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Posted: January 30, 2026 (1 day ago)

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CONTRACT SPECIALIST

Air Force Special Operations Command

Department of the Air Force

Fresh

Location

Salary

$106,437 - $138,370

per year

Closes

February 12, 2026More Air Force jobs →

GS-11 Pay Grade

Base salary range: $62,107 - $80,737

Typical requirements: 1 year specialized experience at GS-10. Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 years graduate study.

Note: Actual salary includes locality pay (15-40%+ depending on location).

Job Description

Summary

This job is for a contracting specialist in the Air Force who handles all aspects of buying goods and services for important projects, from planning and negotiating deals to managing them after they're signed.

It involves giving expert advice on business matters and dealing with complex, high-value contracts that support military operations.

A good fit would be someone with strong experience in government procurement, a keen eye for legal details, and the ability to work independently on challenging deals.

Key Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution (transcripts required), or applicable exemptions for prior DoD contracting experience before September 30, 2000, or as a Contingency Contracting Force member
  • At least one year of specialized experience at GS-12 level or equivalent, including pre-award and post-award functions for complex contracts
  • Knowledge of federal contracting laws, regulations, policies, and practices for a wide range of methods and contract types
  • Skills in contract price/cost analysis, administration, termination, and acquisition planning for high-value, multi-year programs
  • Ability to provide policy interpretation, develop procurement strategies, and handle cases with little precedent
  • Meet federal time-in-grade requirement: one year at GS-12 within the past 52 weeks for merit promotion applicants

Full Job Description

Click on "Learn more about this agency" button below to view Eligibilities being considered and other IMPORTANT information.

The primary purpose of this position is: To serve as a warranted contracting officer.

To provide business advice and to perform all preaward and postaward functions for a wide variety of highly specialized procurements of significant importance to the agency or multiple agencies using a wide range of contracting methods and types.

In order to qualify, you must meet the basic requirements defined in 10 United States Code (USC).This standard implements requirements contained in Title 10, United States Code, Sections 1723 through 1733, as amended by Section 861(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116-92) and implemented on a policy exception basis by Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment memorandum, Exception to 24 Semester Hours Requirement for Contracting Positions, effective and dated August 2, 2020.

BASIC REQUIREMENT OR INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT: A bachelor's degree from an accredited educational institution authorized to grant baccalaureate degrees.

NOTE: You must submit copies of your transcripts. NOTE: The following three exemption to the basic education requirements above apply to DoD civilian employees or Service members who: 1.

Served as a contracting officer with authority to award or administer in excess of the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT) on or before 30 September 2000; OR 2.

Served, on or before 30 September 2000, in a position as either an employee in the GS-1102 series or as a member of the Armed Forces in a similar occupation specialty; 3.

Are an enlisted member of the Contingency Contracting Force (CCF). This exemption only applies to CCF members in their current or future CCF positions.

The Bachelor's degree exemption does not apply to current CCF members seeking New Hire employment within DoD as a 1102.

In addition to meeting the basic requirements above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements below: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the next lower grade GS-12, or equivalent in other pay systems.

Examples of specialized experience includes Examples of specialized experience includes knowledge of the principles, laws, regulations, legal requirements, policies, and practices of a very broad range of contracting methods and contract types sufficient to independently perform procedures applicable to pre award and post award actions for long term and/or high value contracts, contract price/cost analysis, formulate guidelines, implement new developments, provide policy interpretation, and other highly specialized or complex functions where little or no contractual precedent exists to serve as guidance in developing or modifying procurement strategies or pricing structure.

Knowledge of contract administration and termination techniques sufficient to administer and close out contracts.

Mastery of acquisition planning concepts and techniques sufficient to accomplish and/or determine courses of action on an extensive variety of highly complex contracts and contract programs, and multi-year programs involving successive program stages.

FEDERAL TIME-IN-GRADE (TIG) REQUIREMENT FOR GENERAL SCHEDULE (GS) POSITIONS: Merit promotion applicants must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible.

One year at the GS-12 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-13 level. TIG applies if you are in a current GS position or held a GS position within the previous 52 weeks.

NOTE: Applicants applying as VEOA candidates who are current GS civil service employees or are prior GS civil service employees within the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas: 1.

Professional knowledge of a full range of Federal contracting laws, executive orders, regulations, principles, policies, procedures, methods, techniques, and contract types applicable to preaward and postaward actions for a variety of complex and/or diversified services and commodities.

2. Knowledge of the business environment (e.g.

economic trends, awareness of commercial/industry business practices, standards, mergers, and acquisitions) applicable to program and technical requirements in order to recognize potential programmatic/contractual impacts, and knowledge of the methods and techniques of fact-finding/market research.

3.

Knowledge of the principles, methods, and tools used to assist in risk identification, assessment, and mitigation including assessing the probability and consequences of potential problems and their solutions.

4.

Knowledge of formal source selection methods, policies, and procedures; contracting negotiation, administration, and termination principles, policies, procedures, and technical requirements; and knowledge of price and cost analysis sufficient to review proposals against previous history, actual and estimated expenditures, and established and approved rates to determine price reasonableness or to determine a negotiation position.

5.

Ability to identify problems, determine accuracy and relevance of information; use sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and make recommendations; makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions applying precedents found in government contracting case law to specific contracting situations to insure that legally binding contracting officer decisions are consistent, justifiable and will be upheld at appellate courts or boards; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals.

6. Ability to communicate both orally and in writing, clearly, concisely, and with technical accuracy; and ability to establish effective working relationships with others.

PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work.

You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

VOLUNTEER WORK EXPERIENCE: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social).

Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Major Duties:

As part of an Integrated Acquisition Team, plans the overall approach to meet contracting program objectives for a wide range for AF­wide, DoD-wide, or multiple agency multi-million or billion dollar programs or systems that span multiple years or involve successive program stages.

Procures complex and/or diversified services, commodities, and/or construction. Executes post-award contract performance management actions on assigned contracts. Performs contract administration.

Serves as business advisor to a wide range of customers, participates in special projects/initiatives and performs special assignments.

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Posted on USAJOBS: 1/30/2026 | Added to FreshGovJobs: 1/31/2026

Source: USAJOBS | ID: 8J-AFPC-1287528-086506-IDJ