Realistic Job Preview Quality Assurance Specialist. Position Overview

Transcription

1 Realistic Job Preview Quality Assurance Specialist Position Overview The Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) is an independent combat support agency within the Department of Defense. Quality Assurance Specialists at DCMA are responsible for assuring contract technical performance and for the inspection, testing, and acceptance of products, supplies, and services being produced by the nation s defense contractors. They also conduct risk assessments and develop risk plans to mitigate the risks to successful program performance and execution.

2 Quality Assurance Specialist Quality Assurance may sound a little vague, but I can assure you that it s nothing of the sort. We have very specific responsibilities, but what it all boils down to is getting top quality equipment and supplies to our Armed Forces. America s fighting men and women aren t really very concerned with whether an item was delivered on schedule and on budget. They just want to know that it does what it s supposed to do every time. So that s why we re here. To make sure that the thousands of items that the Department of Defense requests are of the same unparalleled quality as the people who will use them. Depending on your area of expertise, you could be monitoring the quality and performance of anything from airplanes to ships, weapons systems to food items, foul-weather gear to software. At DCMA, we get it all, and in Quality Assurance, we get it right. Your work can take you around the world, wherever contract products and services for the Defense Department are produced and delivered. You will probably have a primary office, but you ll spend a lot of time visiting contractor sites to monitor your projects in-process. There s a lot of time in the office preparing evaluation documents and reports, but even more time is spent on the factory floor, observing production activities and monitoring quality. You must be able to interpret complex contracts and other legal documents, as well as detailed performance standards, but your background can come from any number of specialties engineering, electronics, software, hardware. There s a place for every kind of specialist in QA. You ll get loads of on-the-job training, and in the beginning you ll probably work with a personal mentor. Plus, DCMA is committed to the growth of every employee, so there are plenty of opportunities to continue your education through programs, seminars, and even going back to school on an educational sabbatical. In Quality Assurance, we bear a lot of responsibility. When you re at a vendor site, it s important to remember that the piece of equipment you re working on isn t just a gun, or a helmet, or an electronic component. It s part of a bigger picture, and the people who defend our country are counting on you to get it right. That s really what QA is all about. Not just getting things getting things right. What Some DCMA Quality Assurance Specialists Say About the Position You have to keep up your knowledge. You have to do a lot of that on your own. You have to be able to communicate. You have to talk to people, get information out of contractors, know what s going on. In software QA, you have to have knowledge of software. You have to be able to look at code sometimes. You need the ability to grasp the concepts and processes, and perform oversight. You have to be self-confident able to stand your ground and not let a contractor run over you. You need credibility, integrity, and analytic ability. Meetings and on-job-training are critical. A lot of the job is learned only through experience. My advice? Get a good mentor. Sometimes personalities don t match up. If that happens, let your supervisor know, and try someone else. DCMA is one of the best agencies around. If you like what you re doing, you ll enjoy it. For additional information and to learn how to apply for jobs with DCMA, visit

3 Realistic Job Preview Contract Specialist Position Overview The Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) is an independent combat support agency within the Department of Defense. Contract Specialists at DCMA provide technical assistance and guidance to DCMA Contract Management Offices (CMOs) at all stages of contracting.

4 Contract Specialist At DCMA, Contract Specialists are kind of like the Infantry. After all, what we do is right there in the agency name: Defense Contract Management Agency. Because our work is so fundamental to the Agency mission, we place Contract Specialists all over the US and around the world. There s plenty of opportunity for travel and relocation to hundreds of DCMA offices and contractor locations. As you can guess from our name, Contract Specialists are all about the contract. You ll start right at the beginning, from developing the agreement to supporting negotiations that get the best deal for the vendor and the Government. With each new assignment, you ll help draft the agreement and follow it through to completion. Along the way, you ll work with engineers and quality assurance pros, sometimes out on the factory floor, to make sure the work is being done right. You ll also interact with our finance pros to ensure that billing and payments are in line with the agreement. Basically, you will make sure everything in the contract gets done, and that everything that gets done is in the contract. The work you ll be doing isn t the kind of thing they teach at many schools, but DCMA will provide all the training you need. And from time to time, you ll get more education to help expand your professional capacity. One day, you might be working on bulletproof vests, and the next it could be satellites or the rockets that put them into orbit. The stuff we work on here is really amazing. You do need a college degree to work as a Contract Specialist, but that degree can come from almost any field, from finance to engineering, provided you have at least 24 semester hours in any combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management. Obviously, you need to be highly detailoriented to manage contracts that run to hundreds of pages, but you also need great communication skills, as it s your job to make sure that everyone is fully informed and doing their part. You really have to be on your toes as a Contract Specialist, but the rewards are plentiful. Compensation and a great benefits package are a start, but there s also that incredible feeling of participating in a mission that means so much. What Some DCMA Contract Specialists Say About the Position There are a lot of changes a lot of learning in the beginning. You have to be proactive and on your toes. Sometimes a contractor will try to slip things past you hoping you won t notice. I like that it s different every day. There is always a chance to learn and grow. I like the interaction with customers, contractors, people. DCMA doesn t have a set procedure for bringing people on board. There are a lot of benefits and training opportunities, but you need to ask to find out about some of them. Don t be shy about asking. I m assigned to a team, but the team doesn t meet on a regular basis. We communicate as needed. I work closely with my lead mentor. The benefits are great. They are on point with what I expected a 40-hour week and health benefits. Don t get frustrated. Give it some time, and you ll find DCMA is a great place to be employed. For additional information and to learn how to apply for jobs with DCMA, visit

5 Realistic Job Preview Cost/Price Analyst Position Overview The Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) is an independent combat support agency within the Department of Defense. Cost/Price Analysts at DCMA provide evaluations of Defense contract proposals and make recommendations as to the reasonableness of the costs associated with each element of the contract.

6 Cost/Price Analyst DCMA is responsible for overseeing the procurement of everything America s Armed Forces need to protect and defend our country. And when we say everything, we mean it: weaponry, uniforms, food, medical supplies, software, hardware the list goes on and on. As a Cost/Price Analyst, you ll be focused on evaluating the cost of those myriad items. DCMA Cost/Price Analysts evaluate Defense contract proposals and provide recommendations on the reasonableness of the costs associated with each element of the contract. For example, you might work on a contract proposal for a new type of lightweight bulletproof vest. You ll analyze costs for the actual production process materials procurement, assembly lines, and the like. Then there are costs for labor. Costs for contractor overhead. Every aspect of a contractor s proposal is reviewed and analyzed and evaluated all to ensure that the U.S. taxpayer s hard-earned dollars are being spent wisely. And it doesn t stop there: once a contract is approved you ll monitor the contractor s cost control systems and practices throughout the production process, right up to delivery of the finished item. You do need a college degree to work as a Cost/Price Analyst, but that degree can come from almost any field, from finance to engineering, provided you have at least 24 semester hours in any combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management. You ll also need excellent organizational skills, good communication skills (you WILL be writing reports), and, let s not forget, analytical prowess. It s a challenging job but in all the right ways. And it s rewarding. The satisfaction of playing a vital role in keeping our troops equipped and prepared is well, it s hard to describe. But that s part of our daily experience here at DCMA. So, if you re looking for a great career doing important and rewarding work, look no further. Come join us. And, bring your calculator. What Some DCMA Cost/Price Analyst Specialists Say About the Position I m never, ever bored. There s a new challenge, and a new opportunity every day. If you like complex, you ll like being here. Pretty much every aspect of a proposal gets put under the microscope how much for materials, how much for labor, and so forth. You want to make sure the taxpayer gets his money s worth. Bring your calculator. A recent project of mine involved the contract for a new amphibious landing craft for the Marines Special Forces. I felt as though I was one of The Few. The Proud. For additional information and to learn how to apply for jobs with DCMA, visit

7 Realistic Job Preview General Engineer Position Overview The Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) is an independent combat support agency within the Department of Defense. General Engineers at DCMA provide professional advisory, consulting, and reviewing capability to procuring agencies, operational areas, and support personnel. They perform operations analysis of contractor methods and systems and furnish technical advice and recommendations to support contract administration functions.

8 General Engineer Want to learn about life as an engineer with the Defense Contract Management Agency? Great. You ll probably find it interesting and maybe not quite what you expected. Let s start with what you won t do. As an engineer with DCMA, you won t be designing things. But you will be working with the latest in defense systems, weapons, and advanced equipment. While the actual design work on those items is done by our outside contractors, you ll be in the thick of producing everything America s military needs. Your role, as a DCMA engineer, is to be the eyes and ears of the Department of Defense during the entire contracting process. From initial design to prototyping, testing, and finally production, you ll use your engineering skills to make sure the Government is getting what it pays for. Our fighting men and women rely on us to deliver quality products. Of course, it s important that our projects are delivered on time and on budget, but when it comes to use in vital situations, the most critical factor is performance. And that s where you come in. You ll review designs for feasibility. Monitor prototype development. Participate in every stage of testing. And through it all, you ll work closely with our Contract Specialists to ensure that all the work is being done in accordance with the terms of the agreement. Depending on the project, you may be based primarily in an office, with regular visits to a vendor s facility, or you might be based in the plant itself. Our work takes place all over the U.S. and around the world, so there s plenty of opportunity for travel and even relocation. DCMA is also firmly committed to the career growth of every team member, so you will have access to opportunities for continuing education and expanding your areas of expertise. In most cases, a professional engineering degree is required, but for more specific information on educational requirements, please carefully review our vacancy announcements. You will need excellent verbal and written communication skills, as you ll be reporting on progress on a regular basis, producing a variety of documentation. You also need to be really detail-obsessed. The projects you work on will have a direct impact on the success or failure of our Armed Forces, so no detail is too small. Every day, you ll apply your engineering knowledge to programs that benefit the brave men and women who defend our country. It s a fantastic feeling. If that kind of career satisfaction is for you, then check out careers at DCMA.. What Some DCMA Engineers Say About the Position There are plenty of opportunities, but you have to be willing to get the training and experience you need to advance. You can t just take it easy and expect to get ahead. Sometimes writing reports can be a drag especially when you re crunching on several deadlines at the same time. I guess the part I like least is gathering metrics, but you have to do it. You re not doing design. You are reviewing design work. At some time or other, you may work at any stage of the product life cycle, from design to testing, manufacturing, field support, or sustaining program support. You have to be proactive and on your toes. Sometimes a contractor will try to slip things past you hoping you won t notice. The work is never dull. You are always learning something new, and every new project has new challenges. I like the fact that I get to travel. Some people don t like having to travel. You need to have a strong work ethic. The learning curve at first is pretty steep. For additional information and to learn how to apply for jobs with DCMA, visit

9 Realistic Job Preview Industrial Specialist Position Overview The Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) is an independent combat support agency within the Department of Defense. Industrial Specialists at DCMA evaluate contractor system processes at every stage of product development and production to ensure maximum efficiency and compliance with contractual agreements.

10 Industrial Specialist As Industrial Specialists, we re all about systems about how things get done. We re into system optimization making processes more efficient. In the commercial world, industrial engineering principles might be applied to anything from supply chain management to speeding up the lines at an amusement park. At DCMA, our Industrial Specialists work with Department of Defense contractors to ensure that the processes they develop to produce an item are not only feasible, but that they are the best they can be. As an Industrial Specialist, your job will be to fix and improve. At a contractor s facility, you ll meet regularly with their management team to review their production processes. You ll look for ways to make things work better, and if you find areas that need improvement, you will make appropriate recommendations. At DCMA, we re responsible for the procurement of some highly sophisticated items. Everything from satellites to battleships. And the production of those items is, as you can imagine, equally complex. From the development of the first prototype, through the creation of the final assembly process, DCMA Industrial Specialists use their expertise to help save the contractor and the Government time and money, and most importantly, to ensure that only the very best equipment is delivered to America s war fighters. Many of our team members have a background or education in Industrial Engineering, but we also hire individuals from other specialties. The Department of Defense utilizes a virtually limitless variety of state-of-the-art technology, so we need to maintain an elite-in-class team with all kinds of specialized expertise. Chances are good that you ll be working with technology you d rarely get to see in the private sector, and on top of that, there s an enormous sense of pride that really permeates all of DCMA. In the commercial world, you could apply your skills to optimizing the production process for the latest kitchen blender, but at DCMA, you ll help maintain our national security. There aren t many jobs that give you that kind of satisfaction and pride. If that s important to you, please consider a career with DCMA. We re looking for the best and the brightest. If that s you, please learn more about careers at DCMA. What Some DCMA Industrial Specialists Say About the Position Meeting with the contractor s management team, getting their input and then working with them to get production where it should be that s one of the things I like most about the job. I get to work on projects involving things I d never see in the private sector satellites, for example. It sure beats analyzing the production process for the latest microwavable burrito. Not everyone here has a background in Industrial Engineering. On the other hand, since virtually all the technology we oversee is state-of-the art, everyone has a specialty they are expert in. Is the process a contractor is using as efficient as it should be? Is it going to yield a superior result? These are the kinds of questions I focus on. For additional information and to learn how to apply for jobs with DCMA, visit

11 Realistic Job Preview Information Technology Specialist Position Overview The Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) is an independent combat support agency within the Department of Defense. Information Technology Specialists at DCMA provide technical surveillance of contractor software systems and controls, as well as verification and validation of contractor software metrics.

12 Information Technology Specialist Welcome to IT at DCMA. As an IT Specialist with DCMA, you ll be responsible for the successful design, development, testing, and implementation of state-of-the-art software systems for Defense, non-defense, and foreign government customers. We re talking about serious software here. Everything from satellite controls to weapons systems to logistics. If our military uses it, and it s run by a computer, chances are DCMA procured and approved the software. Much of what you ll work on is classified, so we can t give you a lot of details, but believe me it s really challenging and very cool! We work with a lot of different vendors to produce and deliver all of the software needs of the Department of Defense, and your expertise will make sure these products are delivered on time, on budget, and at the highest levels of quality. Working with our vendors, you will provide technical surveillance of contractor systems and software controls as well as verifying and validating various software metrics. As with any IT career, it will be critical that you keep your skills up-to-date, and DCMA will do its part to make sure you have access to all the continuing education you need whether it s attending special training seminars or participating in Government and industry-wide work groups and conferences. There s a lot on the line when you provide software to DoD, so our team has to be the best of the best. Your skills may even put you in a position to provide advice and opinions, not only within the agency, but potentially to DoD and Congressional decision makers, as well. Your expertise will be challenged every day, but the benefits of a career with DCMA will make it all worthwhile. Of course, you ll get all the Federal benefits, like health insurance, competitive compensation, retirement packages, even flexibility in your work schedule. But a lot of us at DCMA think the greatest reward is knowing that our work is directly impacting the success of our fighting men and women. It s a big responsibility, but we accept it with pride. Take it from me, there really isn t any other IT career path quite like DCMA. Keep looking around, and you ll probably decide it s the one for you. What Some DCMA Information Technology Specialists Say About the Position There s a lot on the line here after all, we re working for the Department of Defense. Basically, we re helping to defend the country. It s a great feeling to have as you end your day at work. DCMA makes sure that I get all the advanced training I need. State-of-the-art and best-in-class are two phrases you hear a lot around here. This doesn t relate directly to what I do, but the benefits are exceptional. Increasingly, I see this as something to value for my family as much as for myself. For additional information and to learn how to apply for jobs with DCMA, visit

13 Realistic Job Preview Property Management Specialist Position Overview The Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) is an independent combat support agency within the Department of Defense. Property Management Specialists at DCMA manage the use of Federal Government property by Department of Defense contractors in the execution of projects for Department of Defense agencies.

14 Property Management Specialist If you ve never heard of Industrial Property Management, it s about time you did. The name really says it all we manage property. To be more precise, we manage the use of Government property by Department of Defense contractors. Say a contractor is working on a project for the Government, and it needs access to special equipment or other materials that the Government can provide to them. That s where we come in. As a Property Management Specialist, you ll be fully responsible for oversight and control of large amounts of Government property located at contractor sites and used in a wide variety of industrial operations. We manage literally thousands of items. Some of them are large pieces of industrial equipment, others are smaller consumable materials, and still others may be of a sensitive nature as in classified. It will be your job to make sure that items provided by the Government are used in the agreed-upon manner, and, if appropriate, that they are returned in the same condition in which they were received. So what kind of property are we talking about? Well, it could be just about anything. A good portion of the property we manage is sophisticated testing equipment, put in place by DCMA at a contractor s facility to test components or completed items to see that they meet the standards of the contract. Or it might be a component of a larger item, say a prototype GPS system made by one contractor that we provide to another contractor for incorporation into a new vehicle. You really need to have great organizational skills to manage all these items, and great communication skills are also necessary. You ll be working with lots of different people and preparing lots of reports on a regular basis. While you ll spend much of your time at your DCMA office, you ll certainly spend time at various contractor facilities as well. As a Property Management Specialist, you will represent the interests of the Government and specifically, the Department of Defense. But you will also be a key to the contractors ability to successfully meet their commitments. By bringing these two sides of the contract together, you ll help ensure that the best equipment and supplies are provided for America s fighting men and women. What Some DCMA Property Management Specialists Say About the Position Part of my job is making sure contractors get any special equipment they need. I then have to safeguard that property, making sure it s properly used and returned. It s a lot of responsibility, considering how technically sophisticated and valuable the property is. You spend a lot of time at contractor sites, working with people who are testing equipment. I like not being chained to a desk. There are things I can t talk about away from work. It doesn t quite make me James Bond, but some of my projects involve machines and devices whose design and performance are classified. It sets my job apart from what most people do from nine to five. For additional information and to learn how to apply for jobs with DCMA, visit

15 Realistic Job Preview Keystone Position Overview The Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) is an independent combat support agency within the Department of Defense. DCMA s Keystone Program is a training and development program for recent college graduates and entry-level professionals. The program is the source of DCMA s future skilled and professional workforce and the primary entry-level pathway for professional, technical, and management positions at DCMA.

16 Keystone You may think you know about internships, but you haven t seen anything yet. The DCMA Keystone program is like a souped-up, 21st century internship. You ll work full-time and get a pay check and great Federal benefits, but your main focus will be on learning and preparing to become a permanent part of the Defense Contract Management Agency. Depending on the career path you re pursuing, and the type and amount of experience you have, you ll spend up to 3 years working and completing training courses to acquire the skills and knowledge to perform at the journeyman level of your career field. There is plenty of online and classroom training, so some of the time it s like being back in school, but there s also a lot of hands-on work, really getting involved in the activities that make DCMA such a vital part of America s national defense. You ll work with a personal mentor who will advise you and help direct your progress. Depending on your field, you might work in an office or spend time at a contractor site. Those offices and contractor sites could be located almost anywhere in the U.S., and there are even some limited opportunities for Keystones to work in overseas locations during their final year in the program. The best thing about Keystone is you re right in the heart of the action while you re learning! You quickly get a feel for the culture and commitment of the people here at DCMA. The mission is so important, and everyone here is really proud of what they do. No matter what they re doing, they really give it everything they have. Join the Keystone team and no doubt you ll feel you ve made a great choice. What Some Keystone Participants Say About the Program I like the fact that the work is never dull. You are always learning something new, and every new project has new challenges. I like the flexibility of the job. In my job I get to telework from home a couple of days a week. You need to have a strong work ethic. The learning curve at first is pretty steep. We are the go-between to work out problems between the contractor and the Government client. In the end, though, we work to make sure the Government s interests are served. We work for the Government. You have to look out for Number 1. You can get the information and help you need from your supervisor and peers, but you don t get it unless you ask for it. I would say the Keystone Program met my expectations. It even exceeded them. For additional information and to learn how to apply for jobs with DCMA, visit