Duties

Summary

The mission of the Office of Commercial Space Transportation is to ensure protection of the public, property, and the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States during commercial launch or reentry activities, and to encourage, facilitate, and promote U.S. commercial space transportation.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

The mission of the Office of Commercial Space Transportation is to ensure protection of the public, property, and the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States during commercial launch or reentry activities, and to encourage, facilitate, and promote U.S. commercial space transportation.

Performs a mixture of basic and routine (but progressively more difficult) assignments under the close direction of a manager, project/program manager, team leader, or more experienced technical specialist. As an Aerospace Engineer, you will support the analyses and conduct of safety evaluations for proposed space transportation activities that involve the launch or reentry of expendable and reusable launch vehicles and operation of launch and reentry sites. He/she collects, organizes, and analyzes data from observations and investigations The analyses and evaluations include those aspects of the launch operations that may affect public safety such as reliability of critical systems and components, safety policies and procedures, and safety personnel and organization.

Applies basic knowledge of engineering principles, theories, and concepts applicable to his/her discipline to accomplish assignments. Provide assistance for technical reviews regarding the adequacy of technical documents, analyses, procedures, or policies submitted by an applicant seeking a license, permit or safety approval. Support the conducting of safety inspections of commercial launch, reentry, and site operations to ensure that systems and processes do not pose unacceptable risks to the public and can operate in compliance with established safety, environmental and regulatory requirements.

Established policies/procedures provide detailed guidance for almost all assignments, with little or no room for discretion. Works under detailed instructions provided by a manager, project/program manager, team leader, or more experienced engineer. Provide assistance in enabling licensed and permitted operations to be safely and efficiently integrated into the National Airspace System.

Assist in the development of regulatory requirements for new and existing technologies and concepts for commercial space transportation involving expendable and reusable launch vehicles. Assist with the initial interface for government and industry stakeholders as well as new commercial space transportation customers requiring FAA licensing.

Work is reviewed frequently during assignments and at completion for all aspects of quality.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - The job may require travel from time- to-time, but not on a regular basis. The travel may be for training or other work-related duties.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
NA

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• US Citizenship is required.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Designated or Random Drug Testing required.
• This position has a positive education requirement. Transcript(s) required.
• Some, all, or none of the referred candidates may be interviewed.
• Vacancies will be appointed within various Divisions.

Qualifications

Applicants must demonstrate at least one year (52 weeks) of SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE equivalent to the next lower grade/pay band (FG/GS-9/FV-F) in the Federal government or non-Federal equivalent. Specialized experience is defined as that which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of the position, and is typically in or directly related to the line of work of the position to be filled.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE is defined as experience applying general engineering principles and practices.

You should include relevant examples of the specialized experience in your work history. Errors or omissions may impact your rating or may result in you not being considered.

Answer all questions to the best of your ability. DO NOT ASSUME THAT BECAUSE YOU HOLD, OR HAVE HELD THIS POSITION, YOU WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE FOUND ELIGIBLE. You may be asked to provide evidence or documentation that you have this type of experience later in the selection process. Your responses are subject to verification through job interviews, or any other information obtained during the application process. Any exaggeration of your experience or any attempt to conceal information can result in disqualification.

*Applicants who fail to demonstrate possession of any of the above criteria AND who do not provide the required documentation will receive no further consideration for this position.*

Applicants may be asked to verify information on your application for employment with the FAA.

**All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement.**

Education

This position has a positive education requirement: Applicants must submit a copy of their college or university transcripts(s) and certificates by the closing date of announcement to verify qualifications. If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to appointment. You may upload these documents with your application in USAJOBS or fax it to fax number provided in the announcement (please include announcement number on each page).

Failure to do so will result in loss of consideration.

Schools must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation may be verified at the following website: www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html .

Foreign education must be evaluated by a private professional organization specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials or an accredited U.S. educational institution in terms of equivalence to a degree acquired at an American college or university. A copy of the evaluation results must be included, otherwise your foreign education will not be considered.

Foreign Education: For additional information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS:

Degree: professional engineering. To be acceptable, the curriculum must: (1) be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics.

OR

Combination of education and experience -- college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying professional engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following:

2. Written Test -- Evidence of having successfully passed the Engineer-in-Training (EIT) examination, or the written test required for professional registration, which is administered by the Boards of Engineering Examiners in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico.

3. Specified academic courses -- Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and in engineering that included the courses specified in the basic requirements. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of a professional engineering curriculum as described in paragraph A.

4. Related curriculum -- Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering technology or in an appropriate professional field, e.g., physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g., interdisciplinary positions. (The above examples of related curricula are not all-inclusive.

Note: An applicant who meets the basic requirements as specified in A or B above, except as noted under B.1., may qualify for positions in any branch of engineering unless selective factors indicate otherwise.

*Applicants who are not currently in the 800 occupational series (Engineer) in the Federal Government and fail to provide a copy of an unofficial or official transcript will not receive further consideration for this vacancy. Upon selection, if not currently employed in the 800 occupational series, you will be required to submit an official transcript prior to appointment. If you do not have an official transcript (original, with the raised seal), you should contact your school immediately to request it.

Preview Job Questionnaire
Make sure your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications and answers to the job questionnaire.

Additional information

We may use this vacancy to fill other similar vacant positions.
Position may be subject to a background investigation.
A one-year probationary period may be required.
The person selected for this position may be required to file a financial disclosure statement within 30 days of entry on duty. FAA policy limits certain outside employment and financial investments in aviation-related companies.

This position is covered by the Department of Transportation's Drug and Alcohol Testing Program. Any applicant tentatively selected for this position will be subject to pre-employment or pre-appointment drug screening. Persons occupying a "testing designated position (TDP)" will be subject to random drug and/or alcohol testing.

NOTES:

1) As a part of the Federal-Wide Hiring Reform Initiative (streamlining the hiring process), the FAA is committed to eliminating the use of Knowledge, Skills and Ability (KSA) narratives from the initial application in the hiring process for all announcements. Therefore, as an applicant, you are NOT required to provide a narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA.

In lieu of providing a KSA narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA section, in your work history, please include information that provides specific examples of how you meet the response level or answer you chose for each KSA. Your work history examples should be specific and clearly reflect the highest level of ability. Your KSA answers will be evaluated further to validate whether the level that you selected is appropriate based on the work history and experience you provided. Your answers may be adjusted by a human resource specialist as appropriate.

2) This position is covered by the FAA Core Compensation plan. Additional information about core compensation is available on the following website: http://jobs.faa.gov/FAACoreCompensation.htm

3) This Level 2 (Non-Critical Sensitive; Secret) position requires favorable adjudication of an Access National Agency Check and Inquiries (ANACI) background investigation prior to appointment, unless a waiver is obtained.

4) This announcement is also being advertised under VA #AWA-AST-19-0002SB-62757. Please review both vacancy announcements before making application.

This is a bargaining unit position.

Links to Important Information: Locality Pay , COLA

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

IMPORTANT: Applicants may be rated on the extent and quality of experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of the position(s). All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated. Ensure that your application package/resume supports your responses.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Secret

Drug test required
Yes

Required Documents

Only supplemental documentation (e.g., college transcripts, SF-50, veterans preference documentation) will be accepted in combination with your online application. These documents must be uploaded or faxed to 202-267-8330 on or before the closing date of the announcement. All submitted documents must reference the announcement number.

Applicants who are or have been employed by the Federal Government should also upload a copy of their most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action).

For guidance on how to create a Federal resume, visit http://www.archives.gov/careers/jobs/forms/resume-guide.pdf.

Failure to submit all required documents by the closing date will result in a finding of ineligible. We are not responsible for incomplete, missing or illegible documents.

Please DO NOT email your application documents. We cannot accept documents received via the email system.

This position has a positive education requirement; college transcripts are required for ALL candidates newly appointed to the FAA in the 0800 (Engineering) series.

College transcripts must be submitted from current FAA employees applying for internal vacancies if they have never held a position in the 0800 (Engineering) series with the FAA.

College transcripts are not required from current FAA employees who are currently occupying an 0800 (Engineering) series.

If selected, official transcripts are required prior to employment.

All Veterans: If you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit either a DD Form 214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (Member 4 Copy or equivalent), or a document from the armed forces certifying that within 120 days you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service under honorable conditions. If you are claiming 10 point preference, you must also submit a completed SF-15, Application for 10-Point Veteran's Preference, and supporting documents outlined on the SF-15. Documents must be uploaded or faxed to the Servicing Human Resource Management Office listed in this announcement and all documents must be received by the closing date of the announcement. If you fail to submit documentation, you will be assessed as a non-veteran.

If you are claiming 10 point preference but fail to submit the supporting documents outlined on the SF-15, you will be tentatively assessed as a 5 point preference eligible provided your DD Form 214 reflects that you have the service required to qualify for preference. Documents must be uploaded or faxed to the Servicing Human Resource Management Office listed in this announcement and all documents must be received by the closing date of the announcement. If you fail to submit documentation, you will be assessed as a non-veteran.

Veterans currently on active duty claiming veterans' preference: You will be granted tentative preference if you submit a document from the armed forces certifying that within 120 days you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service under honorable conditions and your application shows that you have the required service. Prior to being appointed, you must provide to the Servicing Human Resource Management Office a DD Form 214 documenting discharge/release and showing that the service was honorable or general. If you are on terminal leave, you must provide documentation certifying authorized terminal leave.

Forms:

• SF-15 : Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference

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.