Public Notice - Engineering (Direct Hire)

Positions are available in various organizations at Stennis Space Center. NASA may fill roles in the following series and at any grade level listed: GS-0850 and GS-0861 at the GS-7/9/11/12/13/14 levels.

Responsibilities

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.

• Directs technical efforts across organizational boundaries and provides authoritative guidance to senior officials on highly complex safety, quality, or engineering matters.
• Conducts and oversees advanced safety, quality, or engineering analysis, design, test, and evaluation on mission-critical systems.
• Applies expert judgment to resolve complex technical problems and recommends optimal solutions.
• Advises executive leadership and program managers on complex technical and programmatic matters.
• Represents the organization in high-level technical forums, boards, and reviews at the agency and interagency levels.
• Develops and approves safety, quality, or engineering standards, technical policies, and requirements documents at the program or enterprise level.
• Authors technical reports and assessments that inform senior leadership decisions.
• Provides technical mentorship and discipline leadership across experience levels.
• Serves as a functional area expert supporting long-term organizational technical capability and engineering workforce development.
• Represents the organization in technical exchanges with contractors, partner agencies, and external entities.
• Leads formal technical reviews and integrated product teams requiring senior-level engineering expertise.
• For supervisory positions: performs a full range of supervisory duties, including assigning and evaluating work, recommending personnel actions, taking disciplinary actions, and identifying training needs and developing employees.

Requirements

• This position is open to U.S. citizens, nationals, or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
• May require a one-year probationary/trial period.
• Must meet qualifications requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
• Position subject to pre-employment background investigation or higher-level clearance.
• Investigation/clearance may differ based on duty location/NASA Center requirements.
• Financial disclosure, drug testing, and/or travel requirements may apply based on duty location/NASA Center requirements.
• A one-year supervisory probationary period may be required.

Qualifications

In addition to the Basic Education Requirement, to qualify for this position you must meet the specialized experience requirements below. NASA utilizes OPM-approved qualification and rating requirements specific for Aerospace Technology (AST) positions.

GS-07

• One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level, such as:
  • Performing routine safety, quality, or engineering support tasks under close supervision.
  • Collecting data, maintaining records, or preparing basic technical documentation in support of engineering projects or programs.
• OR completed 1 full academic year of graduate study in an appropriate field.
• OR any combination of experience and graduate study in an appropriate field.
• OR meet one of the following special provisions:
  • In the upper third of your class based on completed college work at the time of application.
  • An average GPA of 2.9 or better on a 4.0 scale for all completed college work or for courses completed during the last 2 years of undergraduate study.
  • A grade average of B+ (3.5 on a 4.0 scale) or better in your major field of study.
  • Elected to membership in a national honorary scholastic society meeting the minimum requirements of the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS).
  • Completed 12 months of student trainee experience including at least one work period equivalent to the GS-5 level, or 15 months including one work period equivalent to the GS-04 level.
  • For engineering positions: successfully completed a 5-year program of study (or at least 160 semester hours) leading to a bachelor’s degree.
  • For engineering positions: have a professional engineering degree and up to 12 months of experience as a technician or technologist equivalent to the GS-5 or higher level.
  • Successfully completed all requirements for two bachelor’s degrees, one in an appropriate field of science or engineering.
  • Six months of directly related/specialized experience or training, including 3 months gained after the junior year of college.
  • Received honors or elective positions indicating superior leadership outside of your academic setting, with academic standing in the upper half of the graduating class.
  • Completed courses with unusual preparatory value or direct relation to the aerospace specialty.
  • Demonstrated creative research aptitude or special talent for NASA scientific or engineering work, documented by certifications from college professors or officials.

GS-09

• One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level, such as:
  • Performing safety, quality, or engineering analysis, design, test, or evaluation on assigned systems or components.
  • Applying engineering principles to solve technical problems under supervision.
  • Preparing technical documentation in support of engineering projects or program requirements.
• OR completed all requirements for a master’s or equivalent graduate degree in an appropriate field.
• OR completed 2 full academic years of graduate education in an appropriate field.
• OR an equivalent combination of experience and graduate study.

GS-11

• One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level, such as:
  • Conducting safety, quality, or engineering analysis, design, test, or evaluation.
  • Applying professional engineering judgment with limited supervision.
  • Producing technical reports and recommendations.
• OR completed all requirements for a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or equivalent) in an appropriate field.
• OR completed 3 full academic years of graduate education in an appropriate field.
• OR an equivalent combination of experience and graduate study.

GS-12

• One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level, such as:
  • Conducting complex safety, quality, or engineering work.
  • Serving as technical authority on moderately complex systems.
  • Leading engineering projects.
  • Integrating multi-discipline technical requirements.

GS-13

• One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level, such as:
  • Leading safety, quality, or engineering programs or technical projects.
  • Serving as recognized technical authority on complex systems.
  • Developing engineering solutions.

GS-14

• One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level, such as:
  • Providing senior safety, quality, or engineering technical leadership.
  • Directing multi-disciplinary programs.
  • Serving as an expert in the applicable discipline.
  • Advising senior officials on complex technical and programmatic matters.

Your resume must include a clear and detailed narrative description, in your own words, of how you meet the required specialized experience. Experience copied from position descriptions or other reference materials may result in disqualification.

Education

This position requires education or exceptional experience.

Basic Education Requirement:

• 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.
  • Computer Science that included 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours in mathematics, statistics, and computer science, with at least half in mathematics and statistics (including differential and integral calculus).
• 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.

Required college majors for applicants qualifying on the basis of undergraduate or graduate education only (GS-7 through GS-11):

• Aeronautical Engineering, Aeronautics, Aerospace Engineering, Astronautical Engineering, Astronautics, Biomedical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Materials Engineering, Materials Science, Applied Mechanics, Engineering Mechanics, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Metallurgy, Nuclear Engineering, Nuclear Engineering Physics, Physics, Applied Physics, Engineering Physics, Structural Engineering, Welding Engineering.
• Other majors may qualify if they include or are supplemented by nine semester hours (or equivalent) in machine design, mechanics, hydraulics, dynamics, thermodynamics, mechanical design, or mechanical measurement.

Promotion Potential: The full performance level (FPL) will vary based on the position and does not default to the highest grade advertised.