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• Duties described below are at the full-performance level. Duties assigned at a lower grade level will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity; duties will be commensurate with the grade of selected employee.
• Analyzes, evaluates aerospace vehicles/structures operating within, above, and beyond the earth's atmosphere including production, fabrication, operation, certification, and maintenance of aerospace vehicles or integrally associated equipment.
• Analyzes, tests, evaluates, validates, and certifies flight hardware and system capabilities based on design and operational and safety requirements.
• Applies critical inquiry, problem solving, and scientific methodology to complete assessments, make recommendations, or resolve issues.
• Assesses system performance and vehicle integration needs to meet technical and safety objectives; support risk assessments; verifies mitigation implementation through inspection, test, and/or analysis.
• Coordinates communication and integrate with Program customers and the Engineering Directorate to establish and document technical content, schedule, and deliverables.
• Determines system performance and interface requirements to meet technical and safety objectives; prepare risk assessments; verifies mitigation implementation through inspection, test, analysis, etc.; develops recommendations; resolves issues.
• Identifies problems and initiates necessary actions to meet objectives.
• Performs pre-project planning duties, such as concept development, master integration planning, operations planning, and programming design for projects, taking into account feasibility, costs, and performance.
• Reports ground and/or flight research results; develops and delivers technical results/briefs to internal and external stakeholders.
• Supports system engineering activities to ensure delivery of the completed aerospace system. Applies basic knowledge of how products are to be produced, integrated, verified, validated, and transitioned to the next level of the system.

Conditions of employment

• This position is open to U.S. citizens, nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S
• Position subject to pre-employment background investigation
• You must meet qualifications requirements by the closing date of this announcement
• Financial Disclosure, Drug Testing, and/or the Risk Designation for this position may differ and be required based on the organization
• Please see the "Additional Information" section for important information about COVID-19 vaccination requirements for federal employees.
• This position may require a one year trial period

Qualifications

In addition to the basic education requirement (shown below), 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.


To qualify for GS-07, you must have:
a) One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level studying or applying theories, concepts, principles, and methodology to assist in the design and development of various flight or ground systems and subsystems, or components; or assisting with collecting the data to support requirements development and analysis; or assisting with the preparation of performance and spaceflight vehicle risk assessments; or resolving issues for ground systems and/or flight systems testing;
OR
b) Completed 1 full academic year of graduate study in an appropriate field by May 31, 2022
OR
c) Any combination of experience and graduate study in an appropriate field by May 31, 2022
d) You may also qualify at the GS-07 level by meeting one of these Special Provisions by May 31, 2022:

1. Are in the upper third of your class, based on completed college work at the time of filing an application.
2. Have an average of 2.9 or better on a 4.0 scale for either all completed college work at the time of application or all college courses completed during the last 2 years of the undergraduate curriculum.
3. Achieved a grade average of B+ (3.5 on a 4.0 scale) or better in the major field of study where such field is fully qualifying. This is either the average of all completed college work in the major field of study at the time of application or the average of all college courses completed in the major field of study during the last 2 years of the undergraduate curriculum.
4. Elected to membership in one of the national honorary scholastic societies meeting the minimum requirements of the Association of College Honor Societies (other than freshman honor societies). These honor societies are listed at ACHS.
5. Completed 12 months of student trainee experience that includes at least one work period equivalent to the GS-5, or at least 15 months of appropriate student trainee experience which includes one work period equivalent to the GS-04 level. One work period is 2 months or 320 hours.
6. For engineering positions, successfully completed a 5-year program of study, or at least 160 semester hours, leading to a bachelor's degree.
7. For engineering positions, have a professional engineering degree, and up to 12 months of experience gained as a technician or technologist equivalent to the GS-5 or higher level.
8. Successfully completed all requirements for two bachelor's degrees, one in an appropriate field of science or engineering.
9. Have six months of directly related/specialized experience or training, including 3 months gained after the junior year of college. This experience may have been obtained on a part-time or intermittent basis and may have been paid or unpaid.
10. Received honors or elective positions indicating superior leadership outside of your academic setting. Additionally, your academic standing must have been in the upper half of the graduating class.
11. Have pattern of completing courses that include unusual preparatory value or direct relation to the particular aerospace specialty for which you are being considered.
12. Have creative research aptitude or special talent for NASA scientific or engineering work. This must be shown by evidence obtained and documented by NASA in certifications from college professors or officials, or standardized questionnaires, or similar techniques.

To qualify for GS-09, you must have:
a) One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level assisting a team of engineers involved in the design and development of various flight or ground systems, subsystems, components, or assisting with collecting the data to support requirements development and analysis; or assisting with the preparation of performance and spaceflight vehicle risk assessments; or gathering data to resolve issues for ground systems and/or flight systems testing; or assisting with researching behavior in atmospheric and space environments to support resolving issues for ground and/or flight systems;
OR
b) Completed all requirements for a master's or equivalent graduate degree in an appropriate field by May 31, 2022
OR
c) Completed 2 full academic years of graduate education in an appropriate field by May 31, 2022
OR
d) Have an equivalent combination of experience and graduate study as discussed in a), b) and c) above by May 31, 2022

To qualify for GS-11, you must have:
a) You must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level working with a team of multi-disciplinary engineers involved in the applying scientific concepts, methods, and processes related to theoretical analysis of aerospace vehicles to determine their behavior in their environments; or experience that demonstrates application of engineering disciplines sufficient to accomplish test, analysis, and technical problem solving on ground and/or flight systems; or supports system engineering activities to ensure delivery of the completed aerospace system;
OR
b) Completed all requirements for a doctoral degree (i.e., Ph.D. or equivalent) in an appropriate field by May 31, 2022
OR
c) Completed 3 full academic years of graduate education in an appropriate field by May 31, 2022
OR
d) Have an equivalent combination of experience and graduate study as discussed in a), b) and c) above by May 31, 2022

Your resume must include a clear and detailed narrative description, in your own words, of how you meet the required specialized experience. Experience statements copied from a position description, vacancy announcement or other reference material constitutes plagiarism and may result in disqualification and losing consideration for the job.

Required college majors for applicants qualifying on the basis of undergraduate or graduate education only:

Aeronautical Engineering, Aeronautics, Aerospace Engineering, Astronautical Engineering, Astronautics, Biomedical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Materials Engineering, Materials Science, Applied Mechanics, Engineering Mechanics, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Metallurgy, Nuclear Engineering, Nuclear Engineering Physics, Physics, Applied Physics, Engineering Physics, Structural Engineering, Welding Engineering. Other majors will qualify if the major includes or is supplemented as follows: Ceramic Engineering, Ceramics, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Mathematics (Pure or Applied) (or other related field), if it includes or is supplemented by nine semester hours (or the equivalent) in machine design, mechanics, hydraulics, dynamics, thermodynamics, mechanical design or mechanical measurement.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Direct Hire Authority: These positions will be filled through the Office of Personnel Management's Direct Hire Authority. Category rating and veterans' preference will not be considered in evaluating applicants. For more information on Direct Hire Authority, please see: OPM Direct Hire Fact Sheet.

Veterans: Under the provisions of Direct Hire Authority, veterans' preference does not apply. However, applicants who are eligible for veterans' preference are encouraged to include that information in their application and submit supporting documentation (i.e. DD-214, or other substantiating documents). For more information on please see: Veterans' Preference information on the FedsHireVets website.

You will be evaluated for this position based on how well you meet the qualifications and eligibility requirements listed in this vacancy announcement. To determine your qualifications and referral status, we may review your resume and supporting documentation and compare it against your responses to the vacancy questionnaire. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

You will be assessed on the following competencies:
Flight Systems
Problem Solving
Teamwork

NASA considers paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.