As Director for Safety and Mission Assurance (S&MA) of the Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC), the incumbent reports directly to the Center Director, and is responsible for the management and technical direction of the Center's safety and quality assurance programs.

Duties

This position reports to the Center Director. The Director for Safety and Mission Assurance: Plans, directs, and coordinates all activities necessary to ensure proper safety policies, objectives and standards are established, clearly defined, supported, and enforced. Oversees three subordinate organizations, the Quality Assurance Branch, the Institutional Safety Branch, and the Flight Research and Test Safety Branch. Serves as the principal advisor and consultant on flight systems safety matters to line and functional management within the Center and speaks for AFRC authoritatively on S&MA to outside organizations. Provides independent risk assessment and analysis, separate from line management, and independently monitors safety and ensures communication and accountability Center-wide. Formulates and develops flight systems safety guides and accomplishes a system of safety reviews, appraisals, and evaluations of AFRC and contractor activities. Ensures inclusion of appropriate safety standards and related requirements in contractual clauses with contractors. Negotiates safety policy with Agency-level senior managers for research aircraft programs. Monitors aviation safety to ensure aircraft operations at AFRC are in accordance with published standards, rules, regulations, and pilot training and proficiency meet required safety standards. Oversees the Armstrong Quality Assurance Program for aerospace research vehicles, vehicle systems, components, material and related support equipment during development, manufacture, procurement, assembly, modification, repair, maintenance, and operational phases. Plans and administers a program of integrated institutional risk management in the safety, health, and environmental programs which systematically identifies potential and real risk hazards and regulatory compliance liability. Partners to identify, assess, and mitigate risk using a continuous risk management process in the areas of range safety, software safety and software quality assurance, and systems safety/hazard management. Fosters and continually drives a culture of engagement, diversity, inclusiveness, excellence, and innovation within and outside of the organization and NASA. Champions the Agency's commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) and creates an environment and culture that promotes and enables the Agency's commitment to safety, inclusion, integrity, teamwork, and excellence.

Requirements

• The individual selected will be required to file an 'Executive Branch Personnel Financial Disclosure Report' (OGE-278) in accordance with the Ethics in Government Act of 1978.
• Initial Senior Executive Service (SES) Career appointee is subject to a one-year probationary period.
• Successful completion of a background investigation commensurate with the risk and sensitivity level of the position.
• Successful completion of pre-employment and random drug testing may be required.
• Must meet qualifications requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Qualifications

You must have the skill and ability to perform the duties described above as demonstrated by progressively responsible supervisory/leadership experience, normally obtained over several years by serving in positions at the GS-15 level or equivalent. To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you MUST address each Executive Core Qualification (ECQ) and Mandatory Technical Qualification (MTQ) separately. If you fail to do so, your application will be rated ineligible. We recommend you provide two (2) examples of relevant experience for each ECQ. Responses to ALL ECQs must not exceed ten (10) pages; MTQ responses must not exceed one (1) page per MTQ. Please include your full name on all documents submitted. If you are currently serving under a career SES appointment, are eligible for reinstatement into the SES, or have successfully completed a SES Candidate Development Program and been certified by Office of Personnel Management (OPM) you MUST submit a resume and in a separate document address the MTQs. Any ECQs submitted will not be considered. Your resume must clearly state that you are a current career SES, eligible for reinstatement, or SES CDP certified and year of certification. When preparing your responses to the ECQs and MTQs, you are encouraged to follow the Challenge, Context, Action, and Result model outlined in the OPM's Guide to Senior Executive Service Qualification. For a sample template on how to format your ECQ narrative visit NASA's Executive Leadership Opportunities. EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS: ECQ 1 - Leading Change: The ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment. ECQ 2 - Leading People: The ability to lead people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts. ECQ 3 - Results Driven: The ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks. ECQ 4 - Business Acumen: The ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically. ECQ 5 - Building Coalitions: The ability to build coalitions internally and with other Federal agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals. MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS: MTQ 1- Demonstrated experience in leading and managing an organization that is responsible for aviation or aerospace system safety, hazard analyses, risk identification, institutional safety, and quality assurance to ensure projects and other activities are conducted safely and reliably.

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 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 credential evaluation service 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.

Contacts

• Address Armstrong Flight Research Center 4800 Lilly Ave Edwards, CA 93523 US
• Name: NASA Executive Staffing
• Email: [email protected]