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8059 Career Guide

Marine Corps

8059: Acquisition Management Professional

Career transition guide for Marine Corps Acquisition Management Professional (8059)

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Civilian Career Pathways

Top civilian roles for 8059 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.

Acquisition Manager

$145K
High matchHigh demand

Program Manager

$130K
High matchVery high demand

Contract Specialist

$95K
Good matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C)Specific contract law expertise

Management Consultant

$120K
Good matchHigh demand

Skills to develop:

MBA or relevant Master's degreeConsulting certifications (e.g., Certified Management Consultant)

Logistics Manager

$105K
Moderate matchStable demand

Skills to develop:

Supply chain management certification (e.g., CSCP, CLTD)APICS certifications

Salary estimates from VWC career data

Hidden Strengths

Cognitive skills your 8059 training built — and where they transfer.

Resource Optimization

As an acquisition management professional, you are entrusted with optimizing resource allocation within complex equipment/weapon systems programs, ensuring maximum efficiency and effectiveness.

This skill translates directly to efficiently managing budgets, timelines, and personnel to achieve optimal outcomes in various projects or organizational settings.

System Modeling

You develop and utilize comprehensive models of equipment/weapon systems acquisition programs to understand interdependencies, predict outcomes, and make informed decisions.

You can readily apply your abilities to create, analyze, and interpret complex system models to inform strategic decisions, project planning, and risk management.

Rapid Prioritization

In critical acquisition positions, you quickly assess the urgency and importance of competing demands and prioritize actions to maintain project momentum and meet deadlines.

Your experience allows you to swiftly identify and address critical issues, manage competing priorities, and make sound decisions under pressure.

After-Action Analysis

You conduct thorough after-action analyses of acquisition programs, identifying lessons learned and developing recommendations for continuous improvement.

Your meticulous approach to evaluating past performance and implementing corrective actions is invaluable in driving organizational learning and enhancing future project success.

Non-Obvious Career Matches

Management Consultant

SOC 13-1111

You've been immersed in optimizing complex acquisitions programs, a skill that translates exceptionally well to helping businesses improve their efficiency, strategy, and operations.

Financial Analyst

SOC 13-2051

You've been entrusted with managing large acquisition budgets, so you can leverage your analytical skills and financial acumen to assess investment opportunities, manage financial risks, and develop financial strategies for organizations.

Operations Research Analyst

SOC 15-2031

You've been responsible for analyzing complex acquisition programs, so you can use your skills in mathematical modeling, statistical analysis, and data-driven decision-making to help organizations optimize their operations and improve efficiency.

Training & Education Equivalencies

Defense Acquisition University (DAU) Courses and On-the-Job Training

240 training hours6 weeksVaries based on DAU courses completed; up to 9 semester hours recommended.

Topics Covered

  • Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
  • Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS)
  • Contracting Principles
  • Program Management Fundamentals
  • Life Cycle Cost Analysis
  • Source Selection Procedures
  • Risk Management in Acquisition

Certification Pathways

Partial Coverage

Project Management Professional (PMP)70% covered

Formal project management methodologies (e.g., Agile, Scrum), specific PMI terminology, and the PMP exam format.

Certified Federal Contracts Manager (CFCM)60% covered

In-depth knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), contract law, and specific government contracting procedures.

Recommended Next Certifications

Certified Defense Financial Manager (CDFM)Program Management Professional (PgMP)Lean Six Sigma Black BeltDAWIA (Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act) Level III certification in Program Management or Contracting

Technical Systems Translation

Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.

Military SystemCivilian Equivalent
Defense Acquisition Management System (DAMS)Project Management Software (e.g., Microsoft Project, Jira, Asana)
Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)Contract Management Software with regulatory compliance features (e.g., SAP Ariba, Coupa)
Wide Area WorkFlow (WAWF)Electronic invoicing and payment systems (e.g., Tungsten Network, Bill.com)
Program Objective Memorandum (POM)Corporate budgeting and financial planning software (e.g., Adaptive Insights, Anaplan)
Systems Engineering Technical Review (SETR) processStage-Gate review processes in product development
Life Cycle Cost (LCC) analysis toolsTotal Cost of Ownership (TCO) analysis software

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