The Management Operations Directorate, Procurement Operations Division (Code 210) seeks a highly motivated individual to serve as a Contract Specialist responsible for applying the techniques of procurement planning, negotiation, and contract administration through assigned tasks in support of Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) projects.
As identical vacancies are identified, additional selections may be made.
Summary
The Management Operations Directorate, Procurement Operations Division (Code 210) seeks a highly motivated individual to serve as a Contract Specialist responsible for applying the techniques of procurement planning, negotiation, and contract administration through assigned tasks in support of Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) projects.
As identical vacancies are identified, additional selections may be made.
Individuals who have graduated or are within 9 months of graduation from an accredited educational institution within the last two years.
Veterans who were unable to apply for Pathways Recent Graduates jobs due to active military service are eligible for two years after release or discharge from active duty, up to six years after completing degree requirements.
This position is part of the NASA Pathways Recent Graduate Program, which is a formal training program. You may be required to perform rotational assignments in various organizations.
The duties described below are for the full-performance level. At developmental grade levels, assignments will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity.
As a Contract Specialist, you will be responsible for all aspects of the contracting transactions from initiation to recommendation of award to procurement of items or services where standard contracting procedures may need to be modified.
You will identify planning needs for future procurement items. You will analyze the requirement, recommend revisions to the statement of work or specifications, and decide on the type of contract, milestones, and acquisition plans.
You will formulate the contracting approach to be taken that will best satisfy the requirement. You will negotiate contract terms and conditions.
You will prepare and coordinate the contracts reflecting agreement between the Agency and the vendor through supporting documentation.
You will prepare a written request for proposal, publicize the requirement, issue the solicitation document, analyze offers received, and prepare a negotiation position.
You will evaluate technical cost proposals, negotiate cost, fee, or profit as well as technical issues, and enter into a formal contract with the offeror.
You will monitor contract performance and negotiation of necessary contract modifications to ensure satisfactory progress and completion of contract activities.
Position subject to pre-employment background investigation
Applicants must possess at least a Bachelor's Degree or equivalent
A one-year probationary period may be required
Qualifications
BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:
Applicants must meet the basic education requirement for the GS-1102 series at all grade levels with at least a Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) from an accredited educational institution.
In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you may also meet the qualification requirements listed below:
Qualify as a GS-05: To qualify for GS-05: the applicant must have successfully completed a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree from an accredited educational institution.
Qualify as a GS-07: To qualify based on your experience, your resume must reflect at least one (1) year of specialized experience which demonstrates your ability to perform the work of Contract Specialist, GS-1102 at the GS-05 grade level. Specialized experience is defined as applying intermediate complexity, relevant experience in the areas of accounting, business administration, finance, purchasing, retail, economics, or any other business area.
OR
Education: 1 full academic year of graduate education or law school or superior academic achievement (SAA).
S.A.A. is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership.
1.Class standing -- Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses.
2.Grade-point average (G.P.A.)-- Applicants must have a grade-point average of:
a.3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or
b.3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum.
Grade-point averages are to be rounded to one decimal place.
Qualify as a GS-09: To qualify based on your experience, your resume must reflect at least one (1) year of specialized experience which demonstrates your ability to perform the work of Contract Specialist, GS-1102 at the GS-07 grade level. Specialized experience is defined as applying somewhat complex, relevant experience in the areas of accounting, business administration, finance, purchasing, retail, economics, or any other business area.
OR
Education: Two full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education or masters or graduate degree or LL.B. or J.D. which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as; accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management.
For GS-7 and GS-9, the Federal Acquisition Certification-Contracting (FAC-C) Level I or Department of Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) certification Level I certification is preferred, but not required. If you have earned certification, state your FAC-C or DAWIA certification level and date of certification.
List your FAC-C or DAWIA certification level and date of certification. If you are not currently certified, but have completed the mandatory procurement training, list the training that you have completed to date.
Education
Your resume must include coursework, degree and certification information. If this information is not provided, you may lose consideration for this position.
Ensure you have completed the Education section of the USAJobs Resume builder. If you have a degree, provide your degree information. If you have coursework that meets the requirements above, provide a list in the Relevant Coursework section. Include the title, course code, and number of semester, quarter or classroom hours for each course (i.e., BUAD- 101-Introduction to Business, 3 Semester hours).
Only degrees from an accredited college or university recognized by the Department of Education are acceptable to meet positive education requirements or to substitute education for experience. For additional information, please go to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and U.S. Department of Education websites at - http://www.opm.gov/qualifications. Foreign education must be evaluated for U.S. equivalency in order to be considered for this position. Please submit your foreign education evaluation with your application. Applicants without experience can qualify with the appropriate level of education as described above.
Additional information
NASA's Recent Graduates program provides an opportunity for you to gain experience in the Federal civil service at the beginning of your career. If selected, you will be placed in a dynamic, one-year career development program, and provided with a mentor and an individual training plan that may include specialized training, formal rotational assignments, and other developmental activities. If you successfully complete the program, you may be converted to a term or permanent position.
You must meet eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
You must be at least 16 at the time of appointment.
You may be promoted to higher grades; however, promotions are not guaranteed.
You will be required to sign a Pathways Recent Graduate Participant Agreement.
You will serve a trial period for the duration of the Recent Graduate appointment.
You will be considered for the highest grade for which you qualify.
Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, who are 18 but not yet 26 years old, must be registered with the selective service system (or have an exemption) to be eligible for federal employment. For additional information or to register, click here
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.
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.
We will review your resume and your answers to NASA-specific questions to ensure that you meet eligibility requirements and minimum qualifications.
Veterans' preference applies in the hiring process. In order to receive preference in hiring, you must clearly identify your claim for veterans' preference when you apply. Veteran's preference will only be granted based on what is supported by the documentation you provide. For more information about Veterans' Preference, please visit this link.
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.
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.
NASA's application process has been specifically developed to ensure that we only ask you for information we absolutely need to evaluate your qualifications and eligibility. In order to apply for this position, you only need to submit your resume and answer the NASA supplemental questions. No additional documentation is accepted at the time of application. In this way we allow you to focus on preparing a resume that best describes your background and abilities. Nothing further is required until requested by the Human Resources Office. At that point, we may ask you to submit documentation to support statements made in your resume. For example, we may ask you to provide academic transcripts. If you are claiming veterans' preference, we may ask you to submit proof of veterans' preference (DD-214, and, if claiming 10-point preference, SF-15 plus proof required by that form). If you fail to provide the required documents within the stated time period, we may withdraw a job offer and/or remove you from further consideration.
Please be sure to review your resume on the 'Review tab' by clicking on 'Your Resume.' Ensure that the correct copy of the resume you have selected has been transferred from your USAJOBS account. If you fail to validate the information in your resume, you may not be appropriately evaluated for this position. Also, please be sure to review and complete the Supplemental Information questions.
To receive consideration, you must submit a resume and answer NASA-specific questions. The NASA questions appear after you submit your resume and are transferred to the NASA web site. If you successfully apply, USAJOBS will show your application status as 'resume received - complete.' If your status is 'Application Started,' you have not successfully applied. Do not rely on a USAJOBS email to confirm successful application. Only an email from NASA confirms a successful application.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
Before you begin the application process, please read this vacancy announcement carefully and have all required information available. We encourage you to provide a complete description of your educational achievements and include both paid and non-paid work in the experience portion of your resume. If you submit a resume that does not contain the required information, you may lose consideration. Your application must be received no later than midnight Eastern Time on the closing date of the announcement.
To begin the application process, click on the 'Apply' link. In order to be considered, you must submit a resume completed on the USAJOBS site. When completing your USAJOBS resume, please remember that NASA limits resumes to 32,000 characters, including spaces. You will NOT be allowed to complete the application process if your resume is too long or if your resume was uploaded to USAJOBS from another source. Also, NASA does not accept documents attached through USAJOBS' document attachment feature.
Once you submit your resume, you will be transferred to a NASA website to complete a short series of questions. You must finish the entire process in order to have a complete application. Your answers will not be saved unless you finish the entire application process. If you successfully apply, you will receive a confirmation email from NASA. Do not rely on a USAJOBS email to confirm successful application. You may edit a previously-submitted application, if the announcement is still open.
If you are unable to apply electronically for this position, submit your resume to: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Resume Operations Center, Mail stop: HS50, Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812. Do NOT submit your resume directly to the Center advertising this vacancy. Mailed resumes must be received by the close of business on the closing date of the announcement. Hard copy resume requirements are at: Hard Copy Resume Requirements.
NASA's Resume Operations Center
4200 Rideout Road, Mailstop HS50
Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812
US
Next steps
If you are found qualified, you may be referred to the selecting official for further consideration. Whether or not you are contacted for an interview depends upon the location of the position and the judgment of the selecting official. If you are selected, you will be notified by phone or email with a tentative job offer pending verification that you meet all eligibility and qualification requirements. An official, written firm job offer will only be issued once all requirements have been verified.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
NASA's application process has been specifically developed to ensure that we only ask you for information we absolutely need to evaluate your qualifications and eligibility. In order to apply for this position, you only need to submit your resume and answer the NASA supplemental questions. No additional documentation is accepted at the time of application. In this way we allow you to focus on preparing a resume that best describes your background and abilities. Nothing further is required until requested by the Human Resources Office. At that point, we may ask you to submit documentation to support statements made in your resume. For example, we may ask you to provide academic transcripts. If you are claiming veterans' preference, we may ask you to submit proof of veterans' preference (DD-214, and, if claiming 10-point preference, SF-15 plus proof required by that form). If you fail to provide the required documents within the stated time period, we may withdraw a job offer and/or remove you from further consideration.
Please be sure to review your resume on the 'Review tab' by clicking on 'Your Resume.' Ensure that the correct copy of the resume you have selected has been transferred from your USAJOBS account. If you fail to validate the information in your resume, you may not be appropriately evaluated for this position. Also, please be sure to review and complete the Supplemental Information questions.
To receive consideration, you must submit a resume and answer NASA-specific questions. The NASA questions appear after you submit your resume and are transferred to the NASA web site. If you successfully apply, USAJOBS will show your application status as 'resume received - complete.' If your status is 'Application Started,' you have not successfully applied. Do not rely on a USAJOBS email to confirm successful application. Only an email from NASA confirms a successful application.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
Before you begin the application process, please read this vacancy announcement carefully and have all required information available. We encourage you to provide a complete description of your educational achievements and include both paid and non-paid work in the experience portion of your resume. If you submit a resume that does not contain the required information, you may lose consideration. Your application must be received no later than midnight Eastern Time on the closing date of the announcement.
To begin the application process, click on the 'Apply' link. In order to be considered, you must submit a resume completed on the USAJOBS site. When completing your USAJOBS resume, please remember that NASA limits resumes to 32,000 characters, including spaces. You will NOT be allowed to complete the application process if your resume is too long or if your resume was uploaded to USAJOBS from another source. Also, NASA does not accept documents attached through USAJOBS' document attachment feature.
Once you submit your resume, you will be transferred to a NASA website to complete a short series of questions. You must finish the entire process in order to have a complete application. Your answers will not be saved unless you finish the entire application process. If you successfully apply, you will receive a confirmation email from NASA. Do not rely on a USAJOBS email to confirm successful application. You may edit a previously-submitted application, if the announcement is still open.
If you are unable to apply electronically for this position, submit your resume to: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Resume Operations Center, Mail stop: HS50, Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812. Do NOT submit your resume directly to the Center advertising this vacancy. Mailed resumes must be received by the close of business on the closing date of the announcement. Hard copy resume requirements are at: Hard Copy Resume Requirements.
NASA's Resume Operations Center
4200 Rideout Road, Mailstop HS50
Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812
US
Next steps
If you are found qualified, you may be referred to the selecting official for further consideration. Whether or not you are contacted for an interview depends upon the location of the position and the judgment of the selecting official. If you are selected, you will be notified by phone or email with a tentative job offer pending verification that you meet all eligibility and qualification requirements. An official, written firm job offer will only be issued once all requirements have been verified.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
