Contracts Manager
Astrobotic is at the forefront of advancing space exploration and technology development. Our expertise spans from lunar rovers, landers, and infrastructure to spacecraft navigation, machine vision, and computing systems for in-space robotic applications. To date, the company has been contracted for two lunar missions, and has won more than 60 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Department of Defense (DoD), and commercial technology contracts worth more than $600 million.
We recently launched and operated the first American lunar lander mission since the Apollo Program. Beyond helping lead America back to the Moon, Astrobotic developed and operates reusable vertical takeoff, vertical landing (VTVL) rockets and continues to advance next-generation VTVL capabilities and advanced rocket engines. Established in 2007, Astrobotic is headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, with a propulsion and test campus in Mojave, CA.
At Astrobotic, you’ll join a motivated team working on real space missions, from rover systems to lunar landers to power systems. If you’re passionate about space, contracts, and making technology fly, we want to hear from you.
As a Contract Manager at Astrobotic, you will support the development, negotiation, and execution of government and commercial contracts, subcontracts, and related transaction instruments. You’ll work closely with engineering, program management, finance, and legal to ensure contract compliance, risk mitigation, and alignment with company strategy.
This is a “hands-on” role: you will help build contract processes, negotiate provisions, monitor delivery and acceptance, and manage change control across technically complex hardware and software programs. You will also assist in internal process improvement and contract governance development.
Job Responsibilities:
- Support preparation, review, and negotiation of prime contracts, subcontracts, and other procurement and customer agreements (e.g., NASA CLPS, technical R&D agreements).
- Participate in the development of contractual strategy, including risk allocation, incentives, delivery milestones, warranties, liabilities, IP/data rights, and payment terms.
- Review technical proposals and interface with engineering and program teams to translate technical terms into contractual requirements and obligations.
- Monitor contract execution: deliverable acceptance, change orders, modifications, performance tracking, and compliance.
- Manage correspondence with customers, subcontractors, and internal stakeholders regarding contract status, interpretation, or compliance.
- Assist in the implementation and improvement of contract management processes, templates, checklists, and workflows.
- Support with audits, contract close-outs, and reporting.
- Provide contract risk assessment and flag issues to senior leadership.
Required Skills & Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Contracts & Procurement, Law, or related field.
- 1–2 years of hands-on experience in U.S. Government contracting, including experience in preparing or executing contracts, modifications, and change orders.
- Experience in negotiating contracts or contractual terms and influencing cross-functional stakeholders.
- Exposure to technically complex hardware or software product development or manufacturing environments.
- Strong understanding of contract clauses, contract lifecycle, change control, risk allocation, and IP/data rights.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to explain contract/legal concepts to non-legal stakeholders.
- Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines in a dynamic environment.
- Self-starter, proactive in seeking tasks, and comfortable working with evolving processes.
- Ability to obtain a U.S. security clearance, and handle export-controlled data under ITAR / EAR is a plus.
Desired Skills & Qualifications:
- Prior experience with NASA contracting (e.g., CLPS, SBIR, SAA, or Space Technology initiatives).
- Familiarity with domestic and international aerospace supply chains and their common contractual obligations for contractors and subcontractors.
- Experience establishing or improving Contract Lifecycle Management processes.
- Familiarity with risk management, performance incentives, or earned value management systems (EVMS).
- Experience with modifying contracts of early development and design efforts that have evolving work scopes.
- Familiarity with contract management tools; Deltek, DocuSign, SharePoint, and other Microsoft applications and contract repositories.
Compensation & Benefits:
The base salary range represents the low and high end of the anticipated salary range for this position. The actual base salary offered will depend on numerous factors, including individual performance, business objectives, and the candidate’s professional & educational experience. Base salary is just one component of Astrobotic’s competitive total rewards strategy.
Our total rewards package for full-time employees includes:
- Comprehensive Healthcare Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage
- Financial Protection: Company-paid life insurance and AD&D, voluntary short- and long-term disability coverage, plus voluntary life and supplemental insurance options
- Tax-Advantaged Accounts: Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
- 401(k) Retirement Plan: Immediate vesting with company match
- Work-Life Balance: Flexible Paid Time Off and company-paid holidays
- Well-Being Support: Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with counseling, mental health resources, and will preparation services
- Additional Voluntary Benefits: Accident and hospital indemnity coverage, as well as pet insurance
The recruiter assigned to this role can share more details about the specific compensation and benefits during the hiring process.
Export Control Regulations:
To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. person which includes U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents, protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) including those individuals granted refugee or asylum status, or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State or the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Equal Employment Opportunity:
Astrobotic Technology, Inc. does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.
Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation:
If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request to contact@astrobotic.com.