The Revolutionary Aviation Technology Branch within the Research Directorate at NASA Langley Research Center is currently seeking applicants for a senior electromagnetic materials characterization researcher. The successful candidate will join a multidisciplinary team bringing tomorrows solutions today. The ability to extend existing characterization methods and developing new ones is crucial to success.
Summary
The Revolutionary Aviation Technology Branch within the Research Directorate at NASA Langley Research Center is currently seeking applicants for a senior electromagnetic materials characterization researcher. The successful candidate will join a multidisciplinary team bringing tomorrows solutions today. The ability to extend existing characterization methods and developing new ones is crucial to success.
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.
Performs and leads professional engineering and scientific work concerned with characterizing the electromagnetic properties of materials.
Generates theories, principles, concepts, processes, and systems to characterize the electromagnetic properties of materials in relevant environments by augmenting data collection systems with advanced mathematics and computational techniques.
Design and develop equipment and systems including transmission measurement devices/systems to include calibration techniques.
Performs multiple functions which may include planning, research, design, development, test and evaluation, cost analyses, program, and project management.
Monitors contracted work either externally or on-site in the facility of the contractor.
Plans, designs, develops, tests, or evaluates electromagnetic instrumentation systems for the acquisition and reduction of experimental data. The systems are associated with research testing in facilities for specialized test systems.
Coordinates research within a multidisciplinary team and can explain complex technical concepts to others outside of this technical specialty.
Presents research plans and results to both subject matter experts and non-technical audiences.
This position is open to U.S. citizens, nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S
Position subject to pre-employment background security investigation
You must meet qualifications requirements by the closing date of this announcement
If selected, you will be required to complete a financial disclosure statement
Please see the "Additional Information" section for important information about COVID-19 vaccination requirements for federal employees.
Qualifications
In addition to the Basic Education Requirement (in the Education section below), to qualify for this position you must meet the requirements below and 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.
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.
To qualify for GS-14, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level
using vector network analyzers, waveguides, or focused beam systems to apply appropriate calibration requirements, in order to produce a basic electromagnetic characterization of materials;
using computational electromagnetic software (e.g. CST microwave studio, High Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS)); and
applying of electromagnetic data analysis methods.
To qualify for GS-15, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level
researching emerging electromagnetic data analysis techniques; and
designing electromagnetic instrumentation to acquire material characteristics
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.
Education
Basic Education Requirement: You must have successfully completed a bachelor's degree with a major in a) engineering from a college or university that has at least one ABET accredited engineering program or b) Physical Science, Mathematics, Life Science, Computer Science*, or other field of physical science.
*Note: A computer science curriculum must include 30 semester hours of course work in any 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.
If you did not complete a qualifying bachelor's degree, you may be eligible if you have obtained a graduate degree in an AST qualifying field, as listed above.
Degrees in engineering technology are not considered qualifying for this position.
Engineering degrees earned within the United States: Engineering degrees earned within the United States must be from a college or university that has at least one ABET accredited engineering program. To find out if a school has at least one ABET accredited program, please visit http://www.abet.org.
Engineering degrees earned outside the United States: Engineering degrees earned outside the United States must be recognized by a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA), often known as accords. These are non-governmental agreements among organizations that accredit academic degree programs. MRAs recognize the substantial equivalence of mature accreditation systems and programs accredited by signatory organizations within their jurisdictions. For a listing of Signatories, please visit, https://www.abet.org/global-presence/mutual-recognition-agreements/is-your-program-recognized/.
Science and other related degreesearned within the United States: Science and other related degrees must have been awarded from colleges or universities that are accredited by recognized accrediting organizations. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, go to http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.
Science and other related degrees earned outside the United States: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs. These education credentials must be deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.
All degrees must have been received in the year of, or any year subsequent to the original date of accreditation.
Additional information
If you are selected, NASA may request information regarding your vaccination status for the purposes of implementing workplace safety protocols, such as masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.
Due to COVID-19, NASA is currently in an expanded telework posture. If selected, you may be expected to temporarily telework, even if your home is located outside the local commuting area. Once employees are permitted to return to the office, you will be expected to report to the duty station listed on this announcement within 30 days. At that time, you may be eligible to request to continue to telework one or more days a pay period depending upon the terms of the agency's telework policy.
Additional selections may be made for similar positions across NASA within the local commuting area(s) of the location(s) identified in this announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) within NASA. CTAP/ICTAP will be cleared for any additional selection from this announcement.
If you have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), you must:
- Indicate your eligibility when applying for a position. The questionnaire asks you to identify your ICTAP/CTAP eligibility.
- Meet the minimum qualifications requirements for the position
- Submit proof that you meet the requirements for CTAP/ICTAP as indicated in 'Required Documents'
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.
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:
Creative Thinking
Electromagnetics
Microwave Systems
Research
Technical Competence
Technology Application
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.
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.
A complete application package includes a resume, required documents and completion of the vacancy announcement questionnaire. Please see this guidance: What to include in your resume. Your resume should describe your specialized experience and support your answers to the vacancy announcement questionnaire.
The following documents are required:
Resume
Transcript
While a transcript is the preferred proof of qualifying education, you may submit any of the following items:
An unofficial transcript
A copy of an official transcript
A copy of a degree (i.e. a picture or scan)
A list of completed/credited courses that includes, the title, course code, and number of semester, quarter or classroom hours for each course (i.e., BUAD- 101-Introduction to Business, 3 Semester hours)
You will lose consideration if you do not submit proof of your education. Documents must fully support the education requirements listed above. Incomplete documents or documents that do not show completion of required degree program or coursework may result in disqualification.
There may be other supporting documents (licenses, certification, veterans preference, etc.), depending on your answers to the questionnaire and job announcement description, that you may need to submit.
If you are a surplus or displaced employee (CTAP and ICTAP), submit proof that you meet the requirements for CTAP/ICTAP. This includes copies of your agency notice, most recent Performance Rating and most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) noting current position, grade level, and duty location.
Official documents are required at the time of appointment for verification of eligibility and qualifications.
A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
To begin the application process, click on the 'Apply' link. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the "Include Personal Information" section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process. You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify all required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.
If you have questions about this announcement, you may contact the agency toll free at the phone number located below. Be advised - application materials faxed, emailed, and/or mailed to Langley Research Center will not be accepted for this announcement.
Langley Research Center
1 NASA Dr
Hampton, VA 23666
US
Next steps
Once you submit your application package, you will receive an acknowledgement email. Throughout the process you will receive regular status updates through USAJOBS. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
If you are found qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration. Whether or not you are contacted for an interview depends upon the location of the position and the judgment of the hiring manager.
If you are selected, you will be notified by phone or email with a tentative job offer. If you fail to meet the conditions of employment or any other pre-employment requirements, such as missing a scheduled appointment, we may rescind a tentative job offer.
An official, written job offer will be issued once all requirements have been verified.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
A complete application package includes a resume, required documents and completion of the vacancy announcement questionnaire. Please see this guidance: What to include in your resume. Your resume should describe your specialized experience and support your answers to the vacancy announcement questionnaire.
The following documents are required:
Resume
Transcript
While a transcript is the preferred proof of qualifying education, you may submit any of the following items:
An unofficial transcript
A copy of an official transcript
A copy of a degree (i.e. a picture or scan)
A list of completed/credited courses that includes, the title, course code, and number of semester, quarter or classroom hours for each course (i.e., BUAD- 101-Introduction to Business, 3 Semester hours)
You will lose consideration if you do not submit proof of your education. Documents must fully support the education requirements listed above. Incomplete documents or documents that do not show completion of required degree program or coursework may result in disqualification.
There may be other supporting documents (licenses, certification, veterans preference, etc.), depending on your answers to the questionnaire and job announcement description, that you may need to submit.
If you are a surplus or displaced employee (CTAP and ICTAP), submit proof that you meet the requirements for CTAP/ICTAP. This includes copies of your agency notice, most recent Performance Rating and most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) noting current position, grade level, and duty location.
Official documents are required at the time of appointment for verification of eligibility and qualifications.
A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
To begin the application process, click on the 'Apply' link. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the "Include Personal Information" section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process. You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify all required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.
If you have questions about this announcement, you may contact the agency toll free at the phone number located below. Be advised - application materials faxed, emailed, and/or mailed to Langley Research Center will not be accepted for this announcement.
Langley Research Center
1 NASA Dr
Hampton, VA 23666
US
Next steps
Once you submit your application package, you will receive an acknowledgement email. Throughout the process you will receive regular status updates through USAJOBS. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
If you are found qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration. Whether or not you are contacted for an interview depends upon the location of the position and the judgment of the hiring manager.
If you are selected, you will be notified by phone or email with a tentative job offer. If you fail to meet the conditions of employment or any other pre-employment requirements, such as missing a scheduled appointment, we may rescind a tentative job offer.
An official, written job offer will be issued once all requirements have been verified.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
