Engineering Technician - Recent Graduate

Job Expired

Hampton, Virginia, United States

$36-58k

Full Time

10 months ago

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Job description

Duties

Duties described below are at the highest grade advertised. Duties assigned at lower grade levels will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity; duties will be commensurate with the grade of selected employee.
Serve as a NASA Pathways Recent Graduate Engineering Technician at the Langley Research Center under the supervision and mentor-ship of senior Engineering Technicians.
Participate in one or more of the following using a variety of instruments/equipment and data acquisition systems: composite fabrication, mechanical testing, operation of a small hypersonic wind tunnel or operation of a large thermal vacuum chamber.
Use a variety of fabrication equipment for: composite fabrication, additive manufacturing, models and test articles, machining, casting models, computer numerical control programming, instrumentation and autoclave operation.
Assemble and test components to assure research requirements are achieved. Make final acceptance/rejection recommendations after resolving problem areas and negotiating required modifications.
Participate in a formal training program and be provided a mentor, in the Engineering Technician Apprentice Program (ETAP). Graduates of the ETAP will be certified as an engineering technician.
Foster a culture of engagement, diversity, inclusiveness, excellence and innovation. Champion NASA's commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility to create an environment that promotes a commitment to safety, integrity, and teamwork.

Requirements

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.
You will be required to sign a Pathways Recent Graduate Participant Agreement.
You will serve a trial period for the duration of the Recent Graduate appointment.
Position subject to pre-employment background investigation or higher level clearance. Investigation/Clearance may differ and be required based on the duties of the position being filled.

Qualifications

Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work.

To qualify for GS-04, you must have:
a) At least 12 months of experience with at least 6 months of general experience performing any type of work that demonstrates the ability to perform technical engineering methods or that provided a familiarity with engineering technology, construction technology, industrial technology, or associated processes; and at least 6 months of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-03 level in the Federal service that includes working knowledge of using standard procedures and operations in technical engineering methods and practices related to design, manufacture, assembly, inspection, testing, and operation of space flight vehicles, spacecraft, and/or developmental systems and hardware. [NOTE: Your specialized experience can substitute for having less than 6 months of generalized experience, as long as your total experience is at least 12 months.]
OR
b) Two years of post-secondary study that included at least 12 semester hours or 18 quarter hours in any combination of courses such as engineering, engineering technology, industrial technology, construction, physics, drafting, surveying, physical science, or mathematics,
OR
c) An equivalent combination of experience and education.

To qualify for GS-05, you must have:
a) One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 level in the Federal service that includes:

performing duties such as operating and making operational adjustments to machine shop equipment;
applying basic machine shop procedures and operations for the design, manufacture, assembly, inspection or testing of mechanical pieces, parts or devices;
extracting and compiling data and measurements.

OR
b) Completed a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major in engineering, construction, or industrial technology.
OR
c) Completed a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree that included at least 24 semester hours or 36 quarter hours in any combination of courses such as engineering, engineering technology, industrial technology, construction, physics, drafting, surveying, physical science, or mathematics,
OR
d) An equivalent combination of experience and education.

To qualify for GS-06, you must have:
a) One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level in the Federal service that includes:

operating and making adjustments to machine shop equipment used in tasks connected to aerospace flight hardware;
applying advanced knowledge of standard procedures and operations in technical engineering methods and practices used in the design, manufacture, assembly, inspection, testing, and operation of spaceflight vehicles, spacecraft, and/or developmental systems and hardware;
applying mechanical skills in the practical design, construction, testing and operational tasks connected to aerospace flight hardware.

OR
b) One-year full academic year of graduate education in engineering, engineering technology, industrial technology, construction, physics, drafting, surveying, physical science, or mathematics.
OR
c) An equivalent combination of experience and graduate education.

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. NASA prohibits the use of artificial intelligence (AI) or AI-assisted tool in drafting application and assessment responses. Please visit https://www.nasa.gov/careers/how-to-apply/#Artificial-Intelligence to review NASA's guidance on the use of AI tools during the application process.

Education

To meet eligibility requirements for this position under the NASA Pathways Recent Graduate Program (RGP), applicants must have completed an associate's, bachelor's, master's, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree certificate from a qualifying educational institution, within the last 2 years from the date of application. A veteran, who, due to military service obligations was unable to apply within 2 years of receiving their degree, has as much as 6 years after degree completion to apply.The following Engineering Technology majors/degree programs are preferred:

Computer Aided Design and Drafting
Electrical Engineering Technology
Electronics Engineering Technology
Mechanical Engineering Technology
Mechatronics

If you are using education completed in the United States to meet the qualification requirements, your degree must have been awarded from a college or university that is accredited by a recognized accrediting organization. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, go to http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.

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://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

All degrees must have been received in the year of, or any year subsequent to the original date of accreditation.

Additional information

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.

All Pathways appointments are in the excepted service. Therefore, the Reemployment Priority List (RPL), Career Transition Assistance Program, and Interagency Career Transition Program requirements do NOT apply to the Pathways Programs (reference: 5 CFR 330, Subpart B; 5 CFR 330.609(e)(3); and 5 CFR 330.707(h)(3)).

Recent Graduate appointees who successfully complete the program may be considered for conversion to a term or permanent appointment in the competitive service. Eligibility for conversion does not guarantee that NASA will offer conversion. After conversion, you may be promoted up to the GS-12 level.

If the appointee is converted to a permanent appointment, the permanent position will be in a bargaining unit. To learn more about bargaining units at NASA,
please click here : NASA Unions (Bargaining Units) - NASA (https://www.nasa.gov/careers/nasa-unions-bargaining-units/)

Benefits
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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.

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:

Attention to Detail
Customer Service
Integrity/Honesty
Interpersonal Skills
Learning
Reading
Self-Management (Achievement)
Teamwork
Mechanics
Problem Solving

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.

Under NASA's category rating process, applicants will be assessed on the position competencies and placed in one of three categories identified and defined below:

Best Qualified Category - Applicants who demonstrate a superior level of all evaluation criteria.
Highly Qualified Category - Applicants who demonstrate a satisfactory level of the evaluation criteria.
Qualified Category - Applicants who demonstrate the basic qualifications, with general knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Names of all qualified candidates in the Best Qualified category will be sent to the hiring official for employment consideration (unless a sufficient number of qualified veterans are found - in which case only those names will be initially certified). Candidates within the Best Qualified category who are eligible for veteran preference will receive selection priority over non-veteran preference eligibles.