Duties

Summary

*VACANCY ANNOUCEMENT DATE EXTENDED TO CLOSE ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2021.

The position is located in the Office of Aviation Safety. Serves as the Chief, Technical Advisor (Space and Advanced Aerospace Transportation Investigations) directs technical, programmatic, and policy elements of the office's investigation of accidents and significant incidents involving space and emergent aerospace technologies.
Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

• *Assists the Director and Deputy Director in the planning, oversight, coordination and management of space transportation and advanced aerospace technologies accident investigation matters. Serves as the chief technical advisor to the Office Director, Deputy Director, and the Board on technical maturity, safety risks, and other matters concerning space transportation and advanced aerospace transportation technologies systems and operations, which may include unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), fully autonomous air vehicles, or other nascent and complex experimental aircraft designs.
• *Develops procedures for NTSB staff and party organizations to effectively and efficiently investigate commercial space and advanced aerospace transportation accidents and mishaps. Monitors the effectiveness of procedure design and implementation through direct and indirect measures and performance indicators.
• *Serves as the authoritative voice on AS matters relating to accident investigation involving space and advanced aerospace transportation technologies as well as those related to other advanced technology programs and aerospace safety research. Routinely presents, interprets, and maintains the position and views of the NTSB on related matters during meetings and conferences with organizations and civil/government agencies across the world. Provides expert-level knowledge of Board practices, procedures, and regulations to a broad segment of the respective safety community from accident investigation staff through high-level foreign government officials.
• *Assists the Director, Deputy Director in establishing appropriate staffing levels to support accident and incident investigations in the commercial space and advanced aerospace transportation sectors by maintaining timely awareness of technical, political and socio-economic factors impacting the volume of operations and the corresponding impact on their safety risk profile. Also develops, implements, measures, and periodically revises the Office of Aviation Safety's program plans for commercial space and advanced aerospace technology transportation, encompassing all personnel, funding, and policy elements needed to accomplish the NTSB's safety improvement mission.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
00

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizen
• Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service
• Resume and supporting documents (see "How to Apply" section)
• Suitability for Federal employment
• Financial Interest in transportation enterprises will be evaluated on a case by case basis.
• Bargaining Unit Position: NO
• All employees are required to participate in Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer for salary payments.
• One-year probationary period may be required.
• Selectee will be required to complete and submit an Executive Personnel Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-278, prior to entering the position and annually thereafter.
• THIS POSITION IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR REMOTE TELEWORK.

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must possess the education and all of the Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs). These qualifications would typically be acquired through education, experience, and training which reflect progressive development and achievement in leading teams and/or projects for a comprehensive business program in a complex organization. Typically, experience of this nature is gained at or above the GS-15 grade level in the Federal service, or its equivalent with state or local government, the private sector or nongovernmental organizations, performing duties such as: analyzing the interrelationship of vehicle airworthiness, vehicle performance, human performance, air traffic control, meteorology, and piloting techniques to identify deficiencies and recommend changes to improve the safety of complex public transportation systems such as those relevant to emerging advanced aerospace technology and commercial space operations.

Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQ's): A supplemental statement must be submitted separately addressing each MTQ. MTQs must provide specific examples that address relevant experience and accomplishments. Applicants should focus on recent experience, education, and training. Applicants must reflect superior technical qualifications demonstrated through leadership and management in the following:

1. Expert knowledge and experience interpreting, applying, and developing new NTSB authority, strategy, policy, regulation, procedure, and/or evidence gathering techniques for accident or incident investigations involving commercial space or emerging advanced aerospace technology operations.

2. Extensive experience and ability leading and scoping the work of 4 or more groups of NTSB subject matter expert staff and party organizations in accident and incident investigations involving complex operating regulations and vehicle systems such as those present in commercial airline, commercial space, or emergent advanced aerospace technology operations.

3. Extensive experience negotiating, building, and maintaining strategic partnerships with officials at Federal Government agencies; the military; commercial space manufacturers/operators; advanced aerospace systems manufacturers/operators; foreign government civil transportation administrations; and/or international civil transportation accident investigation safety organizations to influence transportation safety policy relevant to NTSB investigations involving commercial space or advanced aerospace technology operations.

4. Expert knowledge and experience utilizing tabletop exercises, formal training courses, on-the-job-training, and/or outreach presentations to train all levels of internal and external recipients including NTSB agency leaders, front-line managers, and staff; parties; other government agencies; and international aviation safety participants on NTSB investigative protocols.

The narrative responses must demonstrate the necessary level of skills, characteristics, qualities, specialized knowledge, and technical competence that would indicate successful performance in this Senior Level position. This evidence must include clear and concise examples that emphasize the applicant's level of responsibilities, scope, and complexity of assignments, program accomplishments, policy initiatives, and level of contacts. Applicants who fail to provide this narrative statement in the format requested will not be considered.

For more information see link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/aerospace-engineering-series-0861/#

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Education

This position has a positive education requirement:

A. Degree: Engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by ABET; 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-

B. 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 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:

1. Professional registration or licensure -- Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT), or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration. For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions.

2. Written Test -- Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE)2 examination or any other written test required for professional registration by an engineering licensure board 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 that included the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A.

4. Related curriculum -- Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate scientific field, e.g., engineering technology, physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a bachelor's 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., in 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.

GENERAL EDUCATION: All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at an institution that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for it to be credited towards qualifications. For a list of schools that meet these criteria, see https://www.ed.gov/accreditation?src=rn . Applications submitted without the required supporting documents will not be accepted. An unofficial transcript; statement from the institution's registrar, dean, or other appropriate official; or equivalent documentation is acceptable at the time of application. Education submitted must be appropriately accredited by an accredited body recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. For additional information, refer to the U.S. Department of Education web site at: http://www.ed.gov

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

• To learn more about Senior-Level positions in the Federal Government, visit OPM's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/scientific-senior-level-positions/(https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/scientific-senior-level-positions/)
• The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation, sick leave, holidays and various benefits as well as work life amenities such as alternate work schedules, telework, flextime, fitness and transit benefits.
• Moving expenses associated with permanent change of station (PCS) ARE NOT authorized for this position.
• A RELOCATION or RECRUITMENT INCENTIVE MAY BE OFFERED TO HIGHLY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES.
• If you left Federal Employment and received a buy out and you are selected for this position, you may be required to repay the full amount of the payment.
• All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
• Telework may be authorized on a case-by-case basis.
• Multiple and subsequent vacancies may be filled from this announcement.
• NTSB uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify .
• Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.
• Veterans' preference applies to SL positions and will be applied accordingly.
• This position is designated as Senior Level (SL), salary range of $132,552 - $190,632 per year. The NTSB have provisional certification that ends Jan 2022, the salary amount is contingent on continued OPM certification of the agency Senior Level performance management system.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

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

Your resume and responses to the MTQs are an integral part of the process for determining your minimum qualifications for the position. Your responses will be evaluated by a human resources specialist/and or a subject matter expert against the information you provide in your resume and/or by reference checks. Responses that are not clearly supported by your resume will eliminate you from consideration.

Applicants who meet all the qualifications will be evaluated by a panel of subject matter experts who will determine which applicants are best qualified. Best qualified candidates will be referred to the selecting official for further consideration and possible interview. The Executive Resources Board will review results and make recommendations on final selection to the appointing authority. You will be notified of the outcome after completion of the selection process.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

You are required to provide documentation that supports the eligibility and qualification claims made in your resume and assessment questionnaire. You must submit the applicable documents listed here and those listed with the eligibilities you select in the announcement questionnaire with your application package. Applicants who do not provide supporting documentation that fully support their claims will not be referred to the hiring manager. Cover letter is optional. The following documents are required for a COMPLETE APPLICATION PACKAGE:

• A Complete Resume is required: Your resume must show relevant experience, job title, duties and accomplishments. Your resume must show complete information for each job entry to support minimum qualifications. The following information should be provided in your resume: employer's name, starting and end dates (Mo/Yr), hours per week, and pay plan, series and grade level (e.g. GS-0201-09) for relevant federal experience. Please see OPM's video on Resume Writing Tips: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YX7o1PBoF
• Provide a separate narrative responses to each of the Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs), listed in the Qualifications section. Each narrative response cannot exceed 2 pages per MTQ (not-to-exceed 8 total pages).
• An official or unofficial transcripts is required.
• A copy of your most recent performance appraisal, or a statement as to why you do not have this document.
• ALL CURRENT AND FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES MUST SUBMIT THE MOST RECENT COPY OF THEIR SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing competitive status, listing your Position Title, Series and Grade and Step, Tenure (Block 24 -1 or 2) and Position Occupied (Block 34 -1). Additionally, applicants should also submit a SF-50 reflecting the highest grade held on a permanent basis in the competitive service or the full performance level of your current position, whichever is higher. (Do not submit your Award SF-50).
• DD-214 (member copy 4), SF-15 Form and VA letter, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty from Veterans for consideration under Veteran hiring authorities.
• Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program Documentation: (1) Proof of Eligibility; (2) Your latest performance rating showing a rating of at least "fully successful" (level 3); AND (3) Your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50), or equivalent personnel action, showing your tenure, position occupied, and duty station. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp
• NOTE: As required by Executive Order 14043 , Federal employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of the employee's duty location or work arrangement (e.g., telework, remote work, etc.), subject to such exceptions as required by law. If selected, you will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination by November 22, 2021 or before appointment or onboarding with the agency, if after November 22. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request of the agency a legally required exception from this requirement.

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.