Public Notice - Physical Scientist/Physicist (Direct Hire)

Positions are available in various organizations at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. NASA may fill roles in the following series and grade levels: GS-1301 and 1310 at GS-11 through GS-15.

Responsibilities

• Document important results through technical reports, peer-reviewed publications, and presentations at relevant workshops and conferences.
• Coordinate, plan, propose, execute, and evaluate projects supporting the overall objectives of NASA’s Earth Science Division and its partners.
• Provide scientific and technical support or leadership in the development, interpretation, and use of remote sensing data products.
• Develop and investigate new analytical techniques to advance the use of remote sensing data to understand the coupled Earth System.
• Interact regularly with collaborating scientists and developers both within the organization and among the broader scientific and application communities to maximize cooperation and ensure compatibility with the organization’s scientific objectives.
• Support or lead efforts to develop and implement new/enhanced methodological approaches and applications to study the physics and dynamics of the Earth System through a variety of remote sensing methods.
• Support, develop, implement, and investigate state-of-the-art calibration and data quality assurance approaches for remote sensing systems and data products.
• For supervisory positions: perform 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.
• Position subject to pre-employment background investigation or higher-level clearance, which may vary by duty location/NASA Center.
• Financial Disclosure, Drug Testing, and/or Travel Requirements may apply based on duty location/NASA Center.
• For supervisory positions, a one-year supervisory probationary period may be required.

Qualifications

In addition to the Basic Education Requirement, you must meet the following specialized experience criteria:

GS-11

• One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level, including:
  • Working with others in a team environment to achieve goals set by team leads and/or supervisors.
  • Using methods developed by others to apply concepts, computing techniques, or methods in mathematics, physics, remote sensing, data science, or physical science to conduct guided research.
  • Using remote sensing data and/or applied science techniques to understand and characterize the interactions among the elements of the Earth System.
• 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 specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level, including:
  • Working with others in a team environment to achieve goals set by team leads and/or supervisors.
  • Using methods developed by others to apply concepts, computing techniques, and methods in mathematics, physics, remote sensing, data science, or physical science to conduct research relevant to the Earth System.
  • Using remote sensing data and/or applied science techniques to understand and characterize the interactions among the elements of the Earth System.

GS-13

• One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level, including:
  • Working with others in a team environment to achieve goals set by team leads and/or supervisors.
  • Applying and adapting concepts, advanced computing techniques, and methods in mathematics, physics, remote sensing, data science, or physical science to conduct research and make predictions about the Earth System.
  • Using remote sensing data and/or applied science techniques to understand and characterize the interactions among the elements of the Earth System.

GS-14

• One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level, including:
  • Setting goals and leading others in a team environment to achieve them.
  • Applying concepts, advanced computing techniques, and methods in mathematics, physics, remote sensing, data science, or physical science to conduct research and make predictions about the coupled Earth System.
  • Using remote sensing data and/or applied science techniques to understand and characterize the interactions among the elements of the Earth System.

GS-15

• One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level, including:
  • Taking leadership through building teams and ensuring they achieve the scientific goals.
  • Developing and advancing concepts, advanced computing techniques, and methods in mathematics, physics, remote sensing, data science, or physical science to conduct research and make predictions about the coupled Earth System.
  • Using remote sensing data and/or applied science techniques to understand and characterize the interactions among the elements of the Earth System.

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 position descriptions or other reference material may result in disqualification.

Education

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 of coursework in mathematics, statistics, and computer science, with at least half in mathematics and statistics (including differential and integral calculus), and provided in-depth knowledge of theoretical and practical computer science applications.
• If you did not complete a qualifying bachelor's degree, you may still 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 that demonstrates full performance-level achievement.

Engineering degrees earned within the United States: Must be from a college or university with at least one ABET-accredited engineering program. Verify at ABET.

Engineering degrees earned outside the United States: Must be recognized by a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA). For a list of signatories, visit ABET MRA.

Science and other related degrees: Must be awarded by colleges or universities accredited by recognized accrediting organizations. For a list, visit U.S. Department of Education.

Foreign education: Must be evaluated by a private organization specializing in interpretation of foreign education programs to be deemed equivalent to a U.S. education program.

Required College Majors for GS-11 (if qualifying on the basis of graduate education only):

• 702 Earth: Any appropriate field of engineering, physical or computer science, or mathematics. Study must include or be supplemented by six semester hours (or equivalent) in life or other natural science courses and at least two courses providing knowledge relevant to the vacancy.
• 730 Measurement: Aeronautical Engineering, Aeronautics, Aerospace Engineering, Astronautical Engineering, Astronautics, Astronomy, Astrophysics, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering (except power), Electronics Engineering, Applied Mechanics, Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Mechanics, Nuclear Engineering, Nuclear Engineering Physics, Oceanography, Optical Engineering. Other majors may qualify if they include or are supplemented by courses in solid state physics, materials, optics, statics and dynamics, electricity and electronics, electron optics, kinetic theory of gases, electromagnetic propagation or radiation, semiconductors, vibration, high vacuum theory, information theory, or heat transfer.