Senior Research Contracting Officer

Jackson State University•Jackson, MS

44d

About The Position

The Division of Research and Economic Development at Jackson State University is accepting applications for its Senior Research Contracting Officer. The Senior Research Contracting Officer plays a key role in supporting the institution's research enterprise by overseeing the development, negotiation, and administration of federal, industry, and nonprofit research contracts. This position ensures JSU's compliance with federal acquisition regulations (FAR/DFARS) and develops proposal strategy, pricing, compliance, and risk assessment. This role requires a deep understanding of government acquisition strategies, including IDIQs, GWACs, BPAs. SBIR/STTRs, and other contracting vehicles.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in business administration, public administration, law, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
Minimum of 7 years of experience in federal contracting, government acquisition, or business development preferably in an academic, R&D, or consulting environment.
Demonstrated knowledge of federal acquisition regulations (FAR/DFARS), IDIQs, SBIR/STTR programs, and other federal contracting vehicles.
Experience in developing capture strategics and managing proposal responses to government solicitations.
Familiarity with platforms such as SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and other agency-specific procurement systems Working knowledge of university-based federal contracting processes and R&D environments.
Strong business acumen and strategic thinking.
Excellent writing, communication, and negotiation skills.
Ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage complex deadlines.
Familiarity with compliance, audit, and risk management in federal contracts.
Proficiency in interpreting solicitation documents and preparing compliant proposals.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a strategic roadmap to grow JSU's presence in the federal contracting ecosystem.
Identify and track federal contract opportunities that align with the university's research, education, and workforce development priorities.
Lead or support capture efforts including opportunity assessments, competitive intelligence, teaming arrangements, and bid/no-bid recommendations.
Build relationships with agency contracting officers, technical leads, and program managers to influence procurement strategics and position JSU competitively.
Lead or support proposal development efforts for government contracts, ensuring compliance with solicitation requirements (RFPs, RFIs, RFQs, BAAs).
Assist faculty and staff in responding to contract solicitations by developing compliance matrices, cost narratives, and management plans.
Ensure proposals align with contracting vehicles such as IDIQs, BPAs, GWACs, and task order-based competitions.
Collaborate with the Office of Sponsored Programs and legal counsel to develop or review subcontracts, NDAs, Teaming Agreements, and statements of work.
Cultivate strategic relationships with federal agencies, prime contractors. and small business partners to create teaming and subcontracting opportunities.
Support JSU's eligibility and competitive positioning for small business designations, HBCU set asides, and socio-economic contracting programs.
Participate in relevant government contracting conferences, webinars, and agency events to promote JSU capabilities.
Provide training and support to faculty and research administrators on federal contracting language, proposal formats, and pricing strategies.
Work with the Procurement and Legal to ensure institutional readiness to manage federal contracts.
Contribute to the development of tools, templates, and checklists to streamline contract submissions and post-award performance.