Duties

Summary

The Sciences and Exploration Directorate, Heliophysics Science Division, ITM Physics Laboratory (Code 675), is seeking a highly skilled individual to provide expertise in middle and upper atmosphere (which may include the ionosphere) physics and related observation and analysis techniques.

As identical vacancies are identified, additional selections may be made.
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Responsibilities

• You will apply scientific methods, including defining scientific problems, planning the approach for study, analyzing data, interpreting results, and documenting findings.
• You will propose for research funding from sources as PI or co-I for collaborative research. Perform research that is presentable and publishable; research is at the leading edge of knowledge as defined by the appropriate research community.
• Your research will answer important questions relative to the geospace system, confirm or modify current thinking or theories and lead to significant changes in methods, techniques, processes or practices.
• You will serve as a team lead for critical scientific problems recognized as exceptionally difficult. You will provide solution of problems at this level represent a major scientific advance of national/international proportions.
• You are a national authority, review the studies of others for completeness, feasibility, and applicability; serves as a top technical expert and advises and consults on a national level.
• You will present and publish research results at meetings and in scientific journals.
• You will support experimental investigations in problem areas recognized as being unyielding to research analysis and recognized as representing critical obstacles to scientific progress.
• You will support pioneering projects of outstanding scope, difficulty, and complexity in unexplored areas of investigation.
• You will provide solution of problems at this level represent a major advance of national or international proportions, opening the way for extensive related development and scientific advance.
• You will serve as a project/mission scientist, deputy project/mission scientist, team lead, or co-Investigator.
• You will perform extensive data analysis with mission data sets, providing expertise in defining requirements and resolving scientific, project development, and/or operational issues.
• You will determine the areas of experimental investigation and plan of attack to ensure a significant rate of progress in completing agency projects.
• You will perform mission or project planning duties, such as concept development, master integration planning and programming design for scientific missions and projects, taking into account feasibility, costs, and economics.
• You will have technical insight into the scientific requirements, policies, procedures, and operational modes to determe the nature, magnitude, and interrelationships of neutral and/or ionized gas properties in Earth's middle and upper atmosphere.
• You will plan and coordinate project objectives and requirements with other agencies and scientists to ensure full integration of technical and design requirements.
• You will evaluate project requirements and limitations of an uncertain nature, under which systems and/or equipment must operate.
• You will serve the space physics research community as a peer reviewer and referee, adviser, and mentor and represent the Division or GSFC by providing liaison with other GSFC organizations and NASA HQ and other national institutions.
• You will serve as an agency authority and is nationally recognized by scientific peers in the field of space plasma physics and the physics of the middle and upper atmosphere.
• You will participate in national and international workshops, inter-agency working groups, and/or advisory panels related to their fields of expertise.
• You will lecture at seminars before other scientists/engineers that are highly regarded on a national or international level. Service work may include coordinating data archival activities.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Travel may be required for training or other work-related duties

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
14

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• A one-year probationary period may be required.
• You must possess at least a Bachelor's Degree or equivalent.
• You must meet all qualification requirements by appointment date.
• You must complete a financial disclosure statement.

Qualifications

In addition to the basic education requirement, you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade, which has equipped you with the particular competencies needed to successfully perform the duties of the position described above.

GS-14: Specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-13) is defined as leading data analytical research in the physics of the middle and upper atmosphere (including the ionosphere); conceiving, planning, and developing missions, and coordinated studies of resultant data sets; and performing research to determine the nature of neutral and/or ionized gas properties, chemistry, and dynamics.

GS-13: Specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-12) is defined as performing data analytical research in the physics of the middle and upper atmosphere (including the ionosphere); conceiving, planning, and coordinated studies of resultant data sets; and performing research to determine the nature of neutral and/or ionized gas properties, chemistry, and dynamics.

Education

Basic education requirement (combine with appropriate grade level AST qualification statement) Basic Education Requirement: A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major study in Aeronautical Engineering, Aeronautics, Aerospace Engineering, Architecture, Astronautical Engineering, Astronautics, Astronomy, Astrophysics, Biomedical Engineering, Ceramic Engineering, Ceramics, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science*, Life Science, Earth and Planetary Science, Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Geology, Geophysics, Industrial Engineering, Materials Engineering, Materials Science, Mathematics (Pure or Applied), Applied Mechanics, Engineering Mechanics, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Metallurgy, Meteorology, Nuclear Engineering, Nuclear Engineering Physics, Oceanography, Optical Engineering, Physics, Applied Physics, Engineering Physics, Space Science, Structural Engineering, Welding Engineering or other appropriate physical science or engineering field. Degrees in engineering technology are not considered to be qualifying for this position.

*Note: Curriculum must include 30 semester hours of course work in a combination of mathematics, statistics and computer science that provided in-depth knowledge of the following: (1) theoretical foundations 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; and (2) essential mathematical and statistical techniques. Of the 30 semester hours, 15 must be in any combination of statistics and mathematics which includes differential and integral calculus.

Additional information

Any applicant tentatively selected for this position may be required to undergo a pre-employment background investigation.

Individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. See 'How You Will Be Evaluated' for definition of well qualified. Federal employees seeking CTAP/ICTAP consideration must indicate their eligibility when applying for a position. The USAJOBS resume asks you to identify your ICTAP eligibility; the NASA Supplemental Information asks you to identify your CTAP eligibility. If you are selected for the position, you must be prepared to submit proof that you meet the requirements for CTAP/ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of their most recent Performance Rating and a copy of their most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location.

As a condition of employment, male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must certify that they have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. In order to receive preference in hiring, you must clearly identify your claim for veterans preference on your resume.

NASA's Applicant Guide provides the information needed to assist you in determining whether or not you can claim 5 or 10 point veterans preference. You should not submit documents to prove your eligibility for veterans preference at this time. However, you must be prepared to submit proof of veterans preference (DD-214, and, if claiming 10-point preference, SF-15 plus proof required by that form) as requested by the Human Resources Office. Veterans preference will only be considered based on what is supported For instance, if you claim 10-point preference, but are only able to document 5-point preference, you will be considered accordingly. If you fail to provide the required documents within the stated time period, we may withdraw a job offer and/or remove you from further consideration.

Your USAJOBS account asks you to assign a name to each of your resumes. When you apply to a NASA position, we will show you the text of the resume you have submitted, but we do not maintain the name you have assigned to that resume. If you wish to keep track of that information, we recommend you make note of it at the time you apply.

Fair Employment Opportunities for Applicants
NASA Credit for National Service

Identification of promotion potential in this position does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee. Promotion will depend upon administrative approval and the continuing need for an actual assignment and performance of higher level duties.

Please list your General Schedule (GS) equivalency on your resume for every federal position you have held.

The payment of relocation expenses is authorized.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

NASA uses an automated system (Resumix) that matches the competencies extracted from your resume to the competencies identified by the selecting official for the position. Based on the competencies you match, you are placed in one of three categories identified as 90, 80, or 70 pt. quality categories, which are defined as:

90 pt. Category - Tentatively meets (until subsequent confirmation upon referral) the basic qualification requirements identified in the vacancy announcement and has experience in the same or similar job that has demonstrated superior proficiency in the primary requirements of the position.

80 pt. Category - Tentatively meets (until subsequent confirmation upon referral) the basic qualification requirements identified in the vacancy announcement and demonstrates satisfactory proficiency in the primary requirements of the position.

70 pt. Category - Fails to meet criteria described in the 80 pt. category.

Additional application guidance is available in NASA's Applicant Guide .

Information for Veterans : The Category Rating Process protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligibles who meet qualification requirements and have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed at the top of the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher.

For the purpose of the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) and the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), candidates rated in the top quality category are considered well-qualified.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

NASA's application process has been specifically developed to ensure that we only ask you for the information we absolutely need to evaluate your qualifications and eligibility. In order to apply for this position, you only need to submit your resume and answer the screening questions and supplemental information. No additional documentation is accepted at the time of application. (For example you need not submit narrative 'KSA' statements; they are not required and will not be evaluated.) In this way we allow you to focus on preparing a resume that best describes your background and abilities. For assistance in preparing your resume, consult the Applicant Guide . Nothing further is required until requested by the Human Resources Office. At that point, we may ask you to submit documentation to support statements made in your resume. For example, we may ask you to provide academic transcripts or proof of Federal employment status. If you are claiming veterans' preference, we may ask you to submit proof of veterans preference (DD-214, and, if claiming 10-point preference, SF-15 plus proof required by that form). If you fail to provide the required documents within the stated time period, we may withdraw a job offer and/or remove you from further consideration.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.