Mr. Watson serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense where he is the principal advisor to the Assistant Secretary of War for Nuclear Deterrence, Chemical, and Biological Defense Policy and Programs and oversees the Chemical and Biological Defense Program (CBDP). The CBDP is the Department-wide research, development, and acquisition program that provides the Joint Force with the capabilities it needs to deter or prevail against chemical and biological threats. Mr. Watson oversees the CBDP’s concept and requirements development, science and technology, advanced development, test and evaluation, and procurement activities. Mr. Watson also serves as the Executive Secretary for the Biodefense Executive Council, and he is responsible for the oversight and execution of the Department of War's (DoW) Biosurveillance Program.

Previously, Mr. Ian Watson served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary, and Director of the Office of Strategy, Policy, Planning, and Requirements and for Industrial Base Expansion in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) within the Department of Health and Human Services. In this position, Mr. Watson was responsible for leading the policy planning life-cycle to ensure that ASPR’s preparedness and emergency response capabilities aligned with the ASPR’s mission, as well as broader policy and planning considerations, to protect Americans from 21st Century health security threats. Mr. Watson was also responsible for ASPR’s (Industrial Base Expansion, supply chain management, industrial policy, and Defense Production Act program for the pandemic response.

Mr. Watson has also served as the Assistant Director for Biotechnology and Biosecurity within the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) in the Executive Office of the President whose mission is to ensure America is the world leader in science and technology. While at OSTP, Mr. Watson worked national security and S&T policy initiatives pertaining to the Bioeconomy, biodefense, planetary protection, scientific collections, biological sciences, etc.

Mr. Watson began his career in DoD, where he served in multiple positions as a leader for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction research, development, implementation, policy; systems integration for missile defense; Countering Threat Networks and Counter Proliferation initiatives; and managing and developing interagency and international relationships under Cooperative Threat Reduction, foreign military sales, and international armaments cooperation.