Contracts Officer

The Central Administrative Services (CAS) unit of AURA is seeking a Contracts Officer to develop and administer RFPs and to negotiate and administer contracts and other business agreements issued under FAR and Uniform Guidance while ensuring compliance with performance specifications, cost and schedule requirements, and applicable policies, regulations, and statutes.

Essential Functions:

• Conducts proposal preparation, contract negotiation and administration of routine and complex contracts and other business documents.
• Analyzes proposals for service, material, equipment, and production costs, and performs price and cost analyses; provides consultation in selection of qualified suppliers and manufacturers.
• Ensures terms & conditions on assigned projects meet contractual, regulatory and legal requirements.
• Monitors vendor cost and schedule performance for conformance to original proposal; ensures that all terms and conditions are met, and that vendor performance conforms with legal requirements, customer specifications and government regulations.
• Ensures that effective processes and controls are developed and maintained to assure the integrity of the organization.
• Provides guidance to AURA Management regarding contractual and agency requirements, vendor communications, foreign purchase requirements, and other matters of concern.
• Ensures proper authorization is obtained for those requisitions requiring agency, institutional, or partner authorization.
• All AURA employees are responsible for the proper management and control of all AURA property within their work area, whether assigned to them or someone else. This responsibility includes reporting any known missing, stolen, or non-working property in their work area to their supervisor or the AURA Property Officer.
• Responsible for ensuring compliance with government award terms and conditions assigned to this position or subordinates of this position as defined in the Vela Award Management system, https://cas.aura-astronomy.org/Awards.

Required Education/Experience/Skills/Abilities:

• Bachelor's degree in related field required. Government Contracting Certification preferred, MLS or JD helpful.
• Five years of contract management experience under Federal Acquisition Regulations, including proposal development and writing complex sub-contracts required.
• Prior experience working in a fast-paced, governments contracts environment, including familiarity with the Uniform Administrative Guidance (2 CFR 200), FAR, and other applicable regulations.
• Additional training or education in contracts and sponsored agreements negotiations, terms and conditions, risk assessment, and Project and Program Management desired.
• Demonstrated knowledge of export and technology transfer issues in contracting and sponsored agreements.
• Highly developed contract negotiations skills.
• Demonstrated working understanding of complex contracts, negotiations, and contract law.
• Working knowledge of RFPs and other proposal preparations, budget development and submission, and financial analysis.
• Relies on experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals
• Demonstrated working relationships with federal granting and funding agencies; NSF and NASA preferred.
• Ability to anticipate and resolve complex problems, exercising sound judgment while developing agile and effective solutions.
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing, to cooperate with, and gain the cooperation of others.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The work is mostly carried out in an office environment. Long periods of sitting and usage of computers may be required. Given the international nature of AURA’s work, you may need to travel to the various observatory sites (Arizona, Chile and Hawai’i) and other locations for business purposes.

AURA offers an excellent benefits package, competitive salary commensurate with experience, and a stimulating work environment.

Please list 3 professional references in your application (references will only be contacted later in the recruitment process) and attach a cover letter and CV or resume (PDF files preferred) to your application. Please name any attachments with the following format: LastnameDocname. Application documents that are not uploaded as part of the application may be sent to employment@aura-astronomy.org.

Veterans, disabled individuals or wounded warriors needing assistance with the employment process should request assistance at employment@aura-astronomy.org.

As a recipient of U.S. Government funding, AURA is considered a government contractor and is subject to Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action regulations. As an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer, AURA does not discriminate based on race, sex, color, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity/gender identity expression, lawful political affiliations, veteran status, disability, and/or any other legally protected status under applicable federal, state, and local equal opportunity laws. 

The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) is a consortium of over 40 US institutions and three international affiliates that operates world-class astronomical observatories. AURA’s role is to establish, nurture, and promote public observatories and facilities that advance innovative astronomical research. AURA is responsible for managing the operations of the NSF’s National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory, the National Solar Observatory, and the construction of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory and the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope under cooperative agreements with the National Science Foundation and operations of the Space Telescope Science Institute under contracts with NASA.