Aerospace Engineer - AST, Safety & Mission Assurance (Direct Hire)

About the Role

The Mishap Investigation Engineer serves as a subject matter expert supporting the NASA Safety Center's Mishap Prevention and Organizational Performance Office. Provides advanced engineering expertise in mishap and close call investigations, with primary emphasis on expert application and instruction of root cause analysis (RCA). Advises NASA and contractor organizations on conducting high-quality investigations ensuring technical accuracy, analytical rigor, and compliance with Agency policy.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a technical expert in root cause analysis, ensuring consistent application of rigorous RCA methodologies across NASA mishap and close call investigations.
• Lead and support mishap investigation boards by providing engineering analysis, investigative oversight, and expert guidance on causal determination and corrective actions.
• Develop, deliver, and continuously improve formal RCA and mishap investigation training; instruct both in-person and virtual courses for NASA and external organizations, with emphasis on practical application in accident investigation environments.
• Provide hands-on support to active investigations, ensuring analyses are technically sound, evidence-based, and aligned with best practices in accident investigation and systems engineering.
• Review and evaluate mishap investigation reports to ensure root causes are properly identified, supported by data, and clearly linked to effective corrective actions.
• Develop and maintain Agency policies, standards, and guidance related to mishap investigations and RCA and contribute to the development of advanced tools and processes to strengthen the Agency’s mishap investigation and prevention capabilities.
• Conduct Mishap Program Health Assessments across NASA Centers, focusing on the quality and effectiveness of investigative processes and RCA implementation.
• Represent NASA on internal and external working groups related to mishap investigation, safety engineering, and root cause analysis.

Requirements

This position is open to U.S. citizens, nationals, or those who owe allegiance to the U.S. and may require a one-year probationary/trial period. The position is subject to pre-employment background investigation or higher-level clearance, which may differ based on duty location/NASA Center requirements. Financial Disclosure, Drug Testing, and/or Travel Requirements may also apply depending on the duty location/NASA Center requirements.

Qualifications

In addition to the Basic Education Requirement, to qualify for this position you must meet the specialized experience 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.

To qualify for GS-14, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level:

• Demonstrating expert-level proficiency in root cause analysis methodologies (e.g., fault tree analysis, event and causal factor tree, etc) applied within real-world mishap or accident investigations.
• Participating in or leading mishap, accident, or close call investigations in a high-risk, technical, or operational environment.
• Teaching, mentoring, or facilitating root cause analysis and mishap investigation processes in formal training environments.

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 or other reference material may result in disqualification.

Education

This position requires a basic education requirement or exceptional experience:

• Successfully completed a bachelor's degree with a major in one of the following: Engineering from a college or university with ABET accredited engineering programs, Physical Science, Mathematics, Life Science, or other field of Science, or Computer Science that included 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours of course work in mathematics, statistics, and computer science.

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. Applicants who do not fully meet the basic education requirement may still be considered if they possess exceptional relevant experience or a combination of education and experience.

Engineering degrees earned within the United States must be from a college or university with at least one ABET accredited engineering program. Engineering degrees earned outside the United States must be recognized by a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA). Science and other related degrees must have been awarded from accredited colleges or universities.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time, or intermittent.