The Utilization and Life Sciences Office (UBA00) at the Kennedy Space Center is seeking a mid-to-high level Senior Scientist who will serve as an expert consultant with responsibility for NASA Biological and Physical Sciences Division strategic and tactical vision and planning for fundamental and applied plant-related research for ground, microgravity, lunar and Mars platforms. Includes providing expert scientific leadership for the formulation and execution of all aspects of this program.

Duties

Serve as Kennedy Space Center’s (KSC) biological sciences plant expert lead and plan for fundamental and applied plant research performed at KSC and elsewhere that is in line with NASA goals. Support Life Science work with focus areas primarily on plant growth, space crop production, and plant microbe interactions. Support the Biological/Physical Sciences (BPS), Human Research Program (HRP), and Mars Climate Orbiter (MCO) Program Scientists in the development of research strategies including cognizance of the state of the science and forecasting future needs. Support the KSC Portfolio Manager to ensure that all program scientific or technology development requirements are consistent with the program schedule, budget, and risk management guidelines. Support interface meetings with internal/external scientists and principal investigators in mission development, execution, and close-out phases for studies, experiments, and projects. Support ground-based research projects, ground operation, and spaceflight support activities which include science pre-flight, launch, landing and recovery activities. Serve as a recognized technical authority to KSC scientists and project managers and consults on the most challenging problems in space life science research and engineering systems development. Advocate for KSC Plant and Space Crop science, review publications, develop collaborations with various organizations, and attend and present in technical and scientific meetings related to plant growth, space crop production, and plant microbe. 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

• Current Federal employees must meet qualifications, time in grade, and 90 days after competitive appointment requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
• If selected, you will be required to complete a financial disclosure statement.

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-15, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level: Providing oversight of plant biology research and conducting experimental research on plants as it relates to space life sciences or controlled environments; Providing oversight of biological payloads designed and built for flight to the International Space Station or implementation on other spaceflight platforms; and Credible research experience documented in established professional scientific publications/journals. 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

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.

Contacts

• Address Kennedy Space Center Space Commerce Way Titusville, FL 32899 US
• Name: NASA Shared Services Contact Center
• Phone: 1-877-677-2123
• Email: [email protected]