resume/CV to employment@darpa.mil.