You will serve as a Lead Test Engineer assigned to the Science Test Branch of the Science Research and Projects Division in the Science and Technology Office. You will oversee and coordinate the planning, facility preparation, and execution of test campaigns with particular emphasis on the evaluation of optics and instruments in relevant environments.

Duties

Directs activities across all phases of an x-ray, optical, and/or cryogenic test campaign for highly complex programs including planning, resource and budget estimating, scheduling, facility preparation, and execution. Represents the organization to internal/external customers seeking x-ray and cryogenic optical testing capabilities. Derives facility requirements from test requirements and develops test configurations to ensure overall integration and test activity flow. Coordinates activities of a multi-disciplined, multi-organization team to develop interface definitions, hardware integration plans, staffing/operational plans, limits/constraints definitions, data requirements, and test procedures/policies. Responsible for successful test execution and safety of personnel, test articles, and facilities. Makes authoritative, real-time judgments and decisions involving complex technical problems, cost, schedule, and safety. Monitors performance and maintenance of systems for space simulation chambers, cleanrooms, helium refrigerators, active contamination monitors, precision positioning systems, and x-ray source and detector systems to safely support test operations. Evaluates new technologies to modify/improve existing systems or develop new systems to maintain state-of-the-art capability.

Requirements

• Current Federal employees must meet qualifications, time in grade, and 90 days after competitive appointment requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

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. 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-14, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level Serving as a test engineer, participating on a multi-disciplined team in planning and executing an x-ray or cryogenic test campaign associated with a major optics project; Operating and maintaining a space simulation thermal vacuum chamber and supporting systems including vacuum, liquid nitrogen, helium refrigeration, thermal control, precision motion control, and x-ray generation & detection. Working directly with customer/user to develop test plan, test configuration, and test article interfaces for overall or subpart of a significant flight test campaign; conceptualizing and implementing modifications to improve capability and/or operational efficiency. 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.

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.

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://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

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

Contacts

• Address Marshall Space Flight Center Marshall Space Flight Ctr Huntsville, AL 35811 US
• Name: NASA Shared Services Contact Center
• Phone: 1-877-677-2123
• Email: [email protected]