The Senior Aerospace Engineer and Project Manager at NASA is responsible for managing spaceflight systems, and/or payloads, including design and operational requirements definition, hardware and/or software development, testing, verification, integration, certification, and operations. Serves as a subject matter expert in aerospace engineering and pursues new technology development opportunities through advocacy and outreach within the technology, scientific, and stakeholder community.

Duties

Coordinates across multiple NASA Centers to lead the planning, work-flow, and integration of flight hardware and/or software for complex missions and/or projects. Performs project management for space and aeronautical systems, vehicles, and/or payloads such as: design and operational requirements definition; hardware/software development; managing testing, safety, integration, certification, or operations. Leads the design, development, and test of leading-edge technologies including spacecraft, satellites, and other aerospace vehicles. Coordinates with engineering teams to define system requirements, specifications, and performance criteria for aerospace mission and technology demonstrations. Oversees the integration and testing of flight hardware and software, ensuring adherence to quality standards and mission objectives. Provides technical guidance and mentorship to junior engineers and team members involved in aerospace systems. Collaborates with external partners, contractors, and stakeholders to facilitate the successful execution of aerospace missions. Engages working groups to stimulate dialogue on project/program activities; may serve as project/ program liaison to associations, consortiums, or conferences. 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

• Current Federal employees must meet qualifications, time in grade, and 90 days after competitive appointment requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
• Financial Disclosure, Drug Testing, Bargaining Unit and/or the Travel Requirements for this position may differ and be required based on the duty location/Directorate/Division/Branch requirements.
• Position subject to pre-employment background investigation or higher level clearance. Investigation/Clearance may differ and be required based on the duties/location-Directorate/Division/Branch requirements.
• If the individual selected is currently at the GS-15 grade level, they will be detailed at their current grade and step. If the individual is a current GS-14 they will be temporarily promoted to the GS-15 level.

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: Leading or overseeing engineers managing space vehicles and/or aeronautical flight systems programs or projects; Managing all phases of the payload development, design and operational requirements definition, hardware and/or software development, testing, verification, safety, integration, certification, and operations processes; and Managing/serving as technical subject matter expert to engineers or scientists for scientific or engineering projects related to spacecraft/aircraft and/or engineering projects related to operations of aerospace/aeronautical vehicles and structures. 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]