Contract Specialist

This position is in the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research & Engineering (OUSW(R&E), specifically in the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO). This is a Direct Hire Public Notice, under this recruitment, applications will be accepted for each location and/or installation identified in this Public Notice and selections are made for vacancies as they occur. There may or may not be actual/projected vacancies at the time you submit your application. This Public Notice is to gather applications which may or may not result in a referral or selection. This position is being filled under Direct Hire Authority (DHA) in accordance with Section II.B.4.b and Pub. L. 111-383. DHA for AcqDemo Business and Technical Management Professional Career Path (NH) Please read this Public Notice in its entirety prior to submitting your application for consideration. Incumbents typical work assignments may include the following: Plans, develops, and executes comprehensive contracting and acquisition strategies for complex, high-priority programs and systems across a high-tempo operational environment. Serves under or works toward maintaining an Agreements Officer warrant to lead non-traditional procurement pathways, specifically negotiating, awarding, and administering Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs) and prototype-to-production instruments. Conducts rigorous compliance and adequacy reviews of complex requirements packages, statements of objectives, and procurement documentation, mitigating operational and acquisition risks. As the Contracting Officer Representative(COR), leads portfolio management and cradle-to-grave acquisition oversight for enterprise-wide AI and data programs. Directly oversees contractor performance, cost, schedule, and technical milestones, focusing on systems integration, architectural scalability, and interoperability across multi-stakeholder defense ecosystems. Evaluates, refines, and endorses program acquisition strategies, procurement baselines, and charter documentation to ensure strict adherence to Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO), Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), and federal regulatory standards. In order to qualify for this position, you must meet the requirements described below. Applicants must meet the BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS as follows: A bachelor's degree from an accredited educational institution authorized to grant baccalaureate degrees AND have at least 24 semester hours in any combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, law contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management (This requirement can be obtained within the degree or in addition to the degree.) Exemption: You are exempt from the education requirements above if (A) you are a current DoD employee, in any occupational series, who has served on or before September 30, 2000, as follows: (1) Served as a GS/equivalent-1102 position or contracting officer position with authority to award or administer contracts above the Simplified Acquisition Threshold in any Federal agency, OR (2) served as a military member in a comparable military occupational specialty; OR (B) you are a current member of the armed forces who occupied a position within an occupational specialty similar to the GS-1102 series on or before September 30, 2000. https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1100/contracting-series-1102/ You may qualify at the NH-3 (GS-12/13) level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the NH-2 (GS-11) grade level in the Federal service (experience may have been gained in the private sector) that demonstrates your ability in: Applying advanced IT/AI principles, concepts, methods, standards, and practices sufficient to review and evaluate assigned IT systems program's acquisition strategies. Applying and understanding of intellectual property (IP) laws, software and artificial intelligence (AI) acquisition, cybersecurity standards, and supply-chain risk management (SCRM) within defense systems. Developing and executing comprehensive portfolio contracting strategies that align business structures with program urgency, funding profiles, schedules, and sustainment plans. Performing Contracting Officer and Agreements Officer functions, spanning planning, market research, solicitation, evaluation, complex negotiations, award, administration, dispute resolution, and termination. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. All qualifications and education requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume. Your resume may not exceed two (2) pages. For qualifications determinations, it is recommended that applicants include their months and hours worked per week for each employment listed on their resume. If a determination is not able to be made about the duration of your creditable experience for qualification requirements, you will be removed from consideration. Read more about what should I include in my federal resume at https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: Federal agencies treat active duty service member as veterans, disabled veterans, and preference eligible, when they submit, as part of their application package, a "certification" of active service in lieu of a DD-214, indicating the service member is otherwise eligible and will be discharged or released within 120 days from the date of submission.. A "certification" letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service. This "certification" must include your rank, dates of active duty service, type of discharge and character of service (i.e. honorable), and date any terminal leave will begin. It must be signed by, or by direction of, the adjutant, personnel officer, or commander of your unit or higher headquarters. Active duty members that fail to provide a valid "certification" of service with their initial application will be found "not eligible". Members may be appointed before the effective date of their military retirement/separation if they are on terminal leave. ARE YOU QUALIFYING BASED ON EDUCATION or A COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE? You must provide sufficient documentation of your education in your resume. You MUST provide a copy of official or unofficial transcripts or degrees in your application package. It may also be acceptable to document your applicable course listing in your resume (course number, credits earned, etc.). Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency. If selected, an official/sealed transcript will be required prior to appointment. PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society. GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html