This position resides in the Advanced Aircraft Project Office within the Aeronautics Directorate. The employee serves as a materials researcher in support of the organization's activities in materials development, processing, and characterization. The work also requires the employee to establish and foster collaboration across NASA Centers, with other government agencies and with industry partners.

Duties

Duties described below are at the full-performance level. Duties assigned at a lower grade level will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity; duties will be commensurate with the grade of selected employee. Develop and propose research in high temperature materials to advance the state of the art in materials and enable future capabilities for advanced aeronautics. Perform research and development of ceramics (and ceramic matrix composites), and other high-temperature materials. Perform material characterization including microstructure (metallurgical preparation techniques), composition, mechanical testing, thermal property testing (conductivity, specific heat capacity, thermal expansion), and particle size analysis Develop material processes including tape casting, sintering, milling, spray, and other coating approaches. Support project teams as a technical expert in materials engineering and computational modeling. Develop manufacturing process specifications and related documentation.

Requirements

• This position is open to U.S. citizens, nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S
• Position subject to pre-employment background security investigation
• You must meet qualifications requirements by the closing date of this announcement
• If selected, you will be required to complete a financial disclosure statement
• This position may require a one year trial period
• Start dates will be set after all requirements have been met and verified.

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-12, you must have: a) One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the federal sector: Supporting the research and technology development in the engineering applications of materials; Participating in the development of material processing projects with a team of engineers; Utilizing research laboratory operations and safety protocols in ceramics, ceramic matrix composites, thermal property testing, composites, metallurgical preparation techniques, or mechanical testing. OR b) Completed all requirements for a doctoral degree (i.e., Ph.D. or equivalent) in an appropriate field. OR c) Expect to complete all requirements for a doctoral degree (i.e., Ph.D. or equivalent) in an appropriate field by March 31, 2024. To qualify for GS-13, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the federal sector: Guiding research and technology development in the engineering applications of materials; Providing technical guidance to a team for advanced material processing projects; Ensuring research laboratory operations and safety protocols are followed in assigned laboratories related to ceramics, ceramic matrix composites, thermal property testing, composites, metallurgical preparation techniques, or mechanical testing. 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. Required college majors for applicants qualifying on the basis of graduate education only (GS-12 ONLY): Aeronautical Engineering, Aeronautics, Aerospace Engineering, Astronautical Engineering, Astronautics, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Materials Engineering, Materials Science, Applied Mechanics, Engineering Mechanics, Mechanical 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: Ceramics or Ceramics Engineering (with 12 semester hours in refractory ceramics, cermets or protective coatings); Civil Engineering, Computer Science, or Geology (with 12 semester hours in strength of materials, structures, thermodynamics, and/or basic static and dynamics); Metallurgy or Metallurgical Engineering (with 12 semester hours in physical or adaptive metallurgy, high temperature metals and alloys, cermets); Mathematics or Nuclear Engineering (with nine semester hours in physics, structures, materials or other appropriate courses). Other appropriate physical science or engineering fields may qualify with appropriate supplemental courses.

Education

GS-12 ONLY: Applications will be considered from candidates who meet the education qualification requirements by March 31, 2024.

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 Glenn Research Center 21000 Brookpark Rd Cleveland, OH 44135 US
• Name: NASA Shared Services Contact Center
• Phone: 1-877-677-2123
• Email: [email protected]