What are the responsibilities and job description for the Acquisition Contracting SME position at Odyssey Systems?
Position Summary
Odyssey Systems is seeking multiple highly experienced and mission-driven Acquisition Contracting Subject Matter Experts (SME) to support the U.S. Space Force and the Golden Dome program. This role involves providing strategic contracting and acquisition guidance across all phases of the acquisition lifecycle, with a focus on complex, high-value defense contracts supporting space and national security objectives.
The ideal candidate will bring deep knowledge of FAR/DFARS, DoD acquisition policy, and experience working in classified or space-related defense environments. This is a high-impact role requiring proactive leadership, technical expertise, and the ability to engage with senior government stakeholders.
Why Golden Dome?
Unparalleled Impact: Play a leading role in protecting millions of Americans and reinforcing global deterrence.
Cutting-Edge Technology: Engage in frontier systems—space interceptors, hypersonic sensors, AI-driven C2, and next-gen radars.
High‑Profile Leadership: Work under Gen. Michael Guetlein and Secretary Hegseth.
Cross‑Sector Collaboration: Join a diverse team from across defense, commercial tech, and space sectors to tackle the hardest engineering, strategic, and operational challenges ever attempted.
If you're driven to protect the nation, push technological boundaries, and collaborate with top-tier talent across aerospace and defense, Golden Dome is where your legacy begins.
This is a full-time position located in El Segundo.
Duties include, but are not limited to:
Citizenship: Must be a US citizen
Minimum Required Qualifications
Clearance: Must have and be able to maintain an active TS/SCI level clearance
Education: Master's Degree in related field
Years of Experience: 20 years of directly related experience
Location: Flexible, El Segundo, CA
Travel: ~10%
Remote, Onsite, or Hybrid: On site in El Segundo preferred. Possibility for remote.
Odyssey Systems is a world-class technical, engineering, and integration company serving the warfighting ecosystem with airborne integration, ISR, C2, and warfighter readiness capabilities. Odyssey meets the military’s operational needs by integrating layered defense systems from equipment, technology, and services to data, information, and business operations. We streamline defense acquisition and sustainment, engineering the technical battlefield with domain-specific proficiency to ensure lethality. Odyssey is dedicated to excellent contract execution, peak organizational performance, and fostering a workplace built on employee care.
Odyssey is proud to live out our core values of commitment, ambition, and respect in our work and communities through OdysseyCares , a philanthropic group focused on giving back through direct donations, an employer match program, and volunteering events.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals With Disabilities
Please Note:
Final compensation for this position will be determined by various factors such as the Federal Government contract labor categories and contract wage rates, relevant work experience, specific skills and competencies, geographic location, education, and certifications.
This position is filled through continuous recruitment and will remain open until a sufficient pool of applications has been received.
Hired applicants may be eligible for benefits, including but not limited to, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, Tricare supplement, short-term disability, long-term disability, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, employee assistance program, learning and development benefit, paid time off, and holidays.
Odyssey Benefits
Odyssey Systems is seeking multiple highly experienced and mission-driven Acquisition Contracting Subject Matter Experts (SME) to support the U.S. Space Force and the Golden Dome program. This role involves providing strategic contracting and acquisition guidance across all phases of the acquisition lifecycle, with a focus on complex, high-value defense contracts supporting space and national security objectives.
The ideal candidate will bring deep knowledge of FAR/DFARS, DoD acquisition policy, and experience working in classified or space-related defense environments. This is a high-impact role requiring proactive leadership, technical expertise, and the ability to engage with senior government stakeholders.
Why Golden Dome?
Unparalleled Impact: Play a leading role in protecting millions of Americans and reinforcing global deterrence.
Cutting-Edge Technology: Engage in frontier systems—space interceptors, hypersonic sensors, AI-driven C2, and next-gen radars.
High‑Profile Leadership: Work under Gen. Michael Guetlein and Secretary Hegseth.
Cross‑Sector Collaboration: Join a diverse team from across defense, commercial tech, and space sectors to tackle the hardest engineering, strategic, and operational challenges ever attempted.
If you're driven to protect the nation, push technological boundaries, and collaborate with top-tier talent across aerospace and defense, Golden Dome is where your legacy begins.
This is a full-time position located in El Segundo.
- Contingent upon contract award***
Duties include, but are not limited to:
- Provide expert acquisition and contracting support for Space Force programs, particularly under the Golden Dome initiative.
- Draft, review, and advise on procurement documentation including RFPs, acquisition strategies, Justifications & Approvals (J&As), Source Selection Plans, and Contracting Officer Determinations.
- Advise program managers and government contracting officers on contract type selection, evaluation criteria, and negotiation strategies.
- Ensure all acquisition packages comply with relevant regulations including FAR, DFARS, DoDI 5000.02, and Space Force-specific acquisition policies.
- Support pre-award, award, and post-award contracting actions across a range of contract types (FFP, CPFF, IDIQ, OTA, etc.).
- Mentor junior acquisition staff and facilitate knowledge sharing across functional teams.
- Interface regularly with government clients to ensure alignment of acquisition strategies with mission goals.
- Contribute to acquisition planning documentation, milestone reviews, and programmatic briefings.
- Contingent upon contract award***
Citizenship: Must be a US citizen
Minimum Required Qualifications
Clearance: Must have and be able to maintain an active TS/SCI level clearance
Education: Master's Degree in related field
Years of Experience: 20 years of directly related experience
- Expert in Federal, DoD, Air Force, and SSC contracting processes and procedures
- Demonstrated ability to lead all aspects of any contract action required by the program office, including but not limited to solicitations, change proposals, funding modifications, and award or incentive fee management
- Prior PCO or Buyer experience
Location: Flexible, El Segundo, CA
Travel: ~10%
Remote, Onsite, or Hybrid: On site in El Segundo preferred. Possibility for remote.
- Contingent upon contract award***
Odyssey Systems is a world-class technical, engineering, and integration company serving the warfighting ecosystem with airborne integration, ISR, C2, and warfighter readiness capabilities. Odyssey meets the military’s operational needs by integrating layered defense systems from equipment, technology, and services to data, information, and business operations. We streamline defense acquisition and sustainment, engineering the technical battlefield with domain-specific proficiency to ensure lethality. Odyssey is dedicated to excellent contract execution, peak organizational performance, and fostering a workplace built on employee care.
Odyssey is proud to live out our core values of commitment, ambition, and respect in our work and communities through OdysseyCares , a philanthropic group focused on giving back through direct donations, an employer match program, and volunteering events.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals With Disabilities
Please Note:
Final compensation for this position will be determined by various factors such as the Federal Government contract labor categories and contract wage rates, relevant work experience, specific skills and competencies, geographic location, education, and certifications.
This position is filled through continuous recruitment and will remain open until a sufficient pool of applications has been received.
Hired applicants may be eligible for benefits, including but not limited to, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, Tricare supplement, short-term disability, long-term disability, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, employee assistance program, learning and development benefit, paid time off, and holidays.
Odyssey Benefits