Job opening: Research Astrophysicist, AST, Fields and Particles (Direct Hire)
Salary: $127 073 - 191 900 per year
Published at: Dec 26 2024
Employment Type: Full-time
You will serve as a senior research scientist and technical authority, Spectroscopy and Fields, in the Heliophysics and Planetary Science Branch with special emphasis on the development of experimental and analytical techniques, theories, and observations which can be used to increase the understanding of planetary environments and dust. Directs and/or manages the development and design of new, and unusually complex technology and equipment.
Duties
Duties described below are at the highest grade advertised. Duties assigned at lower grade levels will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity; duties will be commensurate with the grade of selected employee.
Performs professional, scientific, or technical/laboratory work concerned with planetary magnetospheres and dust.
Leads science research into the physical processes of terrestrial planets, planetary rings, asteroids, and/or icy satellites of the outer planets.
Publishes the results of scientific research.
Serves as a subject matter expert in the field of planetary science and/or heliophysics.
Partners and coordinates with other Centers, other Federal agencies, and academia.
Initiates system study efforts and evaluates study results for conclusions affecting overall systems.
Fosters a culture of engagement, diversity, inclusiveness, excellence and innovation. Champions NASA's commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility to create an environment that promotes a commitment to safety, integrity and teamwork.
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 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.
- A one-year probationary period may be required.
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.
Vacant research positions may be filled at one of several grade levels depending upon the scientific impact of the person selected. A review may be required to determine the appropriate grade level of the position and supplemental materials may be required from the selectee. Please keep this in mind when indicating the lowest grade you will accept. If selected at the lower grade level, your scientific impact will be examined in addition to other factors, to determine if you are eligible for promotion.
To qualify at the GS-14 level, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level:
Conceiving and conducting experimental, observational, or theoretical studies involving planetary science and/or heliophysics including the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data;
Authoring and publishing refereed research papers;
Developing, scheduling, coordinating, and managing research projects including monitoring and inspecting costs, work, and team performance.
To qualify at the GS-15 level, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level:
Conceiving, planning, and conducting pioneering studies of outstanding scope, difficulty, and complexity in unexplored areas of investigation and/or manages complex and extensive scientific programs of significant importance to the agency;
Contributing to new designs or techniques that are regarded as major advances or have opened the way for further developments or have solved problems of significant importance to the field, agency, or public;
Serving as a top technical expert in a physical science specialty field and serves as an expert consultant for an agency program of national or international scope and impact, providing advice on the most challenging problems in a scientific field.
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 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]
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