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Senior Contracts Manager, Government Programs

Lead government contracts negotiations and build contracting infrastructure for a high-growth startup.

Location
Washington, District of Columbia, United States
Compensation
$160k–$200k/yr
Level
senior
Type
full time · On-site

Posted by employer 12 hours ago

First seen on Joblaze 2 hours ago

Last verified on the company career page 2 hours ago

Apply at Amca → Save job Scanned from amca.co

What you'll build

  • Serve as a lead contract negotiator
  • Support on government contracting matters
  • Own technical data and intellectual property rights
  • Manage contracts after award
  • Establish government contracting function

Must have

  • 7+ years of government contract administration and negotiation
  • Demonstrated depth in the FAR and DFARS
  • Hands-on experience across cost-type and fixed-price vehicles
  • Excellent written and verbal communication

Nice to have

  • Experience as a Contracting Officer
  • NCMA certification or DAWIA contracting certification
  • Substantive technical data rights and SBIR Phase III experience
  • JD a plus

Practical constraints

  • Onsite five days a week in El Segundo, CA or Washington, D.C.
  • Must be a U.S. person under ITAR

Requirements

Experience
7+ years
Visa
No sponsorship (stated in posting)

Benefits

Equity/Stock Options

Joblaze summary

In this role, the Senior Contracts Manager at Amca will oversee the negotiation and administration of government contracts, acting as the primary in-house expert on federal acquisition regulations. The position requires extensive knowledge of the FAR and DFARS, along with hands-on experience in both cost-type and fixed-price contracts. This role is suited for a seasoned professional with at least seven years of relevant experience, particularly those comfortable in a startup environment where processes are still being established.

Joblaze insights

  • Listed today — first seen on Joblaze October 2, 2026. Last confirmed on Amca's careers page October 2, 2026.
  • Salary band is above the typical range for comparable tech roles (median ~$126,800).
  • Starts above 62% of 1221 comparable senior other roles in United States we track (median $144,000 across 187 companies).

Quick facts

Is the Senior Contracts Manager, Government Programs role remote?
No — this is an on-site role in Washington, District of Columbia, United States.
What's the salary range?
Amca lists $160,000–$200,000 for this role.
How much experience is required?
At least 7 years of relevant experience for this Senior Contracts Manager, Government Programs role.
Where is the role based?
Amca is hiring for this position in Washington, District of Columbia, United States.
What seniority level is this role?
Amca targets senior candidates for this position.
Is this full-time or contract?
Full-time for this Senior Contracts Manager, Government Programs role at Amca.

From the original posting

There was a time when all of America believed that the future of the physical world could be radically different. The engineers of the mid-1900s put a man on the moon in eight years, designed and built planes and submarines from scratch in under three, and conceived of building things we wouldn’t even be able to dream up today.

Overview

Amca is working with the DoW and services on multiple government contracts. You will be the person who supports scaling this. Reporting to the General Counsel, you are Amca's first and only dedicated government contracts hire – the sole in-house authority on the FAR and DFARS, the lead contract negotiator across the table from every Contracting Officer we deal with, and the owner of every government contract we sign from solicitation through closeout. You will also help us build the government contracting infrastructure for a high-growth startup.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a lead contract negotiator with Contracting and Agreement Officers across the Air Force, Navy, and Army on the full range of negotiated procurements, including IDIQ contracts and task orders, SBIR and STTR Phase II and Phase III awards, OTAs and follow-on production authority, and basic ordering agreements.
• Serve as the contract authority on government proposals, including solicitation interpretation, terms and conditions, clause exceptions, certified cost or pricing data obligations, TINA thresholds, and certification and sweep discipline.
• Support Amca and its factories on various government contracting matters, including prime flow-downs, DCMA audits, and FAR and DFARS interpretation.
• Own Amca's technical data and intellectual property rights position, including assertion tables and rights allocation, Government Purpose Rights, and SBIR data protection.
• Own the contract after award, including regulatory or compliance obligations, modifications, delivery and performance obligations, invoicing and DD250 submission through PIEE, requests for equitable adjustment and claims under the Contract Disputes Act, terminations for convenience and default, and closeout.
• Stand up Amca's government contracting function.

Basic Qualifications

• 7+ years of government contract administration and negotiation, including a track record of negotiating directly with Procuring and Administrative Contracting Officers.
• Demonstrated depth in the FAR and DFARS.
• Hands-on experience across both cost-type and fixed-price vehicles, including the compliance obligations attached to each.
• Builder who is comfortable operating in an ambiguous environment, where processes and procedures are still being developed.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, with the ability to explain a contractual position to engineers, executives, and government customers.
• Onsite five days a week in El Segundo, CA or Washington, D.C.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience as a Contracting Officer.
• NCMA certification (CPCM, CFCM, or CCCM) or DAWIA contracting certification.
• Substantive technical data rights and SBIR Phase III experience.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance; active clearance a plus.
• JD a plus.

Annual Salary Range $160,000 - $200,000 USD + Equity

This position requires use of information which is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). All applicants must be U.S. persons within the meaning of ITAR. ITAR defines a U.S. person as: any individual who is granted U.S. citizenship; any individual who is granted U.S. permanent residence ("Green Card" holder); or any individual who is granted status as a "protected person" under 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

Annual Salary Range
$160,000—$200,000 USD

This position requires use of information which is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). All applicants must be U.S. persons within the meaning of ITAR. ITAR defines a US person as: any individual who is granted U.S. citizenship; or. any individual who is granted U.S. permanent residence ("Green Card" holder); or. any individual who is granted status as a "protected person" under 8 U.S.C 1324b(a)(3).

Standard company text repeated across Amca's postings is omitted here.

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