NASA leads the nation on a great journey of discovery, seeking new knowledge and understanding of our planet Earth, our Sun and solar system, and the universe out to its farthest reaches and back to its earliest moments of existence. NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) and the nation's science community use space observatories to explore the secrets of the universe, search for life elsewhere, and to protect and improve life on Earth.
Summary
NASA leads the nation on a great journey of discovery, seeking new knowledge and understanding of our planet Earth, our Sun and solar system, and the universe out to its farthest reaches and back to its earliest moments of existence. NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) and the nation's science community use space observatories to explore the secrets of the universe, search for life elsewhere, and to protect and improve life on Earth.
The Director of the Planetary Science Division (PSD) reports directly to the SMD Associate Administrator (AA) and provides support in determining and presenting the PSD program to NASA senior management, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and other Executive Office stakeholders, and Congress. In partnership with the other SMD Directors, the incumbent will support the AA in providing the overall guidance, strategy, focus advocacy, and budget for NASA's Science Program. The Planetary Science Division has an annual budget of around $2 billion dollars.
The incumbent will be an active member of the SMD leadership team and be involved in the coordination and alignment of key functions and activities across the entire mission directorate. This includes, but is not limited to the development of cross-disciplinary research and analysis programs, developing and implementing policies that create higher quality and effectively managed programs across all of SMD, and efforts to continually improve the effective management of the SMD mission portfolio. The incumbent will also be called upon to provide feedback throughout all of SMD?s efforts to develop the highest quality and most innovative science program.
Specific Responsibilities Include:
Leading a division of approximately 24 people, including scientists, engineers, and administrative professionals responsible for managing the Planetary Science Program, comprised of the Discovery Program, New Frontiers Program, Mars Exploration Program, Outer Planets and Ocean Worlds Program, the Research and Analysis Program, the Planetary Defense Coordination Office, technology development, as well as ongoing mission operations and data analysis.
Developing budgets, policies and priorities for the programs under his/her cognizance, including providing scientific and technical leadership required to guide implementation of relevant programs at the NASA Field Centers, other Government research laboratories, academia, and private industry.
Ensuring an effective and innovative program of research and analysis of Planetary science data and dissemination of results of the studies to the scientific community and general public through scientific publications, symposia, colloquia, press releases, press conferences, and other means of communication such as social media, etc.
Serving as a liaison with the scientific community through advisory committees and other entities such as the National Academy of Sciences; coordinating the requirements of Planetary Science studies with the international community and other Federal Agencies.
Formulating future programs, developing a strategy for the implementation of these programs, which is consistent with available resources, and establishing the feasibility of the flight mission components of the program, all in conjunction with a robust research and analysis program.
The incumbent will also be responsible for all aspects of organizational management, including selection of employees, assignment of duties, evaluation of employee performance, planning of employee training, and recommendation of awards, promotions, discipline and adverse actions. The incumbent will promote equal opportunity and diversity in the workforce through employment, development, advancement, and treatment of employees directly and indirectly supervised. The incumbent will also promote diversity and inclusiveness within the workplace, within NASA appointed teams and committees, and within the science community. Managerial responsibility extends to improvement in efficiency, cost efficiency, and timeliness of performance. The incumbent is responsible for compliance with occupational safety, health, environmental, and energy standards, orders, rules, and regulations applicable to the area of responsibility, and for creating an atmosphere of safety consciousness within the workplace and ensuring safe work practices in a safe work environment.
First time SES appointees are subject to a one-year probationary period.
Incumbent must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI clearance
A financial disclosure statement is required upon appointment into the SES.
Position subject to pre-employment background investigation
Occasional travel may be required
TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS
1. Demonstrated ability in leading, formulating, and acting strategically in complex research program environments, and in developing programs within the framework of financial, schedule, and policy constraints.
2. Demonstrated experience in successfully performing and actively managing research activities, and disseminating research results to the general public and the scientific community.
3. Demonstrated ability to serve as a liaison to the domestic and international scientific community to identify science priorities, mission concepts, and potential partnerships.
You must meet qualifications requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Qualifications
To qualify, candidates must have the skill and ability to perform the duties described above as demonstrated by progressively responsible supervisory/managerial experience, normally with several years at the GS-15 level or equivalent, which demonstrates clearly the ability to manage people and resources. Candidates must also demonstrate qualifications in the managerial and technical areas noted below. See the SES Handbook and NASA's Guide to Effectively Preparing Executive Core Qualifications for more information. IMPORTANT: CANDIDATES MUST FULLY ADDRESS ALL ITEMS UNDER EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS AS WELL AS ALL ITEMS UNDER TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS. WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND YOU COMPLETE YOUR ANSWERS OFF-LINE IN ADVANCE OF BEGINNING THE APPLICATION PROCESS, SO THAT YOU CAN INSERT THEM INTO THE ELECTRONIC FORM. INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS ARE NOT SAVED. EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS:1. Leading Change - Involves the ability to bring about strategic change, within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment. 2. Leading People - Involves the ability to lead people toward meeting the organizations vision, mission, and goals. Inherent to this is the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts. 3. Results Driven - Involves the ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations. Inherent to this is the ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks. 4. Business Acumen - Involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically. 5. Building Coalitions - Involves the ability to build coalitions internally and with other federal agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals.
Education
Candidates must possess the following basic requirements:
1.Degree: physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics; or 2. Combination of education and experience -- education equivalent to one of the majors shown in A above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
Additional information
Any applicant tentatively selected for this position may be required to undergo a pre-employment background investigation. This announcement is for a career appointment to a position in the NASA Senior Executive Service (SES). Persons entering the SES for the first time are subject to a one-year probationary period. A financial disclosure statement is required upon appointment into the SES. This statement will be used to avoid conflicting situations in employment through advice and counseling. 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.
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.
Applicants will be evaluated by an Executive Resources Panel based on the managerial and technical qualification requirements stated in this announcement. Eligible candidates will be placed in qualified and highly-qualified categories. Interviews, and qualification and suitability inquiries may be requested. The highly-qualified will be referred to the appropriate official who will recommend selection.
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 need to submit your resume and answer the screening questions and supplemental information. You must also respond to both the Executive Core Qualifications (Managerial Qualifications) and the Technical Qualifications. No additional documentation is accepted at the time of application. 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 unless we make you an employment offer. 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 fail to provide the required documents within the stated time period, we may use that as a basis for withdrawing our employment offer.
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.
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 the equivalent of approximately 32,000 characters (including spaces). You will not be allowed to complete the application process if your resume is too long.
If you are a current career member of the SES, or have reinstatement eligibility based on prior service under a career SES appointment, you do not need to address the Executive Core Qualifications. We also recommend that you take some time to carefully prepare these documents, especially your Executive Core Qualifications. Helpful information can be found here.
Once you submit your resume to NASA, you will be asked to provide additional information, including narrative statements about your managerial and technical qualifications. Responses to the Executive Core Qualifications questions may not exceed 32,200 characters. Responses to technical qualifications are also limited to 32,200 characters. Because your answers will not be saved until you complete the entire application, WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS IN A SEPARATE TEXT DOCUMENT AND INSERT THEM INTO THE ON-LINE FORM. INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS ARE NOT SAVED. Do NOT include your answers in the body of your USAJOBS resume, since they will be asked separately.
If you are unable to apply electronically, how to send hard copy resumes and additional requirements are provided at: Hard Copy Resume Requirements.
If you are a first time applicant, we recommend you review NASA's Applicant Guide to ensure 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
Although you may or may not be contacted during the selection process, we will always advise you about the outcome of the announcement. If you have questions, please feel free to contact the individual identified in the Contact section.
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 need to submit your resume and answer the screening questions and supplemental information. You must also respond to both the Executive Core Qualifications (Managerial Qualifications) and the Technical Qualifications. No additional documentation is accepted at the time of application. 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 unless we make you an employment offer. 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 fail to provide the required documents within the stated time period, we may use that as a basis for withdrawing our employment offer.
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.
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 the equivalent of approximately 32,000 characters (including spaces). You will not be allowed to complete the application process if your resume is too long.
If you are a current career member of the SES, or have reinstatement eligibility based on prior service under a career SES appointment, you do not need to address the Executive Core Qualifications. We also recommend that you take some time to carefully prepare these documents, especially your Executive Core Qualifications. Helpful information can be found here.
Once you submit your resume to NASA, you will be asked to provide additional information, including narrative statements about your managerial and technical qualifications. Responses to the Executive Core Qualifications questions may not exceed 32,200 characters. Responses to technical qualifications are also limited to 32,200 characters. Because your answers will not be saved until you complete the entire application, WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS IN A SEPARATE TEXT DOCUMENT AND INSERT THEM INTO THE ON-LINE FORM. INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS ARE NOT SAVED. Do NOT include your answers in the body of your USAJOBS resume, since they will be asked separately.
If you are unable to apply electronically, how to send hard copy resumes and additional requirements are provided at: Hard Copy Resume Requirements.
If you are a first time applicant, we recommend you review NASA's Applicant Guide to ensure 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
Although you may or may not be contacted during the selection process, we will always advise you about the outcome of the announcement. If you have questions, please feel free to contact the individual identified in the Contact section.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
