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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.
• Provide expertise in assessing aerospace flight hardware design and qualification requirements as they relate to NASA's overall strategic goals.
• Apply critical inquiry, problem solving, and scientific methodology to complete assessments, make recommendations, or resolve issues involving aerospace flight systems.
• Provide customer insight to the resolution of issues on all aspects of commercial aerospace flight development/operation, including system performance, configuration, component definition, operational capabilities, reliability, safety, etc.
• Generate and apply practical concepts, processes, and systems related to traditional engineering science disciplines and their applicability to aerospace flight systems.
• Integrate unique aerospace flight systems, customer products, and project and/or program elements to satisfy commercial launch vehicle, spacecraft, aircraft, or launch site design and operational requirements.

Conditions of employment

• This position is open to U.S. citizens, nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S
• You must meet qualifications requirements by the closing date of this announcement
• This position may require a one year trial period
• Position subject to pre-employment background investigation or higher level clearance. Investigation/Clearance may differ and be required based on the duties/location-NASA Center requirements.
• Financial Disclosure, Drug Testing, and/or the Risk Designation for this position may differ and be required based on the duty location/NASA Center requirements.
• The location will be determined upon selection but must be at one of the locations indicated within the announcement.
• 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.

To qualify for GS-09, you must have:
a) One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in the federal sector:

• Gathering data to resolve issues for ground and/or flight systems testing; and
• Assisting a team of engineers involved in the design, development, or testing of various flight or ground systems, subsystems, or components.

OR
b) Completed all requirements for a master's or equivalent graduate degree in an appropriate field
OR
c) Completed 2 full academic years of graduate education in an appropriate field
OR
d) Have an equivalent combination of experience and graduate study as discussed in a), b) and c) above

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 in the federal sector:

• Gathering data and creating initial drafts of evaluations or tests of aerospace components through analysis, design, fabrication, or testing;
• Reviewing data to evaluate performance; and
• Assisting with calculations, analyses, or computations on specialized information.

OR
b) Completed all requirements for a doctoral degree (i.e., Ph.D. or equivalent) in an appropriate field
OR
c) Completed 3 full academic years of graduate education in an appropriate field
OR
d) Have an equivalent combination of experience and graduate study as discussed in a), b) and c) above

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 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:

• Planning and Evaluating
• Aerospace Engineering
• Flight Systems
• Technical Competence

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.