The Science & Exploration Directorate, Solar System Exploration Division, Astrochemistry Laboratory (Code 691) is seeking a scientist focused on the studies of planetary, cometary, and interstellar ice photo- and radiation chemistry as well as photo- and radiation-chemical interactions with minerals on airless bodies in the solar system.
As identical vacancies are identified, additional selections may be made.
Summary
The Science & Exploration Directorate, Solar System Exploration Division, Astrochemistry Laboratory (Code 691) is seeking a scientist focused on the studies of planetary, cometary, and interstellar ice photo- and radiation chemistry as well as photo- and radiation-chemical interactions with minerals on airless bodies in the solar system.
As identical vacancies are identified, additional selections may be made.
Vacant research positions may be filled at one of several grade levels depending upon the scientific impact of the person selected. A review may be required to determine the appropriate grade level of the position and supplemental materials may be required from the selectee. Please keep this in mind when indicating the lowest grade you will accept.
As Research Space Scientist, specializing in Planetary Studies, you will study of the mechanism of chemical change and space weathering, and of chemical and spectral features, of icy moon surfaces, comets, Pluto, the Moon, asteroids, and interstellar solids.
You will plan and conduct experiments, expert technical reviews of precedent-setting studies, research and analyzes data, interprets results, and prepares reports/manuscripts of findings related to reactions and abundances of extraterrestrial organic compounds related to astrobiology and cosmochemistry. Conduct laboratory spectroscopic studies of ices and minerals. Apply findings in the development of national guidance or directives. Recommend inclusion or modifications to existing guidelines, protocols and directives. Ensure application of the latest state-of-the-art technology and keeps abreast of current developments in related research areas to determine applicability to the study of icy and airless bodies.
Plan and coordinate scientific research projects in unexplored areas where new techniques and approaches are needed. Recognized as an expert in the field of radiation science and astrochemistry.
Develop, review, and provide recommendations for proposed research requirements, expected results, and budgetary estimates. Analyze and consolidate research approaches and resource requirements for interdisciplinary research programs in the areas of ice and mineral chemistry. Establish methods and procedures to significantly enhance scientific understanding of the formation and evolution of planetary systems. Provide expert guidance to management for strategic planning and program development in areas such as space science, life science, and earth science.
Conduct and lead research studies that isolate and define unknown conditions, resolve critical problems, address fundamental questions in cometary and other icy-body chemistry that have previously gone unanswered or constrained advancement of scientific knowledge or theory, and require the development of new research methods and techniques.
Serve as a technical expert in photo- and radiation chemistry, astrochemistry, and molecular astrophysics. Originate and establish unique methods and applications that provide innovative solutions to complex issues inherent in the study of comets, icy moons, the Moon, asteroids, and other airless bodies, including interstellar solids.
Serve as a technical expert in laboratory-generated analogs for remote observation and spectroscopy. Interpret or direct analysis of the data returned from ongoing/planned NASA missions with a strong spectroscopic component (e.g., SOFIA, Spitzer, or JWST), as well as for defining instrumentation protocols and capabilities for future mission planning, such as space weathering, comet or asteroid studies, Europa, Enceladus, Pluto, or chemical processing of the lunar surface.
Develop original concepts, new techniques, establish new protocols and standards, validate and initialize new studies that improve scientific understanding of the molecular composition of planetary objects and their impact on the formation and evolution of the solar system. Write algorithms and establish protocols that result in more accurate laboratory studies of radiation-chemical alterations and the origins of the solar system. The new concepts or techniques are of material significance in solving important scientific problems, and in answering critical scientific questions that are unprecedented or have novel and unique aspects.
Plan and conduct experiments, analyze data, interpret results, and prepare reports/manuscripts of findings. Design or direct the development of unique or leading-edge technology, instrumentation, or systems to meet specific scientific or mission requirements.
Position subject to pre-employment background investigation.
Applicants must possess at least a Bachelor's Degree or equivalent.
Position subject to random drug testing
Position subject to a pre-employment drug test
You must meet all qualifications requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Qualifications
In addition to the Basic Education Requirement, you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade which has equipped you with the particular competencies needed to successfully perform the duties of the position described above.
Specialized Experience:
To qualify for the GS-13 grade level, applicants must have one year specialized experience at the next lower grade level (GS-12) defined as participating and assisting in measurements, observations and modeling of key rates and/or fundamental quantities that control important chemical processes in astrophysical and planetary environments or that yield the chemical and isotopic compositions of solar system bodies; assisting in research and laboratory experiments to simulate and understand the chemistry of photon and particle impinged icy and rocky bodies in the solar system and interstellar medium; participating in testing chemical reactions to understand telescopic and in situ observations made by ground- and space-based instruments.
To qualify for the GS-14 grade level, applicants must have one year specialized experience at the next lower grade level (GS-13) defined as performing measurements, observations and modeling of key rates and/or fundamental quantities that control important chemical processes in astrophysical and planetary environments or that yield the chemical and isotopic compositions of solar system bodies; conducting and leading research and laboratory experiments to simulate and understand the chemistry of photon and particle impinged icy and rocky bodies in the solar system and interstellar medium; testing chemical reactions to understand telescopic and in situ observations made by ground- and space-based instruments.
To receive consideration, your resume MUST contain your complete degree information (i.e., type of degree-received, year degree received, and major area of study). If you have received a degree in Computer Science, you MUST list all courses you have taken which meet the education requirements as stated in the qualification requirements section as well as the semester hours awarded. You MUST include the descriptive title, course code, and number of semester/quarter hours. (i.e., CMSC-435-Software Engineering, 3 Semester hours) If this information is not provided, your education may not be appropriately evaluated and you may lose consideration for this position. Please note that degrees in engineering technology are not considered to be qualifying for this position. If you are selected for this position, you will have to provide an official copy of your transcripts prior to entering on duty.
Education
Basic Education Requirement: A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major study in Aeronautical Engineering, Aeronautics, Aerospace Engineering, Architecture, Astronautical Engineering, Astronautics, Astronomy, Astrophysics, Biomedical Engineering, Ceramic Engineering, Ceramics, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science*, Earth and Planetary Science, Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Geology, Geophysics, Industrial Engineering, Materials Engineering, Materials Science, Mathematics (Pure or Applied), Applied Mechanics, Engineering Mechanics, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Metallurgy, Meteorology, Nuclear Engineering, Nuclear Engineering Physics, Oceanography, Optical Engineering, Physics, Applied Physics, Engineering Physics, Space Science, Structural Engineering, Welding Engineering or other appropriate physical science or engineering field. Degrees in engineering technology are not considered to be qualifying for this position. *Note: Curriculum must include 30 semester hours of course work in a combination of mathematics, statistics and computer science. Of the 30 semester hours, 15 must be in any combination of statistics and mathematics which includes differential and integral calculus.
Additional information
Individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. See 'How You Will Be Evaluated' for definition of well qualified. Federal employees seeking CTAP/ICTAP consideration must indicate their eligibility when applying for a position. The USAJOBS resume asks you to identify your ICTAP eligibility; the NASA Supplemental Information asks you to identify your CTAP eligibility. If you are selected for the position, you must be prepared to submit proof that you meet the requirements for CTAP/ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of their most recent Performance Rating and a copy of their most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location.
As a condition of employment, male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must certify that they have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. In order to receive preference in hiring, you must clearly identify your claim for veterans preference on your resume.
NASA's Applicant Guide provides the information needed to assist you in determining whether or not you can claim 5 or 10 point veterans preference. You should not submit documents to prove your eligibility for veterans preference at this time. However, you must be prepared to submit proof of veterans preference (DD-214, and, if claiming 10-point preference, SF-15 plus proof required by that form) as requested by the Human Resources Office. Veterans preference will only be considered based on what is supported For instance, if you claim 10-point preference, but are only able to document 5-point preference, you will be considered accordingly. If you fail to provide the required documents within the stated time period, we may withdraw a job offer and/or remove you from further consideration.
Your USAJOBS account asks you to assign a name to each of your resumes. When you apply to a NASA position, we will show you the text of the resume you have submitted, but we do not maintain the name you have assigned to that resume. If you wish to keep track of that information, we recommend you make note of it at the time you apply.
Please list your General Schedule (GS) equivalency on your resume for every federal position you have held.
Identification of promotion potential in this position does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee. Promotion will depend upon administrative approval and the continuing need for an actual assignment and performance of higher level duties.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
NASA uses an automated system (Resumix) that matches the competencies extracted from your resume to the competencies identified by the selecting official for the position. Based on the competencies you match, you are placed in one of three categories identified as 90, 80, or 70 pt. quality categories, which are defined as:
90 pt. Category - Tentatively meets (until subsequent confirmation upon referral) the basic qualification requirements identified in the vacancy announcement and has experience in the same or similar job that has demonstrated superior proficiency in the primary requirements of the position.
80 pt. Category - Tentatively meets (until subsequent confirmation upon referral) the basic qualification requirements identified in the vacancy announcement and demonstrates satisfactory proficiency in the primary requirements of the position.
70 pt. Category - Fails to meet criteria described in the 80 pt. category.
Additional application guidance is available in NASA's Applicant Guide.
Information for Veterans: The Category Rating Process protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligibles who meet qualification requirements and have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed at the top of the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher.
For the purpose of the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) and the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), candidates rated in the top quality category are considered well-qualified.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
NASA's application process has been specifically developed to ensure that we only ask you for the information we absolutely need to evaluate your qualifications and eligibility. In order to apply for this position, you only need to submit your resume and answer the screening questions and supplemental information. No additional documentation is accepted at the time of application. (For example you need not submit narrative 'KSA' statements; they are not required and will not be evaluated.) In this way we allow you to focus on preparing a resume that best describes your background and abilities. For assistance in preparing your resume, consult the Applicant Guide. Nothing further is required until requested by the Human Resources Office. At that point, we may ask you to submit documentation to support statements made in your resume. For example, we may ask you to provide academic transcripts or proof of Federal employment status. If you are claiming veterans' preference, we may ask you to submit proof of veterans preference (DD-214, and, if claiming 10-point preference, SF-15 plus proof required by that form). If you fail to provide the required documents within the stated time period, we may withdraw a job offer and/or remove you from further consideration.
Please be sure to review your resume on the ‘Review tab’ by clicking on ‘Your Resume.’ Ensure that the correct copy of the resume you have selected has been transferred from your USAJOBS account. If you fail to validate the information in your resume, you may not be appropriately evaluated for this position. Also, please be sure to review and complete the Supplemental Information questions.
To receive consideration, you must submit a resume and answer NASA-specific questions. The NASA questions appear after you submit your resume and are transferred to the NASA web site. If you successfully apply, USAJOBS will show your application status as 'resume received - complete.' If your status is 'Application Started,' you have not successfully applied. Do not rely on a USAJOBS email to confirm successful application. Only an email from NASA confirms a successful application.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
This vacancy is being filled through NASA STARS, an automated Staffing and Recruitment System. NASA partners with USAJOBS in providing a seamless application process. Before you begin the application process, please read the vacancy announcement carefully and have all required information available. You may begin the process of submitting your resume by clicking on the 'Apply Online' link. In order to be considered, you must submit a resume completed on the USAJOBS site. When completing your USAJOBS resume, please remember that NASA limits resumes to approximately 32,000 characters including spaces. NASA does not accept resumes uploaded to USAJOBS from a second source or documents attached through USAJOBS' document attachment feature. Once you submit your resume to NASA, you will be asked to complete a short series of additional questions. You must finish the entire process in order to have a complete application package and receive consideration. Your answers will not be saved unless you finish the entire application. You may edit a previously-submitted application, if the announcement is still open. If you are unable to apply electronically for this position, submit your resume and supplemental questions to: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 4200 Rideout Road Resume Operations Center/Mailstop: HS50 Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812.
DO NOT submit your resume directly to the Center advertising this vacancy. Mailed resumes must be received by the close of business on the closing date of the announcement. Hard copy resumes requirements are provided at: Hard Copy Resume Requirements. If you are a first time applicant, we recommend that you review NASA's Applicant Guide to ensure that you are providing a complete resume. Failure to submit the supplemental data and a resume that contains all of the required information may result in loss of consideration for positions in which you are interested. All applications must be received no later than midnight Eastern Time on the closing date of the announcement.
NASA's Resume Operations Center
4200 Rideout Road, Mailstop HS50
Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812
US
Next steps
Candidates for NASA positions are evaluated using our automated staffing and recruitment system, NASA STARS, which compares your skills and experience as described in your resume with the requirements of the position. If you are found to be a highly qualified candidate, you will be referred to the selecting official for further consideration. (In some cases, individuals with priority for special consideration must be considered and selected before other candidates.) Whether or not you are contacted for an interview depends upon the location of the position and the judgment of the selecting official. At NASA, we pride ourselves on efficient and timely recruitment actions, and you can normally expect to learn the outcome of the selection process in a fairly short period of time. In addition, to ensure that you can measure progress for yourself, NASA provides you with regularly updated information on the status of the vacancy announcement.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
NASA's application process has been specifically developed to ensure that we only ask you for the information we absolutely need to evaluate your qualifications and eligibility. In order to apply for this position, you only need to submit your resume and answer the screening questions and supplemental information. No additional documentation is accepted at the time of application. (For example you need not submit narrative 'KSA' statements; they are not required and will not be evaluated.) In this way we allow you to focus on preparing a resume that best describes your background and abilities. For assistance in preparing your resume, consult the Applicant Guide. Nothing further is required until requested by the Human Resources Office. At that point, we may ask you to submit documentation to support statements made in your resume. For example, we may ask you to provide academic transcripts or proof of Federal employment status. If you are claiming veterans' preference, we may ask you to submit proof of veterans preference (DD-214, and, if claiming 10-point preference, SF-15 plus proof required by that form). If you fail to provide the required documents within the stated time period, we may withdraw a job offer and/or remove you from further consideration.
Please be sure to review your resume on the ‘Review tab’ by clicking on ‘Your Resume.’ Ensure that the correct copy of the resume you have selected has been transferred from your USAJOBS account. If you fail to validate the information in your resume, you may not be appropriately evaluated for this position. Also, please be sure to review and complete the Supplemental Information questions.
To receive consideration, you must submit a resume and answer NASA-specific questions. The NASA questions appear after you submit your resume and are transferred to the NASA web site. If you successfully apply, USAJOBS will show your application status as 'resume received - complete.' If your status is 'Application Started,' you have not successfully applied. Do not rely on a USAJOBS email to confirm successful application. Only an email from NASA confirms a successful application.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
This vacancy is being filled through NASA STARS, an automated Staffing and Recruitment System. NASA partners with USAJOBS in providing a seamless application process. Before you begin the application process, please read the vacancy announcement carefully and have all required information available. You may begin the process of submitting your resume by clicking on the 'Apply Online' link. In order to be considered, you must submit a resume completed on the USAJOBS site. When completing your USAJOBS resume, please remember that NASA limits resumes to approximately 32,000 characters including spaces. NASA does not accept resumes uploaded to USAJOBS from a second source or documents attached through USAJOBS' document attachment feature. Once you submit your resume to NASA, you will be asked to complete a short series of additional questions. You must finish the entire process in order to have a complete application package and receive consideration. Your answers will not be saved unless you finish the entire application. You may edit a previously-submitted application, if the announcement is still open. If you are unable to apply electronically for this position, submit your resume and supplemental questions to: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 4200 Rideout Road Resume Operations Center/Mailstop: HS50 Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812.
DO NOT submit your resume directly to the Center advertising this vacancy. Mailed resumes must be received by the close of business on the closing date of the announcement. Hard copy resumes requirements are provided at: Hard Copy Resume Requirements. If you are a first time applicant, we recommend that you review NASA's Applicant Guide to ensure that you are providing a complete resume. Failure to submit the supplemental data and a resume that contains all of the required information may result in loss of consideration for positions in which you are interested. All applications must be received no later than midnight Eastern Time on the closing date of the announcement.
NASA's Resume Operations Center
4200 Rideout Road, Mailstop HS50
Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812
US
Next steps
Candidates for NASA positions are evaluated using our automated staffing and recruitment system, NASA STARS, which compares your skills and experience as described in your resume with the requirements of the position. If you are found to be a highly qualified candidate, you will be referred to the selecting official for further consideration. (In some cases, individuals with priority for special consideration must be considered and selected before other candidates.) Whether or not you are contacted for an interview depends upon the location of the position and the judgment of the selecting official. At NASA, we pride ourselves on efficient and timely recruitment actions, and you can normally expect to learn the outcome of the selection process in a fairly short period of time. In addition, to ensure that you can measure progress for yourself, NASA provides you with regularly updated information on the status of the vacancy announcement.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
