Cognitive Performance Specialist

Cognitive Performance Specialist

Seize your opportunity to make a personal impact as a Cognitive Performance Specialist supporting mission critical work on an exciting program. GDIT is your place to make meaningful contributions to challenging projects, build your skills, and grow a rewarding career.

At GDIT, people are our differentiator. As a Cognitive Performance Specialist supporting our customer, you will help ensure today is safe and tomorrow is smarter. Our work depends on a Cognitive Performance Specialist joining our team.

The Cognitive Performance Specialist shall train and educate agency personnel, in individual and group settings, in specific cognitive, mental, behavioral, psychosocial, perceptual, learning, adaptive thinking, human engagements, and emotional control skills, strategies including understanding, acquisition, and retention performance improvement and maintenance with documentation of work performed, implemented, and provided to personnel.

HOW A COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE SPECIALIST WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE:

• Based on evidence-based peer-reviewed literature train and educate agency personnel, in individual and group settings, in specific cognitive, mental, behavioral, psychosocial, perceptual, learning, adaptive thinking, human engagements, and emotional control skills, strategies including understanding, acquisition, and retention performance improvement and maintenance with documentation of work performed, implemented, and provided to agency personnel.
• Assists and advise the HP Program Manager and/or Coordinator in matters relating to mental performance, exercise and sports psychology.
• Provides information about cognitive performance, exercise and sports psychology factors in sports, exercise, and physical activity.
• Trains and educates on goal setting, performance profiling, visualization, performance development, and planning.
• Participates in periodic meetings to review human performance training provided to patients and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Attend and participate in meetings with other staff members and medical personnel as requested and/or required.
• Collaborates with the HP staff to enhance the quality and effectiveness of mental and human performance development and expertise delivered.
• Conducts periodic literature reviews to ensure HP stays current with the provision of care.
• Supports research conducted under supervision of the HP program Manager and/or Coordinator.
• Assists the HP Program Manager and/or Coordinator in developing and maintaining practice guidelines to ensure consistency of service across all Human Performance Training Centers (HPTCs).
• Proficiently utilize computers, software, and technologies as required and requested by the HP program manager and/or coordinator and required by headquarters agency staff.
• Maintains 100% compliance with local mandatory command training requirements.
• Attends required training in accordance with guiding instructions. Commands will allow for attendance at necessary conferences or courses to complete continuing education units required to maintain certification.
• Documents work performed, utilization, referrals, and all other information in the HP Enterprise- wide database (i.e., Smartbase), as directed by HP program Manager and/or Coordinator and required by headquarters and staff.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must have a minimum of 3 years or more post-graduate degree of demonstrable accumulated experience (continuous and sustained experience preferred) as a cognitive performance practitioner or Sport Psychologist with military members, athletes, groups of athletes at the levels of NCAA Collegiate, Olympic, professional sports, tactical setting, or with individuals or groups requiring high levels of mental and physical performance (experience with Special Operations personnel preferred).
• U.S. Citizenship.
• Must be capable of properly lifting and manipulating loads or weights up to 25 kilograms and capable of meeting physical demands of training with agency personnel including the ability to hike over rough terrain, function in austere environments and on various fixed or rotary wing aircraft, waterborne craft, or ground transport to observe agency personnel training evolutions and to conduct training and education.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO SUCCEED:

EDUCATION: Master's degree (Doctoral degree preferred) in Human Performance, Kinesiology, or Exercise Science, and/or Sport Sciences with a specialization in Sport Psychology.

LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS:

• Must have a certificate of completion of training for heart rate variability (HRV) through the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance (BCIA) or a relevant certification through BCIA. Or, at least 1 year of demonstrable experience delivering HRV training in a high-performance setting and be willing to obtain the BCIA HRV certificate of completion for HRV within 12 months of hire.
• May be required to receive and maintain cognitive enhancement certification as required by hiring unit, such as BCIA biofeedback certification.

PREFFERRED EXPERIENCE/SKILLS:

• Prior military experience is desired

CLEARANCE: Must possess a Top-Secret Clearance with the ability to obtain a SCI

LOCATION: Various OCONUS & CONUS SITES

This is a contingent posting, expected to start in 2026.

GDIT IS YOUR PLACE:

• 401K with company match
• Comprehensive health and wellness packages
• Internal mobility team dedicated to helping you own your career
• Professional growth opportunities including paid education and certifications
• Cutting-edge technology you can learn from
• Rest and recharge with paid vacation and holidays

The likely salary range for this position is $83,927 - $113,549. This is not, however, a guarantee of compensation or salary. Rather, salary will be set based on experience, geographic location and possibly contractual requirements and could fall outside of this range.

Scheduled Weekly Hours: 40

Travel Required: Less than 10%

Telecommuting Options: Onsite

Work Location: USA NC Fort Bragg

Additional Work Locations:

DEU Baumholder - Bldg 8264 Smith Barracks (APC274), USA CA Camp Pendleton - Camp Pendleton (CAC011), USA CA Coronado, USA CO Fort Carson, USA FL Hurlburt Field - 229 Cody Ave (FLC017), USA GA Fort Moore, USA GA Hunter AAF, USA HI Pearl Harbor, USA KY Fort Campbell, USA NC Camp Lejeune, USA VA Dam Neck

Total Rewards at GDIT:

Our benefits package for all US-based employees includes a variety of medical plan options, some with Health Savings Accounts, dental plan options, a vision plan, and a 401(k) plan offering the ability to contribute both pre and post-tax dollars up to the IRS annual limits and receive a company match. To encourage work/life balance, GDIT offers employees full flex work weeks where possible and a variety of paid time off plans, including vacation, sick and personal time, holidays, paid parental, military, bereavement and jury duty leave. To ensure our employees are able to protect their income, other offerings such as short and long-term disability benefits, life, accidental death and dismemberment, personal accident, critical illness and business travel and accident insurance are provided or available. We regularly review our Total Rewards package to ensure our offerings are competitive and reflect what our employees have told us they value most.

Our Identity Verification Process:

As part of the hiring process, we will ask you to complete an identity verification process that leverages advanced biometrics and artificial intelligence to ensure authenticity and protect against identity fraud. You are expected to be on camera during virtual interviews. We reserve the right to take your picture to verify your identity and prevent fraud. By proceeding, you authorize the collection, processing, and use of your biometric data for identity verification and security purposes.

About Our Work:

We are GDIT. A global technology and professional services company that delivers consulting, technology and mission services to every major agency across the U.S. government, defense and intelligence community. Our 26,000 experts extract the power of technology to create immediate value and deliver solutions at the edge of innovation. We operate across 50 countries worldwide, offering leading capabilities in digital modernization, AI/ML, Cloud, Cyber and application development. Together with our clients, we strive to create a safer, smarter world by harnessing the power of deep expertise and advanced technology.

Join our Talent Community to stay up to date on our career opportunities and events at gdit.com/tc.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Individuals with Disabilities / Protected Veterans