F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office - Contract Specialist

Summary

This Contract Specialist position is located in the F-35 Joint Program Office, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR). The position supports cradle to grave contracting requirements for the F-35 program. This includes the design, development, procurement, operation, and maintenance of F-35 aircraft, F135 engines, and associated equipment to support the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, international partner nations, and multiple Foreign Military Sales customers.

Summary

This Contract Specialist position is located in the F-35 Joint Program Office, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR). The position supports cradle to grave contracting requirements for the F-35 program. This includes the design, development, procurement, operation, and maintenance of F-35 aircraft, F135 engines, and associated equipment to support the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, international partner nations, and multiple Foreign Military Sales customers.

Overview

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Accepting applications

Open & closing dates

08/05/2025 to 08/12/2025

Salary $129,169 to - $187,237 per year

If selected, your salary will be set according to the established control points of this position which is $129,169 TO $187,237

Pay scale & grade NH 4

Locations

2 vacancies in the following locations:

Patuxent River, MD

Wright-Patterson AFB, OH

Arlington, VA

Remote job No Telework eligible Yes-This position is eligible for ad-hoc/situational telework at the discretion of management. Travel Required Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position. Relocation expenses reimbursed No Appointment type Permanent Work schedule Full-time Service Competitive

Promotion potential

None

Job family (Series)

• 1102 Contracting

Supervisory status No Security clearance Secret Drug test No Position sensitivity and risk Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk

Trust determination process

• National security

Financial disclosure No Bargaining unit status No

Announcement number ST-12773602-25-SPS Control number 841927400

This job is open to

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Federal employees - Competitive service

Current federal employees whose agencies follow the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's hiring rules and pay scales.

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.

Land and base management

Current or former employees of a base management agency.

Veterans

Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces or a spouse, widow, widower or parent of a veteran, who may be eligible for derived preference

Military spouses

Military spouses relocating under PCS orders or whose spouse is 100% disabled or died while on active duty.

Individuals with disabilities

Individuals who are eligible under Schedule A.

Special authorities

Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed in another hiring path.

Clarification from the agency

Current permanent employees of DoD, Former permanent federal employees, DoD Military Spouse Preference (MSP) eligibles, DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician Preference eligibles and DoD Retained Grade Preference eligibles, and VEOA eligibles.

Duties

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• You will be responsible for contracting for all naval aviation weapons including aircraft, aircraft components including engines, airborne missiles and target drones, supports systems and associated equipment and services.
• You will be responsible for the planning, negotiation, and other procurement function in connection with assigned programs
• You will personally prepare and conducts all major project contract negotiations, considering all facts and circumstances surrounding the particular procurement
• You will be negotiating and executing modifications, which change the contractual requirements of existing contracts, may represent a significant portion of the incumbent's responsibilities.
• You will review with the ACO the procedures used in administration of these contracts, including such vital responsibilities as the method of approval and surveillance of subcontractors.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• Must be a US Citizen.
• Must be determined suitable for federal employment.
• Must participate in the direct deposit pay program.
• New employees to the Department of the Navy will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov
• Generally, current federal employees applying for GS jobs must serve at least one year at the next lower grade level. This requirement is called time-in-grade. Time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
• This position is covered under the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA). Certification in the Acquisition Functional Area and category assigned to the position is required within established category timeframes.
• Within the Department of Defense (DoD), the appointment of retired military members within 180 days immediately following retirement date to a civilian position is subject to the provisions of 5 United States Code 3326.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• You will be required to obtain and maintain an interim and/or final security clearance prior to entrance on duty. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal.
• This position is a designated Critical Acquisition Position (CAP). You must sign a three-year tenure agreement prior to assuming the position unless a tenure waiver is approved.
• This position may require travel from normal duty station to CONUS and OCONUS and may include remote or isolated sites. You must be able to travel on military and commercial aircraft for extended periods of time.
• This position is covered under the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA). Certification in the Acquisition Functional Area and category assigned to the position is required within established category timeframes.

Qualifications

In addition to the Basic Requirements for this position, your resume must also demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-12/13 grade level or pay band (NH-03) in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector. Specialized experience must demonstrate the following: (1) Planning, negotiating, and other procurement functions in connection with major systems acquisition programs; (2) Assisting program management in the planning of funding requirements for the overall program; (3) Providing advice and assistance in determining the timing of awards; (4) Assisting in determining funding obligations; (5) Requesting, analyzing and evaluating cost and price data; and (6) Negotiating and executing modifications, which may change contractual requirements of existing contracts.

Applicant must meet the following Department of Defense qualification requirements for 1102 contracting positions:

And the title 10 requirements found here:

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

Education

Applicants must meet the following Basic Education Requirement of the Department of Defense Qualification Standard for Contracting Positions:

A bachelor's degree from an accredited educational institution authorized to grant baccalaureate degrees.

NOTE: The education requirement listed above applies only to individuals entering DoD GS-1102 positions on or after October 1, 2000. Current civilian personnel in DoD who occupied GS-1102 positions or contracting positions with authority to award or administer contracts above the simplified acquisition threshold in an Executive Department on or before September 30, 2000 are exempt from meeting this requirement. Current military members who occupied a similar occupational specialty to the GS (or equivalent) 1102 or before September 30, 2000 are also exempt from meeting this requirement.

Additional information

This position is covered by the Department of Defense Priority Placement Program.

Additional vacancies may be filled by this announcement.

A tentative offer of employment will be rescinded if the selectee fails to meet the pre-employment requirements, including failure to report to any of the scheduled appointments.

During the application process you will have the ability to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions in the local commuting area. Depending on the hiring organization and the position being filled, job requirements (e.g., security clearance, travel, drug testing, financial disclosure filing, bargaining unit status, etc.) may vary. Other hiring managers filling similar positions may offer relocation expense reimbursement and/or may offer recruitment incentives for new employees, depending on funding availability and in accordance with policy. If you opt-in and are referred on a certificate, your resume will be available to other hiring managers for 180-days from the date the job announcement closes. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

Federal annuitant information: The selection of an annuitant is subject to the Department of Defense and Department of the Navy policy on the employment of annuitants. Policy information may be found at:

ICTAP Applicants: To be considered well-qualified and exercise selection priority as an ICTAP candidate, displaced Federal employees must satisfy all qualification requirements for the position and receive a rating in the highly qualified category (score 85) or higher. ICTAP candidates must provide copies of all of the following documentation at the time of application: 1) agency notice; 2) most recent performance appraisal; and 3) most recent SF-50 or notification of personnel action that includes position, grade level, and duty location. Applicants who do not provide this documentation will not receive consideration as an ICTAP candidate. For more information about ICTAP eligibility please review the following link: Military Spouse Preference applicants will receive priority consideration at the Full Performance Level (FPL) and if determined to be Best Qualified at the FPL, and selected, must be placed at the FPL. A BQ military spouse possesses knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies comparable to others who meet the competitive referral criteria for the specific position.

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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

In order to qualify for this position, your resume must provide sufficient experience and/or education, knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are being considered. Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your skills, knowledge, and abilities as they relate to this position. Therefore, we encourage you to be clear and specific when describing your experience.

When the application process is complete, we will review your resume to ensure you meet the hiring eligibility and qualification requirements listed in this announcement. You will be rated based on the information provided in your resume and responses to the Occupational Questionnaire, along with your supporting documentation to determine your ability to demonstrate the following competencies:

• ADVANCED COST AND/OR PRICE ANALYSIS
• CONTRACT PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
• PROPOSAL EVALUATION (CONTRACTING BY NEGOTIATION)

You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume as that information may be taken into consideration during the selection process. If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation.

If after reviewing your resume and supporting documentation, a determination is made that you inflated your qualifications and/or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities or you may be found ineligible/not qualified.

Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

All eligibility, qualifications, and time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Benefits

Help

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

Required documents

Required Documents

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You are required to provide documentation that supports the eligibility and qualification claims made in your resume and assessment questionnaire. You must submit the applicable documents listed here and those listed with the eligibilities you select in the announcement questionnaire with your application package. Applicants who do not provide supporting documentation that fully support their claims will not be referred to the hiring manager. Cover letter is optional.

A complete resume is required. Your resume must show relevant experience, job title, duties and accomplishments. Your resume must show complete information for each job entry to support minimum qualifications. The following information should be provided in your resume but it is acceptable to provide elsewhere in your application package: employer's name, starting and end dates (Mo/Yr), hours per week, and pay plan, series and grade level (e.g. GS-0201-09) for relevant federal experience. TIP: A good way to ensure you include all essential information is to use Resume Builder in USAJOBS to create your resume.

Are you applying for a promotion? For GS positions, to be considered for promotion, you must provide SF-50(s) that show you held next lower GS grade for at least one year. SF-50s with an effective date in the past year (e.g., Gen Adjustment SF-50 from this year or Within Rate/Grade Increase (WRI/WGI) SF-50 within a year) do not show you meet one-year time-in-grade requirement. That means if you submit a SF-50 dated within the last year, you must submit a SF-50 dated more than one year ago to demonstrate you meet time-in-grade requirements. If you are a DoD employee, you can obtain a copy of your SF- 50(s) from MyBiz.

Are you claiming membership in any professional organizations, or possession of a license, certificate or credentials? Check Conditions of Employment section above to see if any are required. If you claim membership, license, certification, or credentials, you must submit a copy of said document in your application package.

Are you using education as a substitute for some or all of the experience requirement? Is there a basic education requirement for this position? Check the Education section above to see what is allowed and what is required. Any claims you make in your resume or assessment questionnaire regarding education or degrees MUST be supported by submitting with your application official or unofficial transcripts or list of courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned issued from your school. While unofficial transcripts are acceptable for initial application, official transcript(s) will ultimately be required if you are selected for the position. You may submit a copy your degree(s) if specific coursework does not have to be verified. Claims for approved "grandfather" clauses must be fully supported with documentation.

Are you a veteran claiming 5-point veterans' preference or claiming sole survivorship preference? You must submit a copy of your latest DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (any copy that shows all dates of service, as well as character of service [Honorable, General, etc.] is acceptable) OR VA letter that shows dates of service or service connected disability AND character of service. If you have more than one DD-214 for multiple periods of active duty service, submit a copy for each period of service. If you were issued a DD-215 to amend aforementioned information on the DD-214 you must submit that too. If you are not sure of your preference eligibility, visit Department of Labor's website: Veterans' Preference Advisor

Are you a disabled veteran or claiming 10-point veterans' preference?

If you are eligible to claim 10 point veterans preference you must submit a DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty as described above for 5-point preference.

You must also provide applicable supporting documentation of your disability (e.g. disability letter from the VA) as described on Standard Form-15 (SF-15). .

Are you an active duty service member? Active Duty Service Members are required to submit a statement of service printed on command letterhead and signed by the command. The statement of service must provide the branch of service, rate/rank, all dates of service, the expected date of discharge and anticipated character of service (Honorable, General, etc).

Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents contain personal information such as SSN and DOB and some documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove said personal information before you submit your application. You must provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

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.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.