Consultant - Defense & Security - Campus 2026
This entry-level consulting role supports government clients in defense and security by assisting in program and project management, performance evaluation, risk mitigation, and process improvement. The position involves client interaction, data analysis, policy development, and contributing to business growth activities, requiring strong analytical, communication, and organizational skills along with the ability to obtain a Public Trust clearance.
About Careertakes
👉 Important disclosure: Careertakes is a third-party recruiting platform supporting this hiring process. If selected, you will be employed directly by our client, Management Consulting.
Applicants for this role may also receive access to additional matched opportunities through the Careertakes platform.
What You’ll Do
You will join a client-facing management consulting team supporting federal government programs. In this entry-level role you will help design, launch, and improve programs and projects that support the client’s mission. Work will include data collection and analysis, developing performance metrics, documenting and improving business processes, supporting risk analysis and mitigation design, and preparing client-ready communications such as memos, presentations, and briefings.
Responsibilities
- Assist clients in designing, developing, launching, and improving projects and programs that meet strategic goals
- Help define and implement performance metrics and measurement tools to monitor program effectiveness
- Analyze projects and programs to identify risks and support mitigation planning and monitoring
- Document and evaluate business processes and recommend improvements
- Collect, analyze, and visualize data to support decision-making and reporting
- Produce clear written and oral communication for a range of audiences (emails, memos, briefings, presentations)
- Conduct research to investigate client problems and propose evidence-based solutions
- Support internal business development, proposal development, and knowledge-sharing activities
Minimum Qualifications
- Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust, Secret, or higher federal/government security clearance. US Citizenship is required for clearance.
- Completing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree between fall 2025 and summer 2026 from an accredited college or university
- Strong analytical skills and the ability to work with data (collection, basic analysis, visualization)
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Interest in a career in consulting, preferably supporting government/federal/DoD clients
- Willingness to travel up to ~10%
Preferred / Nice to Have
- Degrees or coursework in Public Policy, Government, International Studies, Accounting, Finance, Business, IT, Computer Science, Data Science, Audit Readiness, Communications, or other STEM fields
- Active U.S. security clearance (e.g., SECRET, TOP SECRET, TS/SCI)
- Familiarity with project management principles and lifecycle phases (Initiation, Planning, Execution, Monitoring, Closure)
- Experience producing client-facing deliverables in team environments under tight deadlines
- Strong attention to detail and ability to draft and edit both technical and non-technical materials
- Ability to synthesize information quickly, learn new tools, and participate in client discussions
Benefits & Perks
- Medical, Rx, Dental & Vision insurance
- Paid sick time and company paid holidays
- Eligibility for discretionary variable incentive bonus (role-dependent)
- Parental leave and adoption assistance
- 401(k) retirement plan
- Basic and supplemental life insurance
- Health Savings Account; flexible spending accounts
- Short-term & long-term disability
- Student loan paydown programs
- Tuition reimbursement and professional development opportunities
- Skills development and certification support
- Employee referral program
- Corporate-sponsored events and community outreach
- Emergency back-up childcare program
- Mobility stipend
About the Confidential Client
This opportunity will place you with a confidential client in the management consulting industry supporting public-sector and national-security missions. The confidential client works with federal customers to improve operations, compliance, performance management, and program outcomes. This listing is managed by Careertakes, a third-party recruiting platform.
Equal Opportunity & Hiring Transparency
Careertakes and our client are Equal Opportunity Employers committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind. To support a fair and efficient hiring process, AI tools may be used to assist with application review or resume screening. These tools do not replace human decision-making. Final hiring decisions are made by people.
If you have questions about how your data is used, please contact us directly.
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