Principal Contracts Administrator

STR; Virginia (MN); On-site; USD 153,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

STR is seeking a highly motivated Principal Contracts Administrator to lead contract strategy and execution across a diverse DoD and Intelligence Community portfolio. You will operate independently, guiding proposals, negotiations, and compliance while partnering with senior leadership to drive mission critical defense capabilities.

You will oversee full life-cycle contract management, mentor staff, and collaborate with Program Management, Finance, Engineering, and Operations to strengthen STR’s

Qualifications

• Active Secret security clearance (TS/SCI eligibility a plus) and U.S. citizenship.
• 7+ years of Federal government contracting experience with DoD/IC.
• Expert knowledge of FAR/DFARS, export control regulations (ITAR, EAR).
• Experience with CPFF, FFP, T&M, IDIQ, OTA contracts and vehicles.
• Cross-functional collaboration with Program Management, Finance, Engineering, Operations.
• Strong negotiation skills and a track record of leadership and process improvement.
• Proficiency with MS Office and contract management systems.

Responsibilities

• Oversee full life‑cycle contract management across a government portfolio, ensuring quality and compliance.
• Collaborate with business, technical, and functional stakeholders to support growth and performance.
• Develop and maintain relationships with customers, primes, subcontractors, and suppliers.
• Review solicitations and develop compliant, competitive proposals with Program Management and Finance.
• Advise on contractual rights, obligations, and risks, interpreting terms as needed.
• Maintain official contract records and respond to data calls for assigned programs.
• Negotiate and execute NDAs, associate contractor agreements, teaming agreements, and IP licenses.
• Ensure compliance with FAR/DFARS and export controls; align with company policies.
• Provide strategic counsel on contract strategy, risk, and negotiation approaches.
• Identify opportunities to leverage AI to improve efficiency and quality.
• Collaborate with multiple departments and senior management on contract matters.
• Mentor and develop junior Contracts staff.

Skills

Federal government contracting

DoD/IC contracts

Negotiation

Leadership

Contract lifecycle management

Risk assessment

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

Tools

MS Office

Contract management systems

Job description

STR is seeking a highly motivated candidate with federal contract management experience to join our growing Contracts & Supply Chain team as a Principal Contracts Administrator. This role with lead contract strategy and execution across our diverse portfolio of DoD and Intelligence Community programs. You’ll operate independently, providing expert guidance on proposals, negotiations, and compliance while partnering with senior leadership to drive business outcomes. This is a leadership role with significant strategic impact—your work directly enables mission‑critical defense and intelligence capabilities. You’ll serve as a trusted advisor to senior executives and have visibility across the enterprise.

What you will do:

• Oversee full life‑cycle contract management across a diverse portfolio of government contracts, ensuring quality, compliance, and timely execution
• Work closely with business, technical, and functional stakeholders to support business growth objectives and strong program performance
• Develop and maintain effective external relationships with customers, primes, subcontractors, and suppliers to support program objectives and strengthen STR’s business partnerships
• Review solicitation documentation and develop compliant, competitive business proposals in collaboration with Program Management and Finance, coordinating with Subcontracts and Purchasing as required
• Advise management on contractual rights, obligations, and risks, and provide interpretation of terms and conditions as needed
• Maintain official contract records, including contractual documents and customer correspondence, and respond to company data calls for assigned programs
• Review, negotiate, and execute non-disclosure agreements, associate contractor agreements, teaming agreements, license agreements, and other related agreements
• Ensure compliance with FAR/DFARS, other applicable regulatory requirements, and company policies and procedures
• Provide strategic counsel to Program Managers and business leaders on contract strategy, risk, and negotiation approaches
• Experience using AI‑enabled tools and a strong willingness to learn and apply AI to drive efficiency and improve quality and effectiveness in Contracts and Supply Chain processes
• Collaborate with various departments (e.g., Program Management, Finance, Engineering, Operations) and with senior management and customer counterparts
• Identify and drive process improvements within the Contracts function to enhance efficiency, compliance, and business outcomes
• Mentor and develop junior Contracts staff

Who you are:

• This position requires an Active Secret security clearance (TS/SCI eligibility is a PLUS), for which U.S. citizenship is needed by the U.S. Government.
• Bachelor’s degree and 7+ years of Federal government contracting experience with DoD and IC contracts (or Master’s degree and 5+ years)
• Expert knowledge of FAR/DFARS, contract law, and export control regulations (ITAR, EAR). Proven ability to interpret and apply federal acquisition policies
• Experience with multiple contract types (CPFF, FFP, T&M, IDIQ, OTA) and vehicles, teaming/NDAs/CRADAs/ACAs, and commercial terms including IP and data rights
• Cross-functional experience with Program Management, Finance, Engineering, and Operations; ability to assess/communicate contractual risk and translate complex terms for business stakeholders
• Strong negotiation skills with a track record of achieving balanced outcomes
• You’re a proactive problem‑solver who thrives when managing competing priorities, with a proven track record of leadership and process improvement
• Proficiency with MS Office and contract management systems

Pay Information

Full-Time Salary Range: $153,000 - $200,000

The salary range listed is based on external market data. Offers are based on factors, such as but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, training, key skills/critical skills, security clearances, and prevailing market and business conditions.

STR is a growing technology company with locations near Boston, MA, Arlington, VA, near Dayton, OH, Melbourne, FL, and Carlsbad, CA. We specialize in advanced research and development for defense, intelligence, and national security in: cyber; next generation sensors, radar, sonar, communications, and electronic warfare; and artificial intelligence algorithms and analytics to make sense of the complexity that is exploding around us.

STRis committed to creating a collaborative learning environment that supports deep technical understanding and recognizes the contributions and achievements of all team members. Our work is challenging, and we go home at night knowing that we pushed the envelope of technology and made the world safer.

STR is not just any company. Our people, culture, and attitude along with their unique set of skills, experiences, and perspectives put us on a trajectory to change the world. We can’t do it alone, though - we need fellow trailblazers. If you are one, join our team and help to keep our society safe!

STRis an equal opportunity employer. We are fully dedicated to hiring the most qualified candidate regardless of race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

If you need a reasonable accommodation for any portion of the employment process, email us at [e-mail] and provide your contact info.

Pursuant to applicable federal law and regulations, positions at STR require employees to obtain national security clearances and satisfy the requirements for compliance with export control and other applicable laws.