Sr. Contracts Specialist -Secret Clearance - Arlington, VA

Zachary Piper Solutions is seeking a skilled Sr. Contract Specialist to support the Contracts Management Office (CMO) at DARPA in Arlington, VA. This team manages contracts, grants, and other agreements that drive DARPA’s research and development initiatives, aimed at advancing breakthrough technologies critical for national security.

Responsibilities:

• Draft and oversee the terms and conditions of Department of Defense (DoD) R&D contracts under FAR Part 35.
• Assist in contract negotiations and prepare contract modifications.
• Review and analyze procurement policies and procedures.
• Conduct cost and pricing analysis for proposals.
• Prepare contract documentation in accordance with FAR, DFARS, and other relevant regulations.

Required Qualifications:

• 6+ years of experience working with government contracts.
• Proficiency with Procurement Desktop-Defense (PD2) technology or other contract writing software.
• Bachelor’s degree required
• Active Secret clearance (clearances must be verified prior to consideration for the role).
• Experience in government or commercial procurement, contract administration, negotiation, and cost analysis (DoD experience preferred).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strong understanding of FAR Part 35 – Research and Development Contracting.
• Familiarity with non-FAR-based agreements such as Other Transaction Agreements, Grants, and Cooperative Agreements is a plus.

Compensation:

Salary: $140,000- $180,000/ year (depend on experience)

Location: Arlington, VA (near Ballston Metro) – Hybrid schedule with 1 day per week in-office

Clearance: requires an active Secret clearance

Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401K, etc

Keywords: Sr. Contract Specialist, Contracts Specialist, Contracting Officer, Acquisitions Specialist, procurement specialist, Contracts, contracts analyst, Contracting, Contracts Management Office, CMO, defense advanced research projects agency, DARPA, Arlington, VA, manages, manage, managed. Managing, management, contracts, grants, other agreements, OTAs, research and development initiatives, R&D, Draft, drafts, drafted, drafting, overseen, oversaw, oversees, oversee, terms and conditions, Department of Defense, DoD, R&D contracts, FAR Part 35, Assist, assists, assisted, assisting, contract negotiations, prepare contract modifications, contract mods, prepared, preparing, preparation, preparing, Review, reviews, reviewed, reviewing, analyze, analyzed, analysis, analyzation, analyze procurement policies, conduct, conducts, conducted, conducting, cost and pricing analysis, proposals, Prepare, contract documentation, FAR, DFARS, government contracts, Procurement Desktop-Defense, PD2, contract writing software, Bachelor’s degree, active Secret clearance, government procurement, contract administration, negotiation, cost analysis, DoD experience, FAR Part 35, part 35, Research and Development Contracting, research and development, non-FAR-based agreements, Other Transaction Agreements, Grants, Cooperative Agreements, coopt agreement, Arlington VA, program executive office, Project management office,full lifecycle of contracts, contracts lifecycle, negotiation, negotiates, negotiated, negotiating, negotiate, execution, execute, executed, executes, executing, closeout, closeouts, Collaborate, collaborating, collaborated, collaboration, ensure, ensured, ensures, ensuring, contractual compliance, mitigate risks, mitigated, mitigates, mitigation, reviews, review, reviewing, reviewed, identifying, identify identified, identifies, proposing solutions, propose, proposed, proposes, Interface, interfaced, interfacing, interfaces, facilitate, facilitates, facilitated, facilitating, facilitation, effective communication, resolution of contractual matters, Prepare, prepares, prepared, preparing, prepares, submit, submitted, submitting, submission, submits, contract deliverables, Maintain, maintains, maintained, maintaining, maintenance, accurate records, documentation, contract management, manages, manage, managed, managing, Bachelor's degree, BS, B.S., Business, Law, contract management, government contracts, federal acquisition regulations, FAR, part 35, research and development contracting, procurement policies, negotiation, communication skills, manage multiple contracts, cleared, clearance, secret, top secret, top-secret, TS-SBI, TS-SSBI, TS/SBI, TS/SSBI, TS, TS/SCI, top secret/sci, TS-SCI, poly, polygraph, Cipoly, FSPoly, FSP, NOVA, VA, MD, DC, Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia, Washington DC, Northern Virginia, Northern VA, Arlington, Chantilly, Reston, McLean, Tysons, tysons corner, Alexandria, Crystal city, Procurement Desktop-Defense, PD2, DP2, Dod contracts, contractual software, #LI-AC3, R&D, Research and Development, R and D, Research & Development, DARPA, DoD, department of Defense, Procurement Desktop-Defense technologies, PD2, government procurement, government acquisitions, Contract Admin, contract Administration, Administer contracts, negotiation, negotiate, contract modifications, contract mods, procurement policies, procurement policy, Cost fixed price, price, DFARS, OTAs, Other transaction agreements, Grants, Co Ops, Cooperative Agreements, TASS, procurement systems, DOD procurement systems, Procurement, COR, CO, DAWIA