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 – Junior supports the design and implementation of evaluation activities across the innovation portfolio. This role assists with survey administration, focus groups, structured interviews, and the maintenance of evaluation databases. They help track program outcomes, support the preparation of recurring reports, and ensure evaluation findings are accurate, consistent, and delivered on time. The junior specialist works closely with the Senior Evaluation Specialist and Data Analyst Jr. to provide the operational backbone for data collection and evidence generation that informs leadership decisions. This position is well-suited for someone with strong research and data management skills who is eager to grow in program evaluation within a federal healthcare context.

• BA/BS degree.
• 5 years of experience in program evaluation or research.
• Experience conducting surveys, interviews, or focus groups.
• Strong skills in data collection, documentation, and content analysis.

• Familiarity with federal healthcare evaluation practices.
• Knowledge of VA program structures and data sources.
• Optional: Basic familiarity with data visualization tools (e.g., Excel, Power BI, or similar).

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.