Duties

Summary

Serves as an Aerospace Flight Systems Safety Engineer in the Safety Office of the Suborbital and Special Orbital Projects Directorate with NASA Goddard Space Center assigned to Wallops Island, VA. Responsible for advising on, coordinating, maintaining, and using technological engineering processes for system safety programs and to identify, develop, and use technology to support flight operations for orbital launch vehicles, sounding rockets, balloons, and other flight vehicles.
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Responsibilities

• Provides oversight on technical processes used to evaluate vehicle flight hardware/software systems; produces flight safety products to meet NASA standards/requirements, and those identified by the Range Commanders Council (RCC).
• Advises, reviews, and conducts complex analyses for space flight programs. Performs risk assessment, uncertainty analysis, hazard assessment, probability of failure analysis, failure and response modes analysis.
• Analyzes mission objectives; identifies analytical and supporting systems; advises on limitations for proven computer science concepts/practices, and mathematical methods/ algorithms for systems/equipment/software
• Uses mathematics, numerical analysis, physics, reliability, fluid dynamics, statistics, and scientific and computational methods to find engineering solutions.
• Develops/reviews flight plans and procedures suborbital and orbital space flight operations. Advise on flights during the course of the mission, to high-level decision makers to ensure mission safety and protection to the public.
• Develops and prepares standards, policy, and technical evaluations for Flight Safety process involving new aeronautical and aerospace vehicles and previously flown vehicles.
• Prepares Safety Analyses Reports to document methodologies/results; define hazards, risks, and system safety reliability.
• Conducts studies to evaluate flight loads, heating, performance, stability, operating environments, propulsion, and other factors that affect the launch and flight safety of aeronautical and aerospace vehicles.
• Consults on possible risks imposed by aeronautical and aerospace vehicles; advises on safety requirements and policies. Trains safety group members on risk management and new methodologies or practices.
• Duties described above are for full-performance level. Duties assigned at a lower grade level will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity; duties will be commensurate with the grade of selected employee.

Travel Required

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

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
13

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• A one-year probationary period may be required
• Position subject to pre-employment background investigation
• Successful completion of a security investigation will be required
• This is a drug-testing designated position
• This is a bargaining unit position

Qualifications

Federal employees must have 1-year time-in-grade at the next lower grade level.

All applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade, which has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies needed to successfully perform the duties of the position described above.

To qualify for GS-11 consideration, applicants must meet one of the following requirements:
(a) One year of professional experience in an engineering field at least equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to GS-9 level work in the Federal service within or closely related to aerospace flight systems safety. Specialized experience for this grade level is defined as professional working experience that included the following:
(1) assisting in the application of technical processes to evaluate vehicle flight hardware and software systems used to achieve flight safety;
(2) assisting in preparation and development of standards, requirements and policies for suborbital or orbital flight programs; and
(3) reviewing analyses and studies that effect of the safety aeronautical and aerospace vehicles

OR
(b) Completion of all requirements for a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or equivalent) within or closely related to aerospace flight system;

OR
(c) Completion of three full academic years of graduate education within or closely related to aerospace flight system;

OR
(d) An equivalent combination of experience and graduate education.

To qualify for GS-12 consideration, applicants must have one year of professional experience in an engineering field at least equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to GS-11 level work in the Federal service within or closely related to aerospace flight systems safety. At this grade level, specialized experience is defined as:
(1) application of technical processes to evaluate vehicle flight hardware and software systems used to achieve flight safety;
(2) preparing and developing standards, requirements and policies for suborbital or orbital programs; and
(3) analyzing electrical or mechanical environmental data that can effect of the safety of aeronautical and aerospace vehicles.

To qualify for GS-13 consideration, applicants must have one year of professional experience in an engineering field at least equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to GS-12 level work in the Federal service within or closely related to aerospace flight systems safety. At this grade level, specialized experience is defined as:
(1) advising, performing, coordinating, and monitoring technical processes to evaluate vehicle flight hardware and software systems used to achieve flight safety;
(2) expertise in the application of flight safety standards, requirements and policies such as Range Commanders Council (RCC) 319 Flight Termination System Commonality Standard, Air Force Space Command Manual 91-710, FAA 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 417, or equivalent; and
(3) analyzing complex electrical or mechanical flight environment studies that effect the safety of aeronautical and aerospace vehicles.

You may lose consideration for the position if your application does not include all the information requested on the vacancy announcement. The USAJOBS Resume must include a clear and detailed narrative description, in your own words, of how you met the required specialized experience. Experiences copied from a position description, vacancy announcement or other reference material constitutes plagiarism and may result in disqualification and losing consideration for the job.

Identification of promotion 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 continued need for an actual assignment and performance of higher level duties.

Education

Basic Education Requirement: In addition to meeting the Qualification Requirements, applicants must meet the following Basic Education Requirements:
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.

For GS-11 applicants to qualify on the basis of undergraduate or graduate education only , required college majors are: 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 will qualify if the major includes or is supplemented as follows: Ceramic Engineering, Ceramics, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Mathematics (Pure or Applied) (or other related field), if it includes or is supplemented by nine semester hours (or the equivalent) in machine design, mechanics, hydraulics, dynamics, thermodynamics, mechanical design or mechanical measurement. *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

Education completed outside of the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. Most foreign education is not accredited by an accrediting body that is recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.

Additional information

This position is being announced in conjunction with vacancy announcement #GS19D0086 open to all qualified U.S. citizens.

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

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.

Qualified NASA term employees who have term conversion eligibility under the NASA Flexibility Act of 2004 will be referred and considered equally with other NASA permanent employees under internal competitive placement procedures.

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

The payment of relocation expenses is not authorized.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Resumes will be rated by an automated system (Resumix) that matches the competencies extracted from the candidate's resume to the competencies identified by the selecting official for the position. Candidates will be evaluated on the competencies they possess that are directly related to the duties of the job, as described in the announcement. Candidates should refer to NASA's Applicant Guide for assistance in developing a complete resume, as NASA will not accept separate KSA statements.

Qualified candidates will be assigned to one of three quality levels based on the degree to which their competencies meet the duties required. A human resources specialist will validate the qualifications of those candidates eligible to be referred to the selecting official. For the purpose of the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) and the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), candidates rated in the top quality level are considered well-qualified.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Secret

Drug test required
Yes

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.

To receive consideration, you must submit a resume and answer NASA-specific questions. The NASA questions appear after you submit your resume and are transferred to the NASA web site. If you successfully apply, USAJOBS will show your application status as 'Received'. If your status is 'Application Status Not Available', you have not successfully applied. Do not rely on a USAJOBS email to confirm successful application. Only an email from NASA confirms a successful application.

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.