Contracts Specialist

Job Title: Contracts Specialist Job Description
This full-time Contracts Specialist role offers the opportunity to independently manage a wide range of commercial and government contracts from cradle to grave within the aerospace and defense industry. You will support critical, nationally relevant defense programs by administering contracts, guiding program teams on contractual obligations, and contributing to the continuous improvement of internal processes. The position sits on a small, tight-knit contracts team where your contributions are highly visible and directly influence program success and company growth.
Responsibilities
- Draft, evaluate, negotiate, and execute a variety of contracts, including subcontracts, consulting agreements, purchase orders, NDAs, and other commercial agreements.
- Support the evaluation, negotiation, and review of prime contracts with the United States Government, particularly Department of Defense (DoD) agreements.
- Administer the full cradle-to-grave contract lifecycle, including RFP/proposal activities, contract execution, deliverables, compliance, modifications, funding requirements, and contract closeout.
- Provide clear guidance to program teams regarding contractual rights and obligations, including interpretation of terms and conditions and associated compliance requirements.
- Offer mentorship and guidance to junior contracts specialists, helping them develop their skills in government and commercial contracting.
- Maintain detailed, accurate contract records and documentation to support auditability, compliance, and internal reporting needs.
- Track contract deadlines, options, and key milestones to ensure timely action on renewals, modifications, deliverables, and funding actions.
- Review, process, interpret, and administer contract modifications, including changes to scope, funding, and contractual requirements.
- Support proposal development, including responses to RFPs, RFQs, and RFIs, ensuring contractual terms are aligned with company policies and risk tolerance.
- Manage and interpret contractual requirements related to Firm Fixed Price (FFP) and Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) contracts, as well as LOC/LOF or similar funding provisions.
- Independently research and interpret FAR, DFARS, and other applicable regulations to ensure compliant contracting practices.
- Assist with continuous improvement of processes, procedures, policies, and compliance documentation related to contracts and quality standards.
- Collaborate diplomatically with internal and external stakeholders to resolve contractual issues, negotiate terms, and support program execution.
- Demonstrate strong initiative by identifying contractual risks and opportunities and recommending practical solutions to leadership.
- Contribute to a collaborative, teach each other team environment by sharing knowledge and best practices in both commercial and government contracting.
Essential Skills
- Bachelors degree in a relevant field.
- Approximately 3+ years of relevant contracts experience, with 46 years preferred, in government contracting and contract administration.
- 6+ years experience in government contracting is strongly valued, particularly with DoD and aerospace/defense contracts.
- Hands-on experience with FAR and DFARS, including familiarity with FAR Part 15 non-commercial and FAR Part 12 commercial acquisition.
- Demonstrated experience administering FFP (Firm Fixed Price) and CPFF (Cost Plus Fixed Fee) contracts and understanding associated funding requirements.
- Proven full cradle-to-grave contract administration experience, from RFP/proposal activity through contract execution, deliverables, compliance, modifications, funding, and closeout.
- Experience with contract modifications, including reviewing, processing, and administering changes and associated contractual requirements.
- Experience with LOC/LOF or similar contract funding requirements and their impact on contract administration.
- Strong government contracting background, ideally within the DoD and aerospace/defense industry.
- Experience managing NDAs, MSAs, subcontracts, consulting agreements, and other commercial contracts.
- Ability to independently research and interpret contractual requirements and regulatory guidance.
- Strong judgment and decision-making skills in evaluating contractual risk and recommending solutions.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, with professional diplomacy when working with internal and external stakeholders.
- Strong negotiation skills and the ability to advocate for balanced contractual terms.
- High attention to detail, with a focus on accuracy and completeness in contract documentation.
- Critical and analytical thinking skills to interpret complex contractual and regulatory requirements.
- Ability to take initiative, multi-task, prioritize workload, and work well under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
- Demonstrated team-player mindset with a proactive attitude and ability to be productive in a dynamic setting.
- Citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain a Department of Defense personnel security clearance.
Additional Skills & Qualifications
- Secret-level security clearance is preferred but not required.
- Juris Doctor degree is a plus and may enhance the ability to interpret complex contractual and regulatory frameworks.
- Experience in research and development contracting is beneficial.
- Familiarity with ISO quality standards in a production or manufacturing environment is advantageous.
- Aerospace and defense industry contracting experience is strongly preferred.
- Experience with SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) programs is beneficial.
- Experience with training-services contracts is a plus.
- Costpoint or similar ERP/contract management system experience is beneficial but not required.
Work Environment
You will work onsite five days a week in a fast-paced, collaborative office environment as part of a small, tight-knit contracts team. The team operates with a teach each other mindset, where deep government contracting expertise is complemented by strong commercial contracts knowledge. You will interact with different personality types and are expected to take on challenges independently and thrive without a highly structured onboarding program. The schedule is flexible full-time, with a 7:009:00 a.m. start window and an eight-hour workday. The office culture is casual dress, and the environment emphasizes visible, meaningful contributions to nationally relevant defense programs. As the company scales, there is a clear growth path within the contracts function, and employees have access to bonus eligibility and a 401(k) plan.
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract position based out of San Diego, CA.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $48.00 - $58.00/hr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job
classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be
subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits
available for this temporary role may include the following:

Medical, dental & vision
Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
Short and long-term disability
Health Spending Account (HSA)
Transportation benefits
Employee Assistance Program
Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract position based out of San Diego, CA.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Nov 20, 2026.
Workplace Type
This is a fully onsite position in San Diego,CA.

About Aston Carter

Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® Platinum Award winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [email protected] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.