The Office of the Chief Engineer (OCE) provides independent technical oversight to ensure NASA missions are safe and reliable. As Engineering Technical Authority, Chief Engineers (CEs) manage technical risks, approve key design decisions, oversee systems integration, and support mission success. CEs work closely with Program Managers to align technical execution with program goals.
This announcement will be used to fill 3 vacancies at NASA Centers; see "Additional Information" for details.
Summary
The Office of the Chief Engineer (OCE) provides independent technical oversight to ensure NASA missions are safe and reliable. As Engineering Technical Authority, Chief Engineers (CEs) manage technical risks, approve key design decisions, oversee systems integration, and support mission success. CEs work closely with Program Managers to align technical execution with program goals.
This announcement will be used to fill 3 vacancies at NASA Centers; see "Additional Information" for details.
The area of consideration for this position is open to current NASA civil service employees on career, career conditional, or NASA term appointments with conversion eligibility. A person is considered to be in the civil service only if occupying a civil service position at the time of application.
This announcement will be used to fill three vacancies: Chief Engineer, Artemis; Chief Engineer, Science; and Chief Engineer, Space Reactor Division.
The Chief Engineer:
Serves as the Engineering Technical Authority (ETA), as delegated by the Office of the Chief Engineer (OCE), maintaining cognizance of technical decisions and standards that ensure the safe and reliable operation of systems.
Coordinates multi-Center engineering efforts to support the assigned program and its associated Project Chief Engineers, ensuring technical excellence and implementation of ETA.
Provides independent assessments of the safety, reliability, effectiveness, and efficiency of Agency investments and systems to ensure alignment with Agency policies and the achievement of National and Agency objectives.
Reviews engineering and applicable standards as well as their application across program areas, conducting special reviews, studies, and evaluations to determine the technical quality and engineering soundness of program planning, execution, control, and management.
Resolves technical and programmatic problems and issues with the program officials, referring problems and issues to the appropriate authority for adjudication when necessary.
Reviews and approves waivers, deviations, and exceptions to NASA technical standards and specifications. Evaluates requests to depart from established requirements, ensuring that any changes do not compromise safety, reliability, or mission success.
Identifies and recommends opportunities for major improvements through reinvention or re-engineering. Serves as the primary liaison with the Agency's Chief Engineer including programmatic representation and participation on the Agency's Engineering Management Board.
Leads various Independent Program Assessment Teams, including teams with matrixed personnel to develop mission performance assessment products.
Please see "Additional Information" for specifics about the positions and associated duty station locations.
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.
Successful completion of a background investigation commensurate with the risk and sensitivity level of the position.
Successful completion of random drug screening 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.
Qualifications
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE:
Candidates must be a recognized subject matter expert with at least one year of directly related experience equivalent to the GS-15 level, leading technical science or engineering teams and performing independent, in-depth technical assessments of flight hardware to identify, analyze, and mitigate technical risks across NASA programs and projects.
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 position. Please visit https://www.nasa.gov/careers/how-to-apply/#Artificial-Intelligence to review NASA's guidance on the use of artificial intelligent (AI) or AI-assisted tools during the application process.
To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, your resume must also address both Senior Level (SL) Evaluation Criteria listed below. Failure to address these criteria will result in your application being rated ineligible.
SL EVALUATION CRITERIA:
1. Technical Competence and Leadership
Led technical/discipline teams to advance or enable state-of-the-art solutions in science, engineering, or mission enabling functions. Developed or implemented innovative methodologies or technologies to solve complex scientific, engineering or mission enabling problems. Led or supported collaborative partnerships with industry, academic, or government organizations to advance scientific, engineering, or mission enabling technical capabilities at national or international levels.
2. Professional Contributions and Influence
Leveraged expertise and integration skills to resolve technical/discipline challenges for complex systems. Demonstrated impact in technical discipline to solve issues or improve operational effectiveness. Chaired or presented at professional conference sessions or technical forums to share expertise and influence field development. Developed or mentored students or professional practitioners in scientific, engineering or mission enabling communities. Shared technical knowledge or innovations that were adopted by outside organizations with documented results.
Please refer to the "How you will be evaluated" section for a list of competencies that you will be evaluated on.
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.
An official transcript will be required if you are selected.
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.
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
This announcement will be used to fill three vacancies - Chief Engineer, Artemis; Chief Engineer, Science; and Chief Engineer, Space Reactor Division.
You will be asked to select the position(s) you would like to be considered for during the application process in the questionnaire section. You must select at least one position and may select up to three. You will only be considered for the position(s) that you select. If selected, you are expected to perform the position on-site at one of the duty stations listed next to the position as stated below.
Chief Engineer, Artemis: Duty Station will be at: Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), or Johnson Space Center (JSC).
Chief Engineer, Science: Duty Station will be at: Headquarters (HQ) or Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC).
Chief Engineer, Space Reactor Division: Duty Station will be at: Glenn Research Center (GRC)
Candidate duty station location will be determined after selection for positions with multiple duty stations listed. The selected candidate may need to relocate and report to the NASA 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.
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.
All qualifications requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
Applicants that meet minimum eligibility requirements outlined in the Qualifications and Education (if applicable) sections of the vacancy announcement will be referred to an executive panel for further evaluation. The panel reviews and evaluates the candidate's resume against each SL criterion. Candidates may receive an interview for further evaluation and/or be asked to provide a list of references. The panel will make a recommendation to the appropriate approving authority.
These competencies will be assessed using technical assessments. They may also be evaluated during a structured interview:
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.
You must provide a complete application package. If you do not provide all required information, you will not be considered for this position. Only provide the following:
RESUME: All applicants are required to submit a resume limited to two (2) pages (recommend PDF file) showing all relevant experience (start/end dates stated in month/year, description of duties), applicable education at a minimum, and your contact information. Your 2-page resume should also address the SL Evaluation Criteria. For current or previous Federal employees, it should also include the Pay Plan, Series and Grade for each work experience entry. Please see this guidance: What to include in your resume.
Note: if any of the following types of information are included on your resume, your application package may be disqualified:
Classified or government sensitive information.
Social Security Number (SSN)
Photos of yourself
Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
Encrypted and digitally signed documents.
If your resume contains any of the above information, you must redact that information prior to the submission of your application.
VACANCY QUESTION/ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES: Responses are automatically submitted through USAJOBS when you apply to this vacancy.You may be asked to provide additional documentation to support your eligibility and the information provided in your application package. For example, we may request transcripts, SF-50s, etc. Therefore, we encourage you to have these documents prepared and ready when requested. If you fail to provide the required documents within the stated time period, we may withdraw a job offer and/or remove you from further consideration.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section and submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. 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 to be included with your application package. Your uploaded resume 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 the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
It is applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and uploaded, (i.e., resume) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, 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://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.
Faxed, emailed, and/or mailed application materials will not be accepted for this announcement.
NASA provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you are an applicant with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency contact center listed on the job vacancy announcement. The decision on granting reasonable accommodations will be on a case-by-case basis.
NASA Headquarters
300 E St SW
Washington, DC 20546
US
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.
If you have questions, please feel free to contact NASA Executive Staffing at Agency-Executive-Staffing@mail.nasa.gov.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
You must provide a complete application package. If you do not provide all required information, you will not be considered for this position. Only provide the following:
RESUME: All applicants are required to submit a resume limited to two (2) pages (recommend PDF file) showing all relevant experience (start/end dates stated in month/year, description of duties), applicable education at a minimum, and your contact information. Your 2-page resume should also address the SL Evaluation Criteria. For current or previous Federal employees, it should also include the Pay Plan, Series and Grade for each work experience entry. Please see this guidance: What to include in your resume.
Note: if any of the following types of information are included on your resume, your application package may be disqualified:
Classified or government sensitive information.
Social Security Number (SSN)
Photos of yourself
Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
Encrypted and digitally signed documents.
If your resume contains any of the above information, you must redact that information prior to the submission of your application.
VACANCY QUESTION/ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES: Responses are automatically submitted through USAJOBS when you apply to this vacancy.You may be asked to provide additional documentation to support your eligibility and the information provided in your application package. For example, we may request transcripts, SF-50s, etc. Therefore, we encourage you to have these documents prepared and ready when requested. If you fail to provide the required documents within the stated time period, we may withdraw a job offer and/or remove you from further consideration.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section and submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. 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 to be included with your application package. Your uploaded resume 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 the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
It is applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and uploaded, (i.e., resume) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, 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://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.
Faxed, emailed, and/or mailed application materials will not be accepted for this announcement.
NASA provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you are an applicant with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency contact center listed on the job vacancy announcement. The decision on granting reasonable accommodations will be on a case-by-case basis.
NASA Headquarters
300 E St SW
Washington, DC 20546
US
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.
If you have questions, please feel free to contact NASA Executive Staffing at Agency-Executive-Staffing@mail.nasa.gov.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
