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Director of Surface Mobility

National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

Summary

Serves as the Director of the Surface Mobility Office for the Moon Base Program within the Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate (HSMD). The Surface Mobility Director reports directly to the Program Manager, Moon Base and helps to ensure that Agency and HSMD needs, goals and objectives for surface mobility capability are implemented in a sustainable and affordable manner.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted today · Apply by 07/30/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 30, 2026
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—NASA may consider reimbursement of relocation expenses based on Agency discretion and/or organizational needs; relocation expense reimbursement is not guaranteed.
Salary
$210,812 - $217,332 per year
Pay scale & grade
ES 00
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
Yes
Federal service type
This job is in the Senior Executive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Position sensitivity and risk
Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
Yes
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
JSC-26-ES-13002772
Control number
876589400

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

The area of consideration for this position is all groups of qualified individuals within the civil service, Senior Executive Service (SES) reinstatement eligible, and SES Candidate Development Program certified graduates with noncompetitive eligibility. A person is considered to be in the civil service only if occupying a civil service position at the time of application.

Duties

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The Director of Surface Mobility :

  • Provides leadership of the Surface Mobility Office to deliver surface transportation capabilities for Artemis astronauts and uncrewed robotic capabilities for scientific exploration, Moon Base construction, logistics delivery and removal, and surface site preparation.
  • Partners with other international space agencies to deliver surface mobility capabilities in conjunction with US domestic systems supporting overall Moon Base development.
  • Supports end-to-end cost and risk management of surface mobility assets across the Artemis and Moon Base Campaigns as defined by the Moon Base Program Manager.
  • Conducts technical engineering analysis for the Moon Base Program surface mobility elements and advises the Program Manager on associated strategies and actions.
  • Ensures all surface mobility elements maintain readiness for construction, deployment, operations, and sustainment of surface infrastructure in a hazardous, remote environment.
  • Coordinates and implements required external interfaces such as EVA suits and communication systems across surface mobility program elements within the Moon Base Program.
  • Ensures requirements for Moon Base utilization and logistics services are implemented into the Surface Mobility requirements set.
  • Represents Surface Mobility considerations in Moon Base pre-formulation and architecture development activities and implements technology development efforts to support future surface transportation needs. Represents the Moon Base Program in Agency, Directorate, Center, Academic and industry discussions, and community relations, providing expert information and advice on the topic of lunar surface mobility.
  • Advocates for surface mobility considerations within the Moon Base Program as required at NASA Headquarters, including interactions with Legislative and Executive Branch liaisons and the Office of International and Interagency Affairs.
  • Communicates the mission's purpose, progress, challenges, and workforce needs with clarity, reflecting NASA values and the Administrator's emphasis on accountability, empowerment, focus, and urgency.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • The individual selected will be required to file an 'Executive Branch Personnel Financial Disclosure Report' (OGE-278e) within 30 days of appointment and annually from then on.
  • Initial Senior Executive Service (SES) Career appointee is subject to a one-year probationary period.
  • Successful completion of a background investigation commensurate with the risk and sensitivity level of the position.
  • Successful completion of pre-employment and random drug testing may be required.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance as required by the position.
  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • Must meet qualifications requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
  • Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.

Qualifications

As a basic requirement for entry into the Senior Executive Service (SES) under a career appointment, you must clearly articulate and describe within your 2-page resume that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Mandatory Technical Qualifications MTQ(s) related to this position. If your 2-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and MTQ(s), you may be disqualified. Any additional pages over the 2-page limit will not be reviewed.

Your resume should include evidence of progressively responsible supervisory, managerial, or professional experience which involved management of a program or organization of significant scope and complexity, normally obtained over several years by serving in positions at the GS-15 level or equivalent.

If you are (1) currently serving under a career SES appointment, (2) eligible for reinstatement into the SES (this means you were previously employed as a Career SES employee and you successfully completed a one-year probationary period), OR (3) have successfully completed a SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) and certified by OPM, you do not need to address the ECQs in your resume. However, your resume must clearly state that you are a current career SES, eligible for SES reinstatement, or SES CDP certified and year of certification.

Please DO NOT submit separate documents addressing the ECQs or MTQ(s). Only your 2-page resume will be accepted and considered. Any additional documents submitted will not be accepted.

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs)
For more information on the ECQs, please visit OPM's ECQ webpage.

ECQ 1 - Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding: This core qualification requires a demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and commitment to serve the American people. Competencies: Knowledge of the American System of Government, Commitment to the Rule of Law, and Civic-Mindedness

ECQ 2 - Driving Efficiency: This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades. Competencies: Fiscal Responsibility, Managing Resources, Leveraging Technology

ECQ 3 - Merit and Competence: This core qualification involves the demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality. Competencies: Technical Skill, Problem Solving, Agility and Resilience

ECQ 4 - Leading People: This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable. Competencies: Accountability, Developing Others, Executive Judgment

ECQ 5 - Achieving Results - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors. Competencies: Operational Mindset, Innovation, Strategic Thinking


MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATION (MTQ):
Your resume must include accomplishments that address the MTQ(s).

MTQ: Demonstrated experience in leading the development, integration, and deployment of complex mobility or analogous large scale systems for transporting humans or high-value cargo assets that operate in hazardous, remote, or extreme environments. This may include experience establishing and managing system architectures or integrating multi element technical systems (i.e. human spaceflight elements, communications, power, or sustainment). Competencies: Systems Engineering and Program/Project Management

Your application package must be in your own words. 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

This position has a positive education requirement. To be eligible, you must clearly state in your resume the following: degree, major and/or minor, and college/university. A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page.

A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major study in engineering, physical science, mathematics, life sciences, computer science, or other field of science is required.

An official transcript will be required if you are selected.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FOREIGN EDUCATION: 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, click here.

Additional information

Veterans' preference is not applicable to the SES.

NASA may discuss and consider candidate duty station location after selection, which means that the duties can be performed at any NASA location. The selected candidate will need to relocate and report to an on-site NASA location or duty station, which may be different from where he/she currently resides.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

All qualifications requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

We will review your resume to ensure you meet the qualification requirements. If you meet the basic qualification requirements, your application will be referred to and evaluated by an executive panel. Highly Qualified applicants may undergo one or more interviews and/or be asked to provide a list of references or additional documents to confirm eligibility.

Upon selection, if the selectee does not have Qualifications Review Board (QRB) certification by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), he/she must undergo an ECQ based structured interview with OPM before being appointed to this position.

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

Our workforce is united by a shared purpose. Join our team of engineers, scientists, program managers, and more who share a passion for exploration and a drive for excellence.

Agency contact information

NASA Executive Staffing
Email
Agency-Executive-Staffing@mail.nasa.gov
Address
Johnson Space Center
2101 NASA Parkway
Houston, TX 77058
US

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https://www.nasa.gov/

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