Contract Specialist (Senior Contracting Officer) Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. JMD-PSS-25-12766118-DHA Department Offices, Boards and Divisions
Salary $142,488.00 to $185,234.00 Grade 14 to 14
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 7/23/2025 Close Date 8/5/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

The Justice Management Division, Procurement Services Staff, Acquisition Management Group is seeking to hire two Contract Specialist to award and administer complex, high dollar value, and mission-essential contracts on behalf of DOJ Offices, Boards and Divisions (OBDs). The OBDs include all of the major litigating divisions, the international offices of the Criminal Divisions, U.S. Attorney Offices, Immigration Courts nationwide and the Justice Management Division staff offices.

Duties

As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.

The duties and responsibilities for a Contract Specialist generally include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Coordinate the procurement of complex, high-dollar contracts for products and a broad array of professional services in various functional areas including Information Technology (IT); automated litigation support; facilities management; finance and audit; Architect-Engineering; construction, and administrative support.
  • Coordinate with various parties in developing acquisition strategies and mapping out strategic changes in unusually complex or politically sensitive contractual situations.
  • Prepare justifications and determinations for approval by senior officials.
  • Assist in strategic planning/organizational performance assessments by participating in agency-wide acquisition task forces, working groups and committees.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a United States Citizen or National.
  • You must successfully pass a security/background investigation and a drug screening.
  • Selective Service registration is required, see the "Requirements" section for full details.
  • Additional selections may be made from this announcement, at any time, if openings occur in other offices serviced by Justice Management Division, HR Operations.
  • Financial Disclosure: If selected, you may be required to disclose financial information in accordance with DOJ and Federal ethics guidelines.
  • A USA Hire assessment is required. An email will be sent with additional information after you submit your application. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement to complete the assessment.
  • Must be able to maintain Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) (Professional) certification.

Qualifications

To qualify for the position of Contract Specialist (Senior Contracting Officer) at (GS-1102-14), you must meet the basic qualification requirements listed below AND possess the required specialized experience specific to this series and grade.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

A. Completion of all mandatory training prescribed by the head of the agency for progression to GS-13 or higher level contracting positions, including at least 4-years experience in contracting or related positions. At least 1 year of that experience must have been specialized experience at or equivalent to work at the next lower level of the position, and must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the work of the position.

AND

B. A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, that included or was supplemented by 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.

C. Exceptions: Employees in GS-1102 positions will be considered to have met the standard for positions they occupy on January 1, 2000. This also applies to positions at the same grade in the same agency or other agencies if the specialized experience requirements are met. However, they will have to meet the basic requirements and specialized experience requirements in order to qualify for promotion to a higher grade.

AND

Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level or equivalent band in the Federal service, which includes: Serving as an expert in the functional area of procurement; Advising management on complex procurement matters; AND Providing and executing acquisition strategies and contract administration plans.

Mandatory Training: You must provide proof of an active Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) (Professional) at the time of application. If the applicant holds a valid/current Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) equivalency Level III contracting certification, then the applicant meets the training requirement.

You MUST meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/05/2025.

YOUR RESUME MUST support your responses to the online questionnaire and the qualification requirements. Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating. See the "Required Documents" section for important notes about what information you must include in your resume!

After you submit this application, you will receive an e-mail informing you that a USA Hire assessment is required of you. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement (08/05/2025) to complete the assessment as this assessment is part of your application.

Education

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements, please see the statements below.

Education must be reviewed and certified by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, in order for it to be creditable towards your qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that 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 more information about this requirement, please visit the U.S. Department of Education website for Foreign Education Evaluation.

All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.

Additional information

This announcement is being advertised under a government-wide Direct-Hire Authority issued by OPM for positions in certain hard-to-fill occupational fields. Veterans Preference and other Category Rating procedures do not apply to this announcement.

***Please limit your resume to 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.***

Applicants must simply be determined to possess the specialized experience and basic qualifications required of the position. The hiring office may interview and select any qualified candidate of their choosing from the qualified pool. See OPM, Direct Hire Authority for more information...

Other Information:

  • Reasonable Accommodation Statement: Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. The DOJ Reasonable Accommodation policy can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/reasonable-accommodation#policy If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire
  • DOJ EEO Statement/Policy: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/page/file/1394116/download
  • Selective Service: If you were born male, on or after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Additional information is found at: www.sss.gov.
This position is excluded from the bargaining unit.

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

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.

Once the job opportunity announcement closes (at 11:59 pm ET on08/05/2025), a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be conducted, the information will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your eligibility for Federal employment, and then whether you are qualified for this particular position. Per Direct-Hire Authority requirements, all qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring office for consideration. The hiring office may select any qualified candidate without regard to special eligibility considerations. Veterans' preference is not applicable.

  • Accountability
  • Acquisition Advice
  • Acquisition Services
  • Administer Contracts for Products and Services
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Influencing/Negotiating
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Minimum Qualifications
  • Negotiate Contracts for Products and Services
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork


When addressing the specialized experience statement, applicants must present evidence of the experience in their resume. If the specialized experience statement is repeated, in the applicant's resume, Human Resources will deem the applicant as ineligible.

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

"The assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment."

Career Transition Programs (CTAP or ICTAP): These programs apply to Federal and/or DOJ employees who meet the definition of surplus or displaced from a position in the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must:

  1. Meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria;
  2. Be rated well-qualified for the position based on the competencies listed above; and
  3. Submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility.
Well-qualified defined as having knowledge, skills, abilities, and/or competencies clearly exceeding the minimum qualification requirements for the vacancy.

Required Documents

The following documents are required for this vacancy:

  • Professional Certification
  • Resume
  • Transcript


IMPORTANT RESUME INFO: Please review the USAJOBS Resume Writing Tutorial on YouTube before applying.
At a minimum, your resume must list each of the following items for every employment referenced. If you leave out important information we may not be able to credit your experience and you may be rated ineligible.

ALL APPLICANTS: You must submit a detailed resume (limit 2 pages) containing the following pieces of information for each job entry listed in your employment history:
  1. Contact Information: Name, address, phone number, and email,
  2. Official position title,
  3. Employer name and contact information,
  4. Start and end dates (including month and year),
  5. Hours per week worked,
  6. A detailed list of duties performed, accomplishments.
Required, if applicable: CTAP/ICTAP documentation (a copy of a separation notice or other proof of eligibility for priority selection; a copy of an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, showing current position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location; AND a copy of your most recent performance appraisal.

If you are using education to qualify for this position, or education is required:
  1. You must submit a transcript, which may be unofficial, as long as it contains a full listing of courses, credit earned, grade and grade-point-average, subject area, degree(s) earned, and dates of award.
  2. Your transcript must come from a nationally-accredited educational institution recognized by the Department of Education.
  3. Please do not submit electronic transcripts with documentation security protection. These may prevent our application system from accepting and processing the document.
  4. If submitting a foreign transcript, you must have the transcript reviewed by an approved foreign education review organization recognized by the Department of Education. Your transcript must also be in English or have an English translation included.
** Must provide proof of an active Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) (Professional) or Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) certificate at the time of application.**

NEED HELP?
If you need help submitting your documents, please review the Applicant Help Site, Documents page. If you need help understanding document requirements, contact Tamara Shelton at tamara.d.shelton@usdoj.gov or 202-286-6440 during normal business hours. If you're having difficulty with your application or document submission, don't wait until the last minute, contact us right away so we can help you before the announcement closes.

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.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application questionnaire and submit your supporting documentation. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 08/05/2025 to receive consideration.

If you would like to preview the assessment questionnaire, please see: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12766118

  • Click "Apply Online" to get started.
  • If you're not logged in to your USAJOBS account, you will need to login. If you don't have an account, please create one.
  • You will be prompted to select one of your stored (or uploaded) resumes, and any supporting documents you have uploaded to USAJOBS. If you have not uploaded these documents, you can do so later before submitting your application.
  • After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, you will be asked to submit your demographic information (if you have provided this in your profile). Submission is optional and anonymous.
  • You'll be asked to confirm your choices and certify the accuracy of your information before you're able to continue to the Application Manager system. Until you see the blue border and DOJ logo, you are still on USAJOBS. You'll see a folder animation just before you leave USAJOBS.
  • Once you reach DOJ's Application Manager system, you'll be asked to verify the information you transmitted from USAJOBS. You will then respond to the application assessment questionnaires and indicate your eligibility options.
  • After responding to the questionnaires, you will have the opportunity to attach the documents you brought over from USAJOBS *OR* upload documents directly from your computer or device.
  • If you opt to upload a document directly, click the "Upload" button and select the document on your device, then wait for the upload to finish. Repeat as needed. Documents must be less than 3 MB each and should be in a compatible file format.
  • Once all your documents are uploaded, you must assign the uploads to the appropriate document category. You may attach more than one document to each category. Click the drop-down menu for a document category, and select one of the available options in the menu. The document will be listed under this category. You can click the drop-down again to add other documents, as needed. You can have up to 15 document assignments.
  • Once you've uploaded and assigned all your documents to an appropriate document type, you can proceed to the final verification step, and click Submit.
  • If you have correctly submitted your application, you will receive an automated e-mail notification within 30-60 minutes. Be sure to review the announcement fully to make sure that your application contains everything that is required.
If you need help with the application process, please see the USAJOBS Help Site (for everything on the USAJOBS-side), or the Application Manager Help Site (for everything on the DOJ-side). Regrettably, the Department of Justice cannot assist you with USAJOBS account issues. If you contact us for assistance and the problem is related to your USAJOBS account, we will have to direct you to USAJOBS to remedy the issue.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS: If you are unable to apply online due to a disability or overseas deployment, you must request an alternative application, which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact Tamara Shelton at tamara.d.shelton@usdoj.gov or 202-286-6440 to discuss your situation. Accommodations are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Agency contact information

Tamara Shelton
Address
Justice Management Division, Procurement Services Staff
145 N ST NE
Washington, DC 20530
US

Next steps

You will receive e-mail notifications as your application status is updated by DOJ. However, you can also see your application status any time by logging in to your USAJOBS account and looking on the "Applications" page. Click the position title to expand the display for each application in the list. Click here to learn more about checking your application status, or see what each application status means.

Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.

To be considered for the position, you must meet all qualifications, including meeting or exceeding the cut score on the required assessments.

We strive to extend a final offer of employment within 90 days from the close of this announcement. Additional selections may be made from this announcement if openings in other offices occur within 90 days.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.