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Defense Logistics AgencyThe Nation's Combat Logistics Support Agency

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### Helpful Information 

                        - **Find Current Vacancies**    
                        - Review Career Fields for PaCE Program    
                        - Review the Conditions of Employment  (PDF)    
                        - Review the Education and Experience related questions  (PDF) that you will be required to answer in the application process    
                        - DTM 14-003 DLA Pathways Program, April 2014  (PDF)

# DLA Pathways to Career Excellence (PaCE) Program

## Formerly known as DLA Corporate Intern Program

 

DLA Pathways to Career Excellence Program (PaCE) Program is a 2-year training program designed to train entry-level personnel for subsequent advancement to the journey-level in professional, administrative, and technological career fields. This is accomplished through on-the-job assignments, cross-training, rotational assignments, and formal training (e.g. classroom, distance learning, web-based training, conferences and seminars).

Participants enter the Program at predominantly the GS-7 pay level ** and are targeted to the GS-11 or GS-12 level upon successful completion of the program requirements. While in the Program, participants will enjoy permanent, full-time employment, competitive salaries, benefits, and career advancement. U.S. Citizenship is required and our best applicants will possess a 2.95 GPA or higher, with strong academic achievement and leadership skills.

## DLA Career Fields for the PaCE Program

DLA is among the largest federal agencies in terms of offering entry-level employment opportunities, and positions for experienced professionals of various talents, skills and degree areas. We are also one of the most diverse employers you will find. The DLA Pathways to Career Excellence (PaCE) Program is a 2-year training program designed to train entry-level personnel for subsequent advancement to the journey-level in professional, administrative, and technological career fields.

                              - Contracting
                              - Engineering
                              - Environmental Protection
                              - Finance
                              - Human Resources
                              - Industrial Specialist
                              - Information Technology
                              - Property Disposal
                              - Quality Assurance
                              - Supply
                              - Traffic Management

One of the major logistics functions in any large organization, whether civilian or military, is contracting for supplies, services, and equipment from industrial corporations and research organizations. In DLA, this is a multibillion dollar effort involving the procurement of hardware and repair parts to keep weapon systems combat-ready. It also means outfitting our military personnel with the clothing, subsistence, and medical support to keep them able-bodied and well-equipped to serve our country.

**Contract Specialists** develop announcements and solicit bids and proposals; evaluate the quality of bids and proposals in terms of costs, technology, market conditions, and reliability of performance; negotiate terms; and recommend the contract award. Contract Specialists review purchase requests and related documents, clarify all facets of a proposed acquisition to ensure accuracy and completeness, prepare requests for proposals, conduct negotiations, prepare necessary award documentation, and administer the contracts until performance is completed. They also interface at various levels within organizations throughout the Agency as well as with external customers and contractors.

**General Engineers** are responsible for overall site energy management support and engineering design fundamentals. Work may include reviewing and providing input on facility planning, maintenance planning, and construction projects. This job requires the Engineers to apply fundamental engineering principles and training to a wide range of systems to include structural, roofing, heating, ventilation, electrical, hydrant and drains and pavement. The Engineers participate in briefings with Staff Directors, Site Directors, and staff on status of field activity programs.

DLA Disposition Services manages the disposal of hazardous property for DoD activities, maximizing the use of each item and minimizing environmental risks and costs.

**Environmental Protection Specialists** provide oversight and environmental program support to field activities. Environmental Protection Specialists maintain liaisons with the military services and other Federal agencies to exchange general disposal information, coordinate new programs, and promote Agency disposal programs. They prepare and present briefings on field activity operations or trends/new environmental developments. They evaluate the efficiency of disposal activities using statistical analysis and automated information systems reports and through quality assurance inspections and reports. They also identify and document environmental compliance status of field activities, contractor's storage, treatment or disposal facilities, and hazardous property sales customers.

DLA Finance obtains and allocates resources, analyzes execution, provides fiscal guidance and advice to support the Agency, its business areas, and its field activities in accomplishing DLA's mission in a manner which provides the best return on investment to the taxpayer. They do so through a highly motivated team of dedicated financial professionals who are innovative, well-trained, and committed to uncompromising customer support.
                                  -  **Accountants** throughout the DLA Enterprise are responsible for preparing commitment and obligation documents, managing accounts receivables and accounts payable, reviewing system flowcharts and related documentation. They perform analysis on problem disbursements, reviewing adjustments, analyzing monthly financial data and performing comparative analysis. 
                                  -  **Financial Management Specialist**apply standard practices and procedures to phases of the annual budget and financial administration process, research regulatory material to obtain factual information, apply analytical techniques to research results, and report findings. They also provide technical expertise to management on budgeting and cost estimating in conjunction with multi-year funding programs. They review and advise on financial management issues that are characterized by diverse and innovative approaches. 
                                  -  **Auditors**present finding and recommendations to auditee and discuss audit field work, and results. Audit results may include information on items and matters such as those governing the bidding for contracts, amounts billed, amounts due, safeguarding assets, or responses to allegations of fraud and support of investigations of fraud waste and abuse. Audit results may require Auditors to negotiate or defend resolution of disputed recommendations through clarification of opposing positions and identification of potential compromise. 

**Human Resources Specialist** provide a wide range of Human Resource (HR) services in one or more of the following functional specialties: Classification, Recruitment & Placement, Employee and Labor Relations, Employee Benefits, HR Development, HR Information Systems, Injury Compensation and/or HR processing/quality control, to customers around the world. The HR Specialist applies fundamental human resources management methods, principles, and practices of assigned specialization(s) and standardized analytical and evaluative methods and techniques and applies specific rules, regulations or procedures to complete assignments which typically comprise a complete segment of an HR assignment of broader scope.

**Industrial Specialists** perform technical functions related to contractor production surveillance operations. Work includes participating in surveys and analysis of industrial operations, organizations, and capacity to determine whether there is a reliable industrial capability. Industrial specialists also provide technical support to negotiations and gaining experience in developing plans to determine material requirements and/or schedules for production management.

This career field refers to systems and services used in the automated acquisition, storage, manipulation, management, movement, control, display, switching, interchange, transmission, assurance, or reception of information. This includes policy and planning, information security, systems analysis, applications software, operating systems, network services, and data management.

**Information Technology Specialists** administer a major part of the Information Technology program and are responsible for providing information on concept development, feasibility determination, design and development documentation, testing, implementation, and operational continuity to help management make sound decisions.

**Property Disposal Specialists** provide technical advice, guidance, and assistance on property disposal compliance and/or the development of quality assurance programs. Work includes providing oversight and evaluate the efficiency of assigned disposal activities through statistical analysis, automated information system reports, and quality assurance inspections and reports. They assist in the revision or development of new policy, procedures, and process improvements to define and support Agency strategic and tactical objectives. They identify requirements; coordinate development; and implement new and revised policies, procedures, plans, and programs. Property Disposal Specialists grant waivers to established policy and recommend approval or disapproval of changes to policy. They also maintain liaisons with the military services and other Federal agencies to exchange general disposal information, coordinate new programs, promote Agency disposal programs, and prepare and present briefings to senior property disposal managers on field activity operations or trends/new property disposal developments.

This career field includes positions that involve technical work concerned with monitoring, controlling, and maintaining the quality and reliability of materiel, services, or processes. The work includes the operation and use of statistical quality assurance techniques, the preparation and use of statistical technical standards, and the overall management of the quality of materiel.

**Product Specialists (Quality Assurance/Technical)** assure that contractors furnishing supplies and equipment to the military meet all specifications and contractual requirements. Quality Assurance Specialists prepare and issue Quality Assurance letters of instruction; participate in pre-bid conferences, pre-award surveys, post award conferences, and first article test inspections; evaluate Quality Assurance procedures, reports, inspection, and test results/methods; and other operational aspects involving assigned items or commodities.

A fundamental element of DLA logistics is Supply Management. A wide spectrum of commodities and items is needed to meet military requirements. DLA procures, manages, stores, and distributes 4.1 million items for U.S. military customers, other U.S. Federal agencies, and allied forces throughout the world.
                                  -  **Supply Management Specialists** make use of automated data processing to ensure there is sufficient materiel to support the military mission by managing local inventories and acting as liaison to assure adequacy and availability of supplies. They specialize in such areas as inventory control, supply distribution, storage and shipping, cataloging, and preservation and packaging. 
                                  -  **Resolution Specialists** research and resolve inventory discrepancies related to customers' orders. They perform inventory reconciliation activities by investigating discrepancies, initiating inventory comparisons, making recommendations in denials and cancellations, and following up on redistribution orders. Resolution Specialists respond to distribution centers, supply centers, and customers worldwide that have questions or problems relating to items managed by DLA. 
                                  -  **Demand Planners**analyze and adjust historical demand data used for statistical forecasting. Demand Planners assist in the development and enrichment of the Demand Plan by combining elements of statistical forecasts, collaborative demand plans, product demand intelligence, and prior statistical forecasts/demand plans. Using these statistical forecasts, the Demand Planners will collaborate with DLA customers to identify their upcoming needs and any changes to their supply requirements. 
                                  -  **Customer Account Specialists** process customer requirements by entering and reviewing orders, editing information for completeness and validity, determining availability of requested items and associated replacements/substitutes, and coordinating and validating shipment information. Customer Account Specialists process and expedite priority backorders related to routing supply problems for customer requisitions. They receive and respond to emergency supply assistance requests and provide customers with timely information relating to specific items, including price, product uses, technical specification data, quality, andwarranty information. 
                                  -  **Supply Systems Analyst** oversees material assets and determines supplemental transportation requirements within geographic areas giving consideration to cost factors and inventory requirements. Work includes performing analysis of supply and demand trends in order to forecast requirements for transportation of supply items. Supply System Analysts maintain inventory control records in Enterprise Business Systems (EBS), monitor usage transactions, timing of reorder actions and verification of cost changes. 
                                  -  **Supply Planners** participate in the evaluation of the source data generated by the deployment plan including planned orders and planned arrivals. Supply Planners assist in reviewing Time Phased Inventory Plan planning rules, planning parameters, and master data changes and resolve any exceptions. 

**Traffic Management Specialists** study and report on premium transportation costs, carrier in-transit time, cost analysis, and requirement control system. They analyze routing and rating data to determine potential transportation savings and collaborate with the Resolution Specialists to identify patterns related to transportation issues and discrepancies. Work also includes making recommendations for changes in routing and/or mode of transportation for more economical rates to meet required delivery dates; prepares cost comparisons to determine the most cost effective mode and determines the low-cost carrier.

## DLA PaCE Vacancies and Recruitment

Recruitment for DLA Pathways to Career Excellence (PaCE) Program positions primarily occurs in the Spring and Fall. Occasionally, we recruit outside these time frames, so check back often. You may also set up an email notification (called a Search Agent) at USAJOBS ** to receive announcements when positions are open.

### **Spring**

                            - Vacancy announcements generally open in April or May.
                            - PaCE participants selected during this time frame begin work in July.

### **Fall**

                            - Vacancy announcements generally open in September or October.
                            - PaCE participants selected during this time frame begin work in February.

## Latest Vacancies

### Contract Specialist (6 Month Register)

                            - Fort Belvoir, VA; San Antonio, TX
                            - Applications Open: 03/29/2024 to 09/27/2024
                            - Announcement number:  DLAJ1DT-24-12367030-DHA (Direct Hire Authority)   Click to apply **

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### Contract Specialist (6 Month Register)

                            - Whitehall, OH
                            - Applications Open: 04/16/2024 to 10/16/2024
                            - Announcement number: DLAJ1DT-24-12381868-DHA (Direct Hire Authority)   Click to apply **

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## PaCE News

Official photo of employee with flag in background

Disposition ServicesJuly 22, 2024

### PACER Spotlight: Sean Barrett

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Man sitting on rock

Disposition ServicesJuly 5, 2024

### PaCE Spotlight: Neil MacVicar

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Portrait with DLA background

Disposition ServicesJune 11, 2024

### PaCE Spotlight: Sara Vaughn

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