Contract Specialist - HYBRID

Zachary Piper Solutions is looking for a Contract Specialist (seeking level II and level III) in the Arlington/DMV-Metro area. The Contract Specialist will join a highly respected DARPA program with extensive opportunity for career advancement, supporting initiatives that impact national security and technological advancement. This opportunity is hybrid and requires ONLY 1 day on-site in the Arlington, VA office per week!

• Prepare and administer Department of Defense Research & Development (FAR Part 35) contracts
• Assist in the negotiation of contract terms and conditions with government and contractor personnel
• Prepare contract modifications and maintain accurate contract documentation
• Analyze procurement policies and procedures to ensure compliance with federal regulations
• Perform cost and price analysis and support the development of cost proposals
• Work alongside contracting officers on the team!

• Active Secret Clearance required
• 6+ years of experience in government contracting (officer or specialist preffered)
• Full cradle-to-grave contract administration experience
• Experience preparing cost proposals, negotiating terms and conditions of contracts, preparing contract modifications, administering contracts or subcontracts, and analyzing cost and prices
• Experience working with FARS/DFARS regulations and R&D contracts
• DoD contracting experience preferred
• Experience with OTA's/Cooperative Agreements preferred
• Familiarity/experience with DARPA or NAVSEA is a plus!
• Bachelors' degree required

• Salary: $120,000-$175,000 based on professional experience
• Comprehensive Benefits Package:
  Medical, Dental, Vision, 401K, PTO, Sick Leave as required by law, and Holidays!

This job was posted on September 4, 2026 and will be open for 30 days.

#LI-AK #LI-Hybrid

/Price Analysis, Cost Realism, Price Reasonableness, Cost Evaluation, FAR, Federal Acquisition Regulation, FAR Part 15, FAR Part 16, FAR Part 35, DFARS, Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement, DFARS PGI, PGI, Federal Acquisition, Government Acquisition, Defense Acquisition, DoD Acquisition, OTA, OTAs, Other Transaction Authority, Other Transaction Agreement, Other Transaction Agreements, OTA Agreements, Research Contracts, Research and Development Contracts, R&D Contracts, R&D Contracting, R&D Acquisition, Research Acquisition, DoD Research, Defense Research, Government R&D, Federal Research Programs, Research and Development, PD2, PD², Procurement Desktop Defense, Procurement Desktop-Defense, SPS, Standard Procurement System, Contract Writing System, Contract Writing Systems, PIEE, WAWF, Wide Area Workflow, DAWIA, Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act, FAC-C, Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting, NCMA, CFCM, CPCM, Secret Clearance, Active Secret Clearance, Active Secret, Security Clearance, Cleared, Cleared Professional, Cleared Professionals, Cleared Contract Specialist, Cleared Acquisition Specialist, Department of Defense, DoD, Defense Programs, Federal Government, National Security, DARPA, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, ARPA, ARPA-H