Government Contracts Paralegal (Temporary)

Coherent; Washington (District of Columbia); Remote; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Coherent is seeking a Paralegal to serve as the central intake point for U.S. government and defense contract documents, coordinating reviews and routing action items to stakeholders.

The role requires a bachelor’s degree with at least 5 years of related experience and a paralegal certificate. Responsibilities include ensuring compliance with FAR/DFARS, cybersecurity, export controls, and post‑award obligations, while maintaining organized files and supporting the Legal team in a fast‑paced,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and minimum of 5 years of related experience required; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Paralegal certificate required.
• Experience supporting government or defense contracts.
• Familiarity with FAR/DFARS clauses and prime/subcontract flowdowns.
• Experience with document intake, coordinating multi‑stakeholder reviews, tracking action items and deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a central intake and coordination point for U.S. government and defense contract documents and related customer or supplier communications.
• Perform initial reviews of incoming documents for deadlines, required approvals, and items needing Legal review.
• Review contract terms to identify flowdown requirements, including FAR, DFARS, cybersecurity, export controls, and agency supplements.
• Route contract terms and action items to stakeholders and follow up on open items.
• Support the organization and maintenance of contract files.
• Monitor milestones, deliverables, reporting obligations, and post‑award requirements; provide status reports/dashboards.
• Assist with representations, nondisclosure agreements, amendments, and other contract documents.
• Identify opportunities to improve intake forms, checklists, templates, and tracking processes.
• Protect confidential, export‑controlled, and other sensitive information per policies.
• Assist the Legal team with other duties as assigned.

Skills

Communication skills

Organization skills

Independent work

Attention to detail

Cross-functional collaboration

Legal tech proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Paralegal certificate

Tools

Smartsheet

Docusign

Job description

Description

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

• Serve as a central intake and coordination point for U.S. government and defense contract documents and related customer or supplier communications.
• Perform initial reviews of incoming documents for applicable deadlines, required approvals, and provisions requiring review by Legal or other subject‑matter experts.
• Review contract terms to identify flowdown requirements, including applicable FAR, DFARS, cybersecurity, export control, and other related agency supplements.
• Route contract terms and action items to responsible stakeholders and follow up on open items.
• Support the organization and maintenance of contract files in accordance with company requirements.
• Monitor contract milestones, deliverables, reporting obligations, and other post‑award requirements, and provide status reports and dashboards as needed.
• Assist with preparation and coordination of representations and certifications, nondisclosure agreements, amendments, and other contract documents.
• Identify opportunities to improve intake forms, review checklists, workflow documentation, clause libraries, templates, and tracking processes.
• Protect confidential, proprietary, export‑controlled, Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), and other sensitive information in accordance with applicable policies and handling requirements.
• Assist the Legal team with other duties as assigned.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree and minimum of 5 years of related experience required; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Paralegal certificate required.
• Previous experience supporting government or defense contracts required.
• Familiarity with U.S. government contracting concepts and documents, including FAR and DFARS clauses and prime contract/subcontract flowdowns required.
• Experience conducting document intake, coordinating multi‑stakeholder reviews, tracking action items and deadlines, and maintaining organized contract files.
• Experience with project management tools, including Smartsheet and Docusign preferred.
• Experience in an aerospace, defense, advanced manufacturing, technology, or other regulated environment is a plus.

Skills & Other Requirements

• Ability to interact with people at all levels in the organization, prioritize and handle numerous competing demands in a high‑volume, fast‑paced working environment
• Clear and professional written and oral communication skills, including the ability to translate contract requirements into concise action items for business stakeholders.
• Ability to build productive working relationships across functions and follow through persistently to support business needs.
• Comfort utilizing legal technology and excellent organization skills.
• Ability to work independently in a fast‑paced environment while collaborating effectively with a geographically dispersed team.
• Results‑oriented, adaptable, and self‑motivated with critical attention to detail.
• Able to exercise sound judgment to solve immediate business needs while escalating legal issues and approval decisions to supervising counsel.

Working Conditions

• Temporary assignment expected to last three months, with an expected schedule of 40 hours per week and a work arrangement of remote.
• Work is performed in an office or remote‑office setting.

Physical Requirements

• Occasional travel required; expected to be less than 25%.
• Must be able to sit for an 8‑hour shift.

Safety Requirements

All employees are required to attend scheduled training, follow the site EHS procedures and Corporate EHS standards. This includes the use of proper protective equipment (PPE) as required by the job responsibilities.

Quality & Environmental Responsibilities

Depending on location, this position may be responsible for the execution and maintenance of the ISO 9000, 9001, 14001 and/or other applicable standards that may apply to the relevant roles and responsibilities within the Quality Management System and Environmental Management System.

Culture Commitment

Ensure adherence to company’s values (ICARE) in all aspects of your position at Coherent:

• Integrity – Create an Environment of Trust
• Collaboration – Innovate Through the Sharing of Ideas
• Accountability – Own the Process and the Outcome
• Respect – Recognize the Value in Everyone
• Enthusiasm – Find a Sense of Purpose in Work