2026 COLLEGIATE HIRING INITIATIVE (CHI): CONTRACT SPECIALIST, 11

POSITION OVERVIEW

This position advertised has been exempted from the federal civilian hiring freeze.

Job Opening: 61698
Opening Date: October 2nd, 2025
Closing Date: October 17th,2025 at 11:59 pm (ET)

Job Title CONTRACT SPECIALIST

Full Performance Level GS 7/9

Division Finance and Facilities Division

Unit N/A

Location Huntsville, AL. and Clarksburg, WV.

Working Hours 40

Job Type Full Time/Permanent

Who May Apply All U.S. Citizens

Number of Positions Available Multiple

Questions Email:FBI_CHI@FBI.GOV

Salary
GS-7: $42,679.00 - $55,486.00
GS-9: $52,205.00 - $67,865.00

NOTE: The salaries listed above are the base rate of pay for federal employees on the General Schedule (GS) pay scale.
A complete list of pay tables factoring in locality pay (based on geographical area) can be found on OPM.gov.

JOB SUMMARY

CHI Contract Specialists will support procurement activities by performing a range of standard contract functions under close supervision. Responsibilities may include acquiring supplies, services, and basic IT equipment for complex projects in areas such as construction, technical services, and data processing. This role offers hands-on experience in federal acquisition processes and exposure to contract lifecycle management.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• Must be a U.S. citizen
• Must be able to obtain a Top Secret clearance

MAJOR DUTIES

GS-07

• As advanced trainees, perform basic research and analysis of management/program analyses functions and assist in the preparation of recommendations to management for the development of proposed activities.
• Assist with a portion of the budget administration process such as comparing the appropriation, financial plan execution, and actual expenditures in order to identify budget variances.
• Conduct basic research and analysis by utilizing surveys, interviews, and/or work measurement or other statistical studies in order to formulate selected segments of project plans; arrive at quantitative data; and/or make basic recommendations.
• Assist in preparing work flow charts and statistical analysis reports.

GS-09 In addition to above

• Compare existing and proposed systems and/or procedures. Organize and document findings, including suggestions for improvement.
• Analyze findings and participate in preparing recommendations for implementation of new or modified systems, work procedures, policies, or organizational changes.
• Assist higher-level analysts in writing reports for managers who require information for decision making and/or monitoring the current status of their resources and finances.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EVALUATIONS

Please ensure that your specialized experience and requirements are clearly identifiable in your resume. Your application will be evaluated using the FBI's Candidate Rating Procedures. Your resume and supporting documents will be reviewed to verify that you meet the job qualifications listed in this announcement and will be compared against your responses to the online assessment questionnaire. If your self-assessment in the vacancy questions is not supported by details in your resume or supporting documents, you may be disqualified from the Most Competitive category. Veterans' preference will be applied. Applicants must meet the qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

If you are deemed Most Competitive, you will be referred to the selecting official for further consideration.

All applicants will be rated on the following Competencies

• Communication
• Problem Solving/Judgment
• Analytic Thinking
• Program Management
• Collaboration
• Flexibility/Adaptability
• Organizing and Planning

Positive Education Requirement

This position has a specific education requirement; all applicants must verify completion of this basic educational requirement by submitting a copy of their college transcripts by the closing date of the vacancy announcement.

Candidates must have received or will be receiving an undergraduate, graduate, or PhD degree between May 2024 and June 2026 with a GPA no less than 2.95 on a 4.0 scale at the time of graduation. Veterans have up to six years after graduating or completing their degree to apply (May 2020-June 2026).

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above requirements provided you can show foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States.

Education

All degrees must be from an accredited college or university. Education may be substituted for specialized experience as follows:

GS-7: Applicant must have a bachelor's degree with superior academic achievement or one (1) full year of graduate level education. Superior academic achievement is the completion of all the requirements of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, which is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average of 2.95 or higher as recorded on an official transcript, or as based on courses completed during the final two years of the curriculum, or (3) honor society membership.

GS-9: Applicant must have a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related.

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above requirements provided you can show foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States.

HOW TO APPLY

For detailed instructions related to applying, uploading documents, withdrawing an application or updating your application, please review instructions on . If applying online is a hardship, please use the contact information listed in the vacancy announcement prior to the closing date for assistance.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

To apply to this position, interested applicants must provide a complete application package by the closing date which includes:

A two-page resume that outlines relevant work experience and associated start and end dates. Resumes exceeding two pages will not be considered.

A complete assessment questionnaire
Other supporting documents (if applicable):

• College transcripts, if qualifying based on education or if there is a positive education requirement
• Notification of Personnel Action, SF-50; not applicable to current FBI employees
• Most recent Performance Appraisal; not applicable to current FBI employees
  Veterans: DD 214; Disabled Veterans: DD 214, SF-15, and VA letter dated 1991 or later
• Memorandum for Record (MFR): Work performed outside assigned duties (that would not normally be documented on an SF-50, i. e., back-up duties), has to be documented in detail by an immediate supervisor in order to receive full credit for amount of time worked in that position. If no documentation is furnished no credit will be given for time worked in that position. The following notations must be specified in the documentation:
  • Percent of time worked in the particular position (cannot conflict with main duties.
  • The month/year work began
    Frequency worked (i.e., daily, monthly, etc.)
  • Specific duties performed

Attach the Memorandum for Record to your application in the "Cover Letters and Attachments" section of My Career Tools on the Careers Home page. Please upload the attachment as type "Other."

While applicants might see these documents in their profile, HR Specialists may be unable to access them. Therefore, all applicants MUST upload another copy to ensure that staffing units can review the complete application.

Please note: Failure to provide the necessary and relevant information required by this vacancy announcement may disqualify you from consideration. Incomplete applications will not be supplemented with additional requests for information; your application will be evaluated solely on the information you submit. You must complete the application process and submit all required documents by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the announcement's closing date.

WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT

Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications and determine your ranking. The Most Competitive candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. You will be notified of your status throughout the process.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• The FBI is in the Executive Branch of the federal government. It is one of the components of the Department of Justice (DOJ). The FBI is the principle investigative arm of the DOJ. All FBI positions are in the excepted service.
• Applicants must be U.S. citizens and consent to a complete background investigation, urinalysis, and polygraph. You must be suitable for Federal employment; as determined by a background investigation.
• Positions with fitness for duty requirements or those that require international travel may require proof of certain vaccinations.
• Management may select any grade for which this position has been announced.
• If you are selected, you will be required to serve a two-year probationary period. Probationary employees are precluded from being considered for all job opportunities until 12-months of their 24-month probationary period has concluded. Probationary Employees may be considered for competitive vacancies that are advertised within their respective division or field office after serving 90 days within the FBI.
• The probationary periods will be served concurrently.

Veterans' Preference

If you are entitled to veterans' preference, you should indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming on your resume and application. Your veterans' preference entitlement will be verified by the employing agency.

Nepotism

Nepotism is the act of favoring relatives in the hiring process and is prohibited by law. Public officials are prohibited from hiring or promoting relatives or relatives of officials in their chain of command, as well as actively or indirectly endorse a relative's appointment or promotion. During the hiring process, all selected candidates and FBI hiring managers will be required to certify they are not related to anyone involved in the hiring process.

Reasonable Accommodation

The FBI provides reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application and/or hiring process, please contact the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity Affairs (OEEOA) Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Program by email at REASONABLE_ACCOMMODA@fbi.gov, phone at 202-324-2158, or fax at 202-324-3976. This email address is for reasonable accommodation requests only. Do not send applications or unrelated inquiries to this address, as they will not be considered.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The FBI is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for this vacancy. Unless explicitly authorized by law, selection will be made without regard to, and there will be no discrimination because of, color, race, religion, national origin, marital status, parental status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, age (40 or over), sex, pregnancy and related conditions, or on the basis of personal favoritism, or any other non-merit factors.

Benefits

The Bureau matches your dedication with a commitment to professional growth, a supportive work environment, and a robust benefits package that prioritizes you. As a member of our team, you'll enjoy comprehensive health and life insurance benefits, paid vacation, sick leave, and federal holidays. For more details about benefits available to all federal employees, visit the Office of Personnel Management's .