Requirements
Conditions of employment
- Must be a U.S. Citizen.
- This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
- Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service. See http://www.sss.gov/
- You will be required to obtain and maintain an interim and/or final DOE Q level 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.
- Successful completion of a pre-employment drug test (including marijuana) is required. A tentative offer of employment may be rescinded if you fail to report to the drug test appointment or pass the test. You will be subject to random testing.
- You may be required to submit a Financial Disclosure Statement, OGE-450, Executive Branch Personnel Confidential Financial Disclosure Report upon entering the position and annually (5CFR Part 2634, Subpart I USOGE, 6/08).
- A one year probationary period may be required. Employees serving on probationary period may be terminated at any time during the probationary for performance, conduct, or business-related reasons in the interest of Federal service.
- Compliance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD-12) governing personal identity which will require that you provide two forms of identification.
- First time supervisors will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period.
- This position does not support 100% remote work. You will be required to report physically to the official reporting worksite as specified in this announcement. Situational telework may be approved.
- This position is a Testing Designated Position (TDP) subject to applicant testing and random drug testing. Failure to test or a positive result on random drug tests conducted after appointment may result in removal from Federal employment.
- Hiring incentives may be authorized for a highly qualified candidate based on budget availability and in accordance with federal regulations.
- Resumes may not exceed two pages. Please see additional information in the "How to Apply" and "Required Documents" section of the job announcement.
Qualifications
In addition to demonstrating the basic requirement listed in the education section of this announcement, applicants must also demonstrate possession of specialized experience.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level NQ-02 (GS-12) in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as meeting ALL of the following:
- Experience with federal contracting laws, regulations, and procedures; skilled in negotiating and administering complex contracts and leading procurement activities.
- Negotiating and communicating to explain, defend, and advocate positions and build effective internal and external relationships.
- Supervising teams, including organizing, directing, and reviewing work to achieve mission and project goals.
- Experience with acquisition rules; interpreting guidance for others and presenting complex issues clearly to senior leaders.
Please ensure that your resume does not exceed two (2) pages in length. If you submit more than two pages, only the first two will be reviewed to determine your eligibility and qualifications. Your full resume will be shared with the hiring manager if you are referred.
You can find the qualification standards for the announced position on the Office of Personnel Management website.
1102 Contracting Positions: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1100/contracting-series-1102/
National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (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. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Time-in-Grade Requirements: Under competitive merit promotion procedures, any individual who is currently holding, or who has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule (GS) position under a non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service at the, must meet "time-in-grade" requirements (have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade of the grade for which you are applying). Few exceptions are outlined in 5 CFR 300.603(b).
Please ensure EACH work history includes ALL of the following information:
- Job Title (include series and grade if Federal Job)
- Duties (be specific in describing your duties, we cannot make assumptions regarding your experience)
- Employer's name and address
- Supervisor name and phone number
- Start and end dates including month, and year (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
- Start and end dates for each grade/pay level if you've held a federal position.
- Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Education
APPLICANTS MUST DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY MEET THE INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENTS, IN ADDITION TO THE SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE SHOWN ABOVE.
INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT
This position has an Individual Occupational Requirement that must be met prior to meeting the specialized experience.
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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
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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.
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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, unless granted a waiver under Paragraph 4.
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Waiver: When filling a specific vacant position, the senior procurement executive of the selecting agency, at his or her discretion, may waive any or all of the requirements of Paragraphs 1 and 2 above if the senior procurement executive certifies that the applicant possesses significant potential for advancement to levels of greater responsibility and authority, based on demonstrated analytical and decision making capabilities, job performance, and qualifying experience. With respect to each waiver granted under this Paragraph 4, the senior procurement executive must document for the record the basis of the waiver. If an individual is placed in a position in an agency on the basis of a waiver, the agency may later reassign that individual to another position at the same grade within that agency without additional waiver action.
NOTE: To receive consideration for this position, you must submit a copy of your transcripts for review. Your supporting documents must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible.
For positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for a position by substituting education or training for experience, you MUST submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted that includes your name, the name of the educational institution, course title(s), number of credits, grade, and date of completion. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.
Education must be from an accredited 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.
Foreign Education: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the qualification requirements. You must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private U.S. organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications for more information
If this vacancy specifies particular educational requirements, please provide documentation to verify your educational claims. This can include unofficial transcripts or any report that lists the institution, courses titles, credit earned, and final grades. For additional information, please see How to fill out your education.
Additional information
- This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across Department of Energy.
- As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.
- In accordance with Executive Order 14170, applicants are encouraged to respond to the four short, free-response, essay questions in the questionnaire. Answers to these questions are not scored or rated. Your answers will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration.
- Employees or applicants may request Reasonable Accommodation (RA) for assistance, when applying or competing for a job or performing a job due to their medical condition or to exercise their religious beliefs. If you need reasonable accommodation in the application or selection process, please contact the Staffing Specialist listed on this vacancy announcement.
- The Fair Chance Act prohibits specific inquiries concerning an applicant's criminal or credit background unless the hiring agency has made a conditional offer of employment to the applicant. An applicant may submit a complaint to the agency within 30 calendar days of the date of alleged noncompliance by completing the Fair Chance Act Intake Form and submitting it to the Administrative Investigations Program at AdministrativeInvestigations@hq.doe.gov.
Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.
EEO Policy: Click
HERE.
Reasonable Accommodation Policy: Click
HERE.
Selective Service Registration: Click
HERE.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.
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.
You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g. resume, supporting documents), and your responses on the application questionnaire for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
The competencies for the Supervisory Contract Specialist (Branch Chief) are:
- Communication
- Contracting/Procurement
- Negotiation
- Planning and Evaluating
Structured Resume Review: After it has been determined that you meet the minimum qualifications, Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) will review the first two pages of your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required competencies. Additional documentation (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume) may not be considered. Once the announcement closes, we will conduct a review of your application package to verify your eligibility and qualifications. If you are found qualified, your application will move forward to additional phases of the review process.
All qualified and eligible applicants will be referred to the hiring office for consideration.
Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) Eligibles: This program applies to Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed, or employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet eligibility criteria for CTAP; 2) be rated in the well-qualified category for this vacancy with a score of 85 or above; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP eligibility. For information on eligibility criteria and required documentation, go to:
Career Transition (opm.gov)
If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible' or 'not qualified'.
You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date (08/18/2026) of this announcement.
Shared Certificates: The Department of Energy shares lists of applicants among its internal Departmental Elements and organizations. You may be referred for consideration to other DOE Hiring Managers throughout the Department for more than one position based on this application. By applying to this announcement, you understand your application materials may be shared with multiple Hiring Mangers throughout DOE. If additional positions are filled from this announcement conditions of employment may differ. You will be notified if you are referred for additional positions.
To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click
https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13024628.
Required Documents
All documents, including transcripts, must be in English.
1. RESUME: Limit your resume to no more than two pages. The USAJOBS database will not allow an applicant to submit an application that includes a resume over two pages. Be clear and specific in describing your job-related qualifications, as HR cannot make assumptions regarding your experience. Include dates (month and year) and hours worked per week. For military or Federal civilian service, you MUST include your pay plan/band, series, and/or rank/grade (e.g., Captain, E-5, GS-0301-9). Do NOT include photographs, social media links (e.g., LinkedIn), inappropriate content, or other personal or sensitive information such as date of birth, social security number, gender, religious affiliation. IF INCLUDED YOUR RESUME WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
2. OTHER SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS (only submit if applicable):
- CURRENT NNSA FEDERAL CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE: Submit a copy of your most recent NON-AWARD SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action which shows the grade, step, tenure (block 24) "1" (Career) or "2" (Career-Conditional), and position occupied (block 34) "1" (Competitive Service). Provide proof of permanent appointment if applying based on an Interchange Agreement. If applying for a higher grade, provide a SF-50 which shows the length of time you have been in your current/highest grade or promotion potential held. You may need to provide more than one (1) SF-50, if your SF-50 does not clearly demonstrate that you meet the one-year time-in-grade requirement(examples of appropriate SF-50s include Appointment/Conversion, Within-Grade/Range Increases and Promotion actions). NOTE: Pay adjustments and awards are NOT acceptable.
- CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (CTAP): Submit a copy of the following:
- Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice, notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate, notice of disability annuity termination, or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement;
- SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action'', documenting your RIF separation, noting your position, grade level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through reemployment priority list (RPL), etc.;
- Latest performance appraisal including your rating; AND
- Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.
- CURRENT OR FORMER POLITICAL SCHEDULE A, SCHEDULE C, NON-CAREER SES OR PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTEE EMPLOYEE: Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:
- Position title;
- Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee);
- Agency; AND
- Beginning and ending dates of appointment.
For more information about what to include in your resume, please view this
USAJOBS Resume Tutorial video on YouTube.
Failure to submit required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package.
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.