Acquisition Policy Analyst - DARPA

Chimera Enterprises International; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Chimera Enterprises International is seeking an Acquisition Analyst to support R&D acquisition activities in Arlington, Virginia. The role involves managing the lifecycle of solicitations and improving processes through data-informed insights.

The ideal candidate will possess a Bachelor's degree and at least 4 years of relevant experience. Active Top Secret clearance is required. The position demands strong knowledge of Federal acquisition regulations and excellent communication skills.

Qualifications

• At least 4 years of experience as a management or acquisition analyst.
• Experience with R&D and services contracting related to Federal acquisition.
• Active Top Secret (TS) clearance required.

Responsibilities

• Manage administrative flow of R&D acquisition actions.
• Develop and maintain solicitation materials for various acquisition strategies.
• Coordinate communications among program offices, contracting, and legal stakeholders.
• Track acquisition activity and performance, analyze lifecycle data.

Skills

Understanding of Federal acquisition regulations

Document management and coordination

Communication skills

Proficiency with Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field

Tools

Collaborative document repositories

Job description

We are seeking an Acquisition Analyst to support end‑to‑end acquisition activities for complex research and development programs. This role focuses on managing the administrative lifecycle of solicitations, coordinating communications among stakeholders, and helping to improve processes through data‑informed insights.

Key Responsibilities

As an Acquisition Analyst, you will manage the administrative flow of R&D acquisition actions from early planning through proposal evaluation and documentation. You will help develop, format, and maintain solicitation materials and supporting documentation for a variety of acquisition strategies, including broad agency announcements and other competitive vehicles.

You will maintain and update acquisition templates and standard operating procedures, ensuring that documentation remains current, consistent, and readily accessible in both classified and unclassified repositories. A key part of your role will be to coordinate communications and document routing among program offices, contracting, legal, and other stakeholders so that acquisition actions move efficiently and remain aligned with established timelines.

You will also track acquisition activity and performance, analyze lifecycle data, and help identify bottlenecks or areas where processes can be streamlined. Based on your analysis, you will propose practical improvements that help the team work more efficiently. Throughout, you will collaborate closely with financial, operations, and program analysts to ensure that acquisition planning is informed by accurate budget, schedule, and performance information.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Education:
  • Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.
• Experience:
  • At least 4 years of experience as a management or acquisition analyst.
  • Experience with contract and technical concepts related to R&D and services contracting.
  • Hands‑on experience supporting procurement contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, and/or Other Transaction agreements.
• Security Clearance:
  • Active Top Secret (TS) clearance required.
• Skills:
  • Strong understanding of Federal acquisition regulations and Department of Defense acquisition processes.
  • Excellent document management, coordination, and communication skills.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office and collaborative document repositories.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience supporting DARPA or other defense science and technology organizations.
• Formal acquisition training or certification (e.g., DAWIA, FAC‑C, or equivalent).