NASA

Aerospace Engineer, AST, Aerospace Flight Systems

Huntsville, Alabama, United States

$55-97k

Full Time

2 hours 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.
Supports the analysis of aerospace vehicles/systems operating within, above, and beyond the earth's atmosphere including production, fabrication, operation, certification, and maintenance of aerospace vehicles or integrally associated equipment.
Supports the analysis, test, evaluation, validation, and certification of flight hardware and system capabilities based on design and operational and safety requirements.
Applies critical inquiry, problem solving, and scientific methodology to complete assessments, make recommendations, or resolve issues.
Supports the assessment of system performance and vehicle integration needs to meet technical and safety objectives; supports risk assessments and implementation through inspection, test, and/or analysis.
Assists with communication with customers and the directorates to establish and document technical content, schedule, and deliverables.
Supports the system performance and interface requirements to meet technical and safety objectives; prepare risk assessments; verifies mitigation implementation through inspection, test, analysis, etc.; develops recommendations; resolves issues.
Assists with pre-project planning duties, such as concept development, integration planning, operations planning, and programming design for projects, taking into account feasibility, costs, and performance.
Gathers data to create reports of aerospace research results; develops and delivers technical results/briefs to internal and external stakeholders.
Supports engineering activities to ensure delivery of the completed aerospace system. Applies basic knowledge of how products are to be produced, integrated, verified, validated, and transitioned to the next level of the system.
Fosters a culture of engagement, diversity, inclusiveness, excellence and innovation. Champions NASAs 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 or higher level clearance. Investigation/Clearance may differ and be required based on the duties/location-NASA Center requirements.
You must meet qualifications requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Financial Disclosure, Drug Testing, and/or the Travel Requirements for this position may differ and be required based on the duty location/NASA Center requirements.
This position may require a one year trial period.
The location will be determined upon selection but must be at one of the locations indicated within the announcement.
Applicants who want to be considered for onsite interviews MUST select: Armstrong Flight Research Center, Ames Research Center, Johnson Space Center, or Marshall Space Flight Center locations in the "Announcement Questionnaire" section.

Qualifications

In addition to the Basic Education Requirement (in the Education section below), to qualify for this position you must meet the requirements below. 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.

NASA utilizes OPM-approved qualification and rating requirements specific for Aerospace Technology (AST) positions which recognizes NASA's unique aerospace work. The specific qualifications and minimum education requirements are further described below and within the education section of the job announcement.

To qualify for GS-07, you must have:
a) One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level:

Studying or applying theories, concepts, principles, and methodology to assist in the design and development of various aerospace systems and subsystems, or components; or
Assisting with collecting the data to support requirements development and analysis; or
Assisting with the preparation of performance and aerospace/spaceflight vehicle risk assessments; or
Assisting in resolving issues for engineering systems and/or systems testing.

OR
b) Completed 1 full academic year of graduate study in a directly related field
OR
d) Any combination of experience and graduate study in a directly related field
OR
e) You may also qualify at the GS-07 level by meeting one of these Special Provisions:

Are in the upper third of your class, based on completed college work at the time of filing an application.
Have an average of 2.9 or better on a 4.0 scale for either all completed college work at the time of application, or all college courses completed during the last 2 years of the undergraduate curriculum.
Achieved a grade average of B+ (3.5 on a 4.0 scale) or better in the major field of study where such field is fully qualifying. This is either the average of all completed college work in the major field of study at the time of application or the average of all college courses completed in the major field of study during the last 2 years of the undergraduate curriculum.
Elected to membership in one of the national honorary scholastic societies meeting the minimum requirements of the Association of College Honor Societies (other than freshman honor societies). These honor societies are listed at ACHS.
Completed 12 months of student trainee experience that includes at least one work period equivalent to the GS-5, or at least 15 months of appropriate student trainee experience which includes one work period equivalent to the GS-04 level. One work period is 2 months or 320 hours.
For engineering positions, successfully completed a 5-year program of study, or at least 160 semester hours, leading to a bachelor's degree.
For engineering positions, have a professional engineering degree, and up to 12 months of experience gained as a technician or technologist equivalent to the GS-5 or higher level.
Successfully completed all requirements for two bachelor's degrees, one in an appropriate field of science or engineering.
Have six months of directly related/specialized experience or training, including 3 months gained after the junior year of college. This experience may have been obtained on a part-time or intermittent basis and may have been paid or unpaid.
Received honors or elective positions indicating superior leadership outside of your academic setting. Additionally, your academic standing must have been in the upper half of the graduating class.
Have pattern of completing courses that include unusual preparatory value or direct relation to the particular aerospace specialty for which you are being considered.
Have creative research aptitude or special talent for NASA scientific or engineering work. This must be shown by evidence obtained and documented by NASA in certifications from college professors or officials, or standardized questionnaires, or similar techniques.

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

Assisting a team of engineers involved in the design and development of various aerospace systems, subsystems, components, or assisting with collecting the data to support requirements development and analysis; or
Assisting with the preparation of performance and spaceflight vehicle risk assessments; or gathering data to resolve issues for aerospace testing; or
Assisting with researching behavior in atmospheric and space environments to support resolving issues for aerospace systems.

OR
b) Completed all requirements for a master's or equivalent graduate degree in a directly related field
OR
c) Completed 2 full academic years of graduate education in a directly related 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. 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.

Required college majors for applicants qualifying on the basis of undergraduate or 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.

Education

Basic Education Requirement: You must have successfully completed a bachelor's degree with a major in one of the following:
a) Engineering from a college or university that has ABET accredited engineering programs
b) Physical Science, Mathematics, Life Science or other field of Science
c) Computer Science that included 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours of course work in any combination of mathematics, statistics and computer science with at least half of those hours in mathematics and statistics courses that included differential and integral calculus; and that provided an in-depth knowledge of theoretical and practical applications of computer science, including digital computer system architecture and system software organization, the representation and transformation of information structures, and the theoretical models for such representations and transformations.

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 degrees earned 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://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.

This appointment may be extended beyond the initial appointment date, for a period not to exceed a total of 10-years.

Current Federal civilian employees may apply for this position. If selected, a break in service of at least 4 calendar days may be required prior to appointment to this position.

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'

For additional information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, click here - https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/#ictap.

Depending on position assignment, position may or may not be in a bargaining unit. To learn more about bargaining units at NASA please click here NASA Unions (Bargaining Units) | NASA.

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.

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 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.

There will be a panel resume review to determine which applicants will be considered for onsite interviews. If you are being considered for an onsite interview during the SWE event you will be contacted through the email address associated with your USAJOBS account. Ensure that your email account is up-to-date and accurate as you go through the application process.

You will be assessed on the following competencies:

Aerospace Engineering
General Engineering
Technical Competence
Problem Solving
Teamwork
Flexibility
Oral Communication

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.

NASA will not ask you to disclose criminal history record information during the application process or before we make a conditional/tentative offer of employment. If you apply for this position and are selected, NASA will conduct a suitability/security background investigation after you accept a tentative job offer. If you feel you are asked to disclose your criminal history before you accept a tentative offer and wish to file a complaint within 30 days, please contact: Agency-FCCJ@NASA.gov.