# ACQUISITION PROGRAM MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST at Air Force Civilian Career Training

- Company: [Air Force Civilian Career Training](https://usajobs.gov)
- Location: Multiple Locations
- Type: Full-time · Entry
- Salary: $50k – $94k per year
- Posted: 2026-10-01
- Apply: https://www.usajobs.gov:443/job/888601400
- Page: https://newgrad.ai/jobs/acquisition-program-management-specialist-85f1e989

## Summary by newgrad.ai

What you'll do:

- Complete a 2 to 3-year formal training program in acquisition management.
- Support defense systems acquisition through special projects and analytical tasks.
- Develop skills in acquisition logistics and program management principles.

What they're looking for:

- Bachelor’s degree with Superior Academic Achievement or relevant graduate-level education.
- Strong analytical, evaluation, and communication skills.
- Ability to apply statistical techniques and mathematical models to management problems.

Pay and perks:

- Permanent position offered upon successful completion of the training plan.
- Yearly salary increases and promotions based on performance and approval.

## Posting

ACQUISITION PROGRAM MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST at Air Force Civilian Career Training · Department of the Air Force. Grade: 7-9. Applications close 2027-09-30.

### Summary

The primary purpose of the PALACE Acquire position is to offers you a permanent position upon completion of your formal training plan. As a Palace Acquire Intern you will experience both personal and professional growth while dealing effectively and ethically with change, complexity, and problem solving. The program offers a 2/3-year formal training plan with yearly salary increases. Promotions and salary increases are based upon your successful performance and supervisory approval.

### Duties

- Performs a variety of specific tasks designed to develop knowledge and skill in applying Acquisition Program Management principles, methods and techniques and understanding the fundamental precepts of defense systems acquisition.
- Carries out special projects designed to facilitate the full use of the intern's training and development.
- Performs a variety of specific tasks designed to develop knowledge and skill in applying Acquisition Logistics principles, methods and techniques.
- Performs taskings which are designed to increase knowledge and skill in the acquisition program management field and related areas.

### Qualifications

You may qualify if you meet one of the following: 1. GS-7: You must have completed a 4 year course of study leading to a bachelor's from an accredited institution AND must have documented Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) or one of the following: a) Class Standing - upper third of the graduating class based on completed courses in the college, university, or major subdivision; b) Grade Point Average - 2.95 or higher out of a possible 4.0 as recorded on your official transcript or as computed based on 4 years of education or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of curriculum; OR 3.45 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on the average of the required courses completed in your major field or the required courses in your major field completed during the final 2 years of your curriculum. If more than 10 percent of total undergraduate credit hours are non-graded, i.e. pass/fail, CLEP, CCAF, DANTES, military credit, etc, you cannot qualify based on GPA; c) Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society (note: freshman honor society cannot be used to meet the requirements of this position). (If qualifying based on class standing or honor society membership, provide appropriate documentation). OR 2. You have one full year (18 semester hours or the equivalent) of graduate level study, or possess a master's or higher degree, e.g., LL.B., J.D., LL.M., Ph.D., in a field that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to do the work of this position. Such fields include business administration, industrial management, industrial engineering, industrial psychology, public administration, political science, or government.(Submit copy of transcripts). 2. GS-9: You must have completed 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree: a) Grade Point Average - 2.95 or higher out of a possible 4.0 as recorded on your official transcript or as computed based on 4 years of education or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of curriculum; OR 3.45 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on the average of the required courses completed in your major field or the required courses in your major field completed during the final 2 years of your curriculum. If more than 10 percent of total undergraduate credit hours are non-graded, i.e. pass/fail, CLEP, CCAF, DANTES, military credit, etc. you cannot qualify based on GPA. http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level. Specialized experience is defined as knowledge of utilizing statistical techniques and developing mathematical models in order to define and analyze problems; and advising officials of different approaches as a basis for management plans and decisions. To view qualifying educational requirements and/or combination of education and specialized experience, click on the following link: http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp FEDERAL TIME-IN-GRADE (TIG) Requirement for General Schedule (GS) Positions: Applicants must have served at least 52 weeks at the GS-05 or higher grade (or equivalent in an alternate pay system) within the Federal Civil Service to be considered for referral. The purpose of TIG restrictions is to prevent excessively rapid promotions in competitive service GS positions and to protect competitive principles. Once the application and selection process is complete, a review of your application will be made to ensure you meet the applicable OPM qualification requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made. Applicants who fail to provide the necessary documentation to support their educational grade point average/masters degree requirements, qualifying experience or veterans' preference claim will be determined incomplete, ineligible or not identified as claiming veterans' preference. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your consideration in the referral and selection process. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas: 1. Knowledge of acquisition program management principles, techniques, requirements, methods and practices to carry out tasks to support planning, organizing and managing weapon systems acquisition. 2. Knowledge to perform tasks to assist in the development of acquisition logistics that support the operation, maintenance and support of the system. 3. Analytical and evaluation skills to asses capability in meeting customer or project requirements. 4. Oral and written communication skills for effective working relationships, interaction with customers, and exchange of information. PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week. VOLUNTEER WORK EXPERIENCE: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

### Education

IF USING EDUCATION TO QUALIFY: If position has a positive degree requirement or education forms the basis for qualifications, you MUST submit transcripts with the application. Official transcripts are not required at the time of application; however, if position has a positive degree requirement, qualifying based on education alone or in combination with experience; transcripts must be verified prior to appointment. An accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education must accredit education. Click here to check accreditation. You must have completed a 4 year course of study leading to a bachelor's from an accredited institution AND must have documented Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) at the undergraduate level in one of the following: A) Class Standing - upper third of the graduating class based on completed courses in the college, university, or major subdivision B) Grade Point Average - 2.95 or higher out of a possible 4.0 as recorded on your official transcript or as computed based on 4 years of education or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of curriculum; OR 3.45 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on the average of the required courses completed in your major field or the required courses in your major field completed during the final 2 years of your curriculum. If more than 10 percent of total undergraduate credit hours are non-graded, i.e. pass/fail, CLEP, CCAF, DANTES, military credit, etc., you cannot qualify based on GPA. C) Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society (note: freshman honor society cannot be used to meet the requirements of this position). (If qualifying based on class standing or honor society membership, provide appropriate documentation).You MUST provide transcripts to support your educational claims. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. PLEASE SUBMIT COPIES OF ALL TRANSCRIPTS TO INCLUDE TRANSFERRED HOURS - OFFICIAL COPIES ARE NOT REQUIRED AT TIME OF APPLICATION. IF SELECTED, YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE OFFICIAL COPIES OF ALL TRANSCRIPTS.*NOTE* Degree Audits are not accepted. FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.

### How to apply

To receive further consideration, YOU MUST log in to https://airforceciviliancareers.hirevue.com/signup/JHKjDpf5LXwh5aTSfppL9E/ Once there, select the "Apply Now" button. You will be directed to Hire Vue to begin your application. The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/30/2027. To preview the Application Questionnaire, please click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13084639 To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the application questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Application button at the end of the process. To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: 1. Your Resume. If you submit more than one resume, only the most recent will be reviewed. The "most recent" is considered the resume with the latest timestamp. Resumes may not exceed two pages. The two-page resume ensures the most relevant experience is reviewed and considered, which is a common practice in both the public and private sectors. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. Additional information on how to complete or update your resume may be located here. For qualification determination your resume must contain hours worked per week and dates of employment (i.e., month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as insufficient, and you will not receive consideration for this position. If you are a current Federal employee or previous Federal employee, provide your pay plan, series and grade, i.e. GS-0301-09. Current Federal Civilian Employees may list any relevant performance related rating (given within the last three years) and/or incentive awards in your resume. Do NOT include photographs, inappropriate material, inappropriate content, nor personal information such as age, gender, religion, social security number, etc., on your resume. If the resume you submit contains such information you will not be considered for this vacancy. Your name, first and last, MUST be included on your resume. 2. A complete Application Questionnaire 3. Additional Required Documents (see Required Documents section). Ensure all submitted documents contain your full name. 4. Help recruiters find you. Make your resume and profile searchable, which means recruiters may contact you about possible jobs. Additional information may be located here. PLEASE NOTE: It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and/or uploaded, (i.e., resume) is received, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. You may verify your documents have been processed with your application package successfully. You can access your USAJOBS account to do so by clicking here. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan. Human Resources WILL NOT modify or change any answers submitted by an applicant. To receive further consideration, YOU MUST log in to https://afciviliancareers.com/recentgraduates and select the Palace Acquire (PAQ)/Copper Cap (COP) link at the bottom. Once there, select the "Apply Now" button. You will be directed to Hire Vue to begin your application. Applicants will be evaluated based on the materials and assessments required for the position. This may include: Responses to the Hire Vue interview Hire Vue assessments Review of transcripts and supporting documents Resume review If you are minimally qualified for this job, you will be placed into one of three pre-defined quality categories based on your application. These categories are Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3. Your qualifications will be evaluated on competencies including, but not limited to: Communication Willingness to learn Problem Solving Planning and Prioritization Cognitive Ability Conscientiousness

From Air Force Civilian Career Training's public posting, laid out for reading by newgrad.ai with the wording unchanged. Check the original before you apply.

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