Aptive is seeking support the Mission Daybreak 2.0 contract to support VA’s Office of Suicide Prevention (OSP) and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Innovation Ecosystem. The program builds on VA’s innovation and human-centered design frameworks to rapidly test, evaluate, and scale solutions that reduce Veteran suicide. Aptive’s team will manage a portfolio of innovation projects, coordinate governance and reporting, deliver evaluation and research insights, plan stakeholder and engagement events, and support the development of scalable training and communications products.

The Evaluation Specialist – Sr. is responsible for leading program evaluation strategy and execution. This role designs evaluation frameworks, tools, and protocols that capture both outcomes and implementation fidelity, ensuring each project generates credible, actionable evidence. The senior specialist develops and validates data collection methods, supervises junior staff in survey and interview administration, and integrates findings into business cases and decision briefs for leadership. They ensure evaluations align with evidence-based frameworks such as RE-AIM and QUERI, producing results that can be compared across sites and used to guide decisions to continue, pivot, or conclude projects. This is a senior-facing role that requires strong methodological expertise as well as the ability to translate findings into clear, decision-ready products for VA leadership and stakeholders.

• BA/BS degree.
• 10 years of experience in program evaluation.
• Expertise in quantitative and qualitative methods, including survey design, focus groups, and structured interviews.
• Demonstrated ability to oversee performance report design and integrate findings into program operations.

• Familiarity with VA evaluation frameworks such as RE-AIM and QUERI.
• Experience developing business cases and decision briefs for senior federal healthcare leadership.
• Strong background in comparative evaluation and translating findings into actionable recommendations.

The Office of Suicide Prevention leads VA’s national strategy to reduce Veteran suicide through prevention, intervention, and postvention efforts. The VHA Innovation Ecosystem partners with OSP to accelerate promising ideas from pilot to practice across the VA healthcare system. Together, these offices foster collaboration with Veterans, clinicians, and innovators to identify effective solutions, strengthen system readiness, and improve outcomes for Veterans and their families.

Aptive partners with federal agencies to achieve their missions through improved performance, streamlined operations and enhanced service delivery. Based in Alexandria, Virginia, we support more than a dozen agencies including Veterans Affairs, Transportation, Defense, Homeland Security and the National Science Foundation. ​

We specialize in applying technology, creativity and human-centered services to optimize mission delivery and improve experiences for millions of people who count on government services every day. ​

Founded: 2012
Employees: 300+ nationwide

Aptive is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, parental status, veteran status, age, disability, or any other protected class.

Veterans, members of the Reserve and National Guard, and transitioning active-duty service members are highly encouraged to apply.