Senior Contracts Manager – Government & Space Programs

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory; United States; On-site; USD 106,000 - 126,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Wellbeing programs

Retirement plans

Paid time off

Learning opportunities

Rideshare program

Childcare support

Flexible schedule

Parental leave

Job summary

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, seeks a Contracts Manager III to lead high-complexity contract actions and shape negotiation positions across the Laboratory and Sponsors.

You will coordinate with Legal, Finance, Program Management, and Technical teams to ensure contract posture aligns with institutional goals. You will negotiate NDAs, MOUs, IPAs, and maintain accessible contract records with rigorous compliance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, finance, business law or related field with a minimum of 6 years of related experience; or a Master’s degree in a related field with a minimum of 4 years of related experience; OR PhD in similar discipline with a minimum of 2 years of related experience.
• Demonstrated advanced knowledge of Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and government contracting principles on Government Contracts and/or Prime/Subcontract administration, NASA and/or JPL policies, and commercial contracting standards.
• Demonstrated strong judgment and exceptional communication skills, effectively influencing key stakeholders, including legal, executive teams, and faculty.
• Proficient with MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and the ability to quickly master JPL-specific financial and tracking software.

Responsibilities

• Independently manage complex contract matters requiring advanced judgment. Decisions have significant positive impact across multifunctional organizations, contributing to new business opportunities and mission outcomes.
• Lead development of complex proposals, and modifications involving contractual risk, including end‑to‑end planning, requirements analysis, negotiation preparation, and stakeholder coordination.
• Lead integrated teams and influence business and technical partners on contract impacts and implementation. Coordinate with Legal, Finance, and Program Management and Technical teams, as well as Sponsors, throughout contract execution.
• Interpret contract clauses and apply advanced knowledge to formulate negotiations considering operational, financial, and policy impacts across JPL. Provide authoritative guidance on contractual rights, obligations, and regulatory requirements ensuring clarity and consistency across stakeholders.
• Negotiate complex agreements, such as Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDA), Memorandums of Understanding (MOU), Interagency Personnel Agreements (IPA), and other contractual agreements.
• Maintain “gold-standard” accessible contract records. Ensure documents are in compliance with contract specifications and JPL policies.

Skills

Contract management

Negotiation

Stakeholder influence

Legal/compliance liaison

MS Office

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration/Finance/related field

Master's degree in related field

PhD in similar discipline

Tools

MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

JPL financial software

Job description

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, seeks a Contracts Manager III to lead high-complexity contract actions and shape negotiation positions across the Laboratory and Sponsors.

You will coordinate with Legal, Finance, Program Management, and Technical teams to ensure contract posture aligns with institutional goals. You will negotiate NDAs, MOUs, IPAs, and maintain accessible contract records with rigorous compliance.