Director of Habitation Office

About the role

The Director of the Habitation Office for the Moon Base Program within the Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate (HSMD) ensures that agency and HSMD goals for lunar surface habitation systems—such as the Multi‑Purpose Habitat, pressurized rover(s), and future elements—are implemented in a sustainable and affordable manner.

Responsibilities

• Provides leadership of the Habitation Office to develop multiple human life‑support systems in response to the National Space Policy directing creation of an initial lunar outpost for continuous American presence on the lunar surface, coordinating with the Moon Base and Artemis programs and establishing new domestic and international habitation arrangements.
• Develops and manages crew‑equipment projects with common use across multiple habitation systems to achieve programmatic and operational efficiency gains.
• Assists the Program Manager, Moon Base with the development of program processes, procedures, and priorities.
• Supports end‑to‑end cost and risk management of habitation assets across the Artemis and Moon Base campaigns as defined by the Moon Base Program Manager.
• Conducts technical engineering analysis for Moon Base Program habitation elements and advises the Program Manager on associated strategies and actions.
• Ensures all habitation assets deployed, operated, and sustained in a hazardous, remote environment meet operational‑readiness needs.
• Coordinates and implements required interfaces with utilization, payloads, cargo delivery, and logistics‑resupply program elements within the Moon Base Program and across other NASA stakeholders.
• Identifies logistics‑resupply needs and strategies to enable recurring human presence on the lunar surface.
• Represents habitation considerations in Moon Base pre‑formulation and architecture development activities and implements technology‑development efforts to support future life‑support system needs.
• Acts as the Moon Base Program representative in agency, directorate, center, academic, and industry discussions, providing expert information and advice on lunar habitation.
• Advocates for habitation considerations within the Moon Base Program at NASA Headquarters, including interactions with legislative and executive‑branch liaisons and the Office of International and Interagency Affairs.
• Communicates the mission’s purpose, progress, challenges, and workforce needs with clarity, reflecting NASA values and the Administrator’s emphasis on accountability, empowerment, focus, and urgency.

Conditions of Employment

• File an Executive Branch Personnel Financial Disclosure Report (OGE‑278e) within 30 days of appointment and annually thereafter.
• 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 be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance as required by the position.
• Must be a U.S. citizen or national.
• Must meet qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
• Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine suitability for Federal employment, as requested by the agency.

Qualifications

Applicants must demonstrate the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQ) related to this position within a two‑page resume. Additional pages will not be reviewed.

• ECQ 1 – Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding: Knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and civic‑mindedness.
• ECQ 2 – Driving Efficiency: Ability to strategically manage resources, budget effectively, reduce wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades.
• ECQ 3 – Merit and Competence: Technical skill, problem‑solving ability, and agility/resilience to produce work of exceptional quality.
• ECQ 4 – Leading People: Ability to inspire and lead teams toward the organization’s vision, foster a high‑performance culture, manage change, and hold individuals accountable.
• ECQ 5 – Achieving Results: Capability to achieve individual and organizational results, align outcomes with senior goals, and demonstrate operational mindset, innovation, and strategic thinking.

Mandatory Technical Qualification

Demonstrated experience leading multiple phases of the deployment of human life‑support and habitation systems for spaceflight missions—including design, development, integration, and operations—along with predecessor technology development, work with multidisciplinary engineering teams, and coordination across domestic and international stakeholders. Competencies: Program/Project Management and Systems Engineering.

Education

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in engineering, physical science, mathematics, life sciences, computer science, or another scientific field is required. The resume must list the degree, major/minor, and institution. Official transcripts will be required if selected. For foreign education, credentials must be evaluated by a recognized private organization and deemed equivalent to an accredited U.S. degree.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package designed to make a federal career rewarding. Eligibility for specific benefits depends on the type of position and employment status; contact the hiring agency for details.