Aircraft Pilot (Helicopter) (Direct Hire)

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (NASA); Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 145,000 - 189,000; Full time

Job summary

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (NASA) in Houston, TX seeks a Helicopter Pilot/Ground Safety Officer to pilot research, development, flight training and test aircraft, and serve as airport liaison for the Aircraft Operations Division.

The role requires FAA pilot certifications, substantial flight hours, and instructional experience. Travel is occasional; relocation not specified. This is a full-time federal position with safety and security clearances.

Qualifications

• Certificate and rating requirements for FAA commercial pilot
• Flight hours requirements: 1,500 PIC hours, 250 rotary PIC, 75 night hours, 100 hours in last 12 months
• Minimum one year specialized experience equivalent to GS-12 in aircraft operations and safety training

Responsibilities

• Maintain expertise in ground safety, maintenance, and flight operations to evaluate safety of aircraft operations.
• Ensure compliance with procedures and safety guidelines; advise management on safety issues.
• Organize and chair ground safety meetings and participate in meetings and boards as required.
• Serve as investigator or member of investigation teams for aviation mishaps and conduct follow-up inspections.
• Provide rotary-wing instruction and maintain pilot qualifications; conduct annual training and CRM training.

Skills

Aviation safety

Flight operations

Ground safety

Instructor time

Communication

Teamwork

Education

FAA Commercial Pilot Certificate with ratings

FAA Flight Instructor Certificate with ratings

Job description

Summary

This position is located within the Aircraft Operations Division (AOD). As a Helicopter Pilot/ Ground Safety Officer (GSO), you will pilot aircraft used in research, development, flight training, and test programs. Also serves as the airport liaison for AOD.

Learn more about this agency

Overview

1 vacancy in the following location: Houston, TX No matching locations found.

• Telework eligible: Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
• Remote job: No
• Relocation expenses reimbursed: No
• Salary: $145,480 – $189,126 per year
• Pay scale & grade: GS 13
• Promotion potential: 13
• Work schedule: Full-time
• Travel Required: Occasional travel – You may be expected to travel for this position.
• Appointment type: Permanent
• Occupations and job series: 2181 Aircraft Operation
• Supervisory status: No
• This job is in the Competitive Service
• Represented by a union: No
• Drug test: Yes
• Security clearance: Sensitive Compartmented Information
• Position sensitivity and risk: Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk
• Background check type: Suitability/Fitness
• Financial disclosure required: No
• Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Duties

• Maintains expertise in areas of ground safety, aircraft maintenance, and flight operations to evaluate critical issues related to the safe operation of aircraft.
• Ensures compliance with established procedures and safety guidelines, and makes recommendations to management, as necessary, concerning any safety issues through observation and review of ongoing flight operations.
• Organizes and chairs ground safety meetings and provides representation at Center/Agency/government/industry meetings and boards, as required.
• Serves as an investigator or a member of an investigation team for aviation/aviation ground mishaps or close calls, and conducts follow-up inspections on reported discrepancies.
• Serves as a rotary-wing instructor pilot. Proactively maintains all pilot qualifications and proficiency requirements. Conducts annual egress, emergency procedures training, and Crew Resource Management training.

Conditions of employment

• This position is open to U.S. citizens, nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
• This position may require a one-year probationary period. If selected, the requirement to serve such period will be determined by Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 11. **See Additional Information section**
• You must meet qualifications requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
• You must be proficient in the English language.
• At the time of initial appointment, you must possess a current FAA first class medical certificate or a military pilot flight physical; OR you must obtain a NASA flight medical certification.
• Position subject to pre-employment background investigation or higher-level clearance. Investigation/Clearance may differ and be required based on the duty location/NASA Center requirements.
• Financial Disclosure, Drug Testing, and/or the Travel Requirements for this position may differ and be required based on the duty location/NASA Center requirements.

Qualifications

Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work.

To qualify for this position you must possess:

1. Certificate and Rating:

• A current Federal Aviation Administration Commercial Pilot Certificate/License with ratings OR a pilot with ratings from the armed services; AND
• A current Federal Aviation Administration Flight Instructor Certificate/License with ratings OR a flight instructor with ratings from the armed services

1. Flight Hours: A minimum of the following flight time hours:

• 1,500 hours of flight time as pilot-in-command or co-pilot in aircraft of any weight or category, and
• 250 hours pilot-in-command in rotary-wing helicopter, and
• 75 hours of night flying, and
• 100 hours of flight time in the preceding 12 months.

1. Specialized experience: One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level that includes:

• Participating in aircraft maintenance, flight operations, and a wide range of human behavior and its potential for error to evaluate critical issues related to the safe operation of aircraft;
• Participating in the planning and execution of rotary-wing aircraft sorties and evaluation activities, including functional test flights;
• Conducting classroom instruction on developing, teaching, and assessing both academic and on-aircraft syllabus requirements for students training in rotary-wing aircraft.

1. Instructor Time Requirement:

• A minimum of 500 hours providing flight instruction directly related to the area of instruction and category of aircraft in the position.

To receive proper consideration, you must:

• Submit a copy of your pilots license (front and back) with your application AND
• Ensure that your flight hours are indicated in your resume.

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 a position description, vacancy announcement or other reference material constitutes plagiarism and may result in disqualification and losing consideration for the job.

Please visit https://www.nasa.gov/careers/how-to-apply/#Super-Intelligence to review NASA’s guidance on the use of super intelligent (SI) or SI-assisted tools during the application process.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

Additional selections may be made for similar positions across NASA within the local commuting area(s) of the location(s) identified in this announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) within NASA. CTAP/ICTAP will be cleared for any additional selection from this announcement.

For purposes of Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) selection priority, well-qualified is defined as possessing knowledge, skills, abilities, and/or competencies which clearly exceed the minimum qualification requirements for the position, as determined through SME review of the resume/application. If you have special priority selection rights under ICTAP, you must:

• Indicate your eligibility when applying for a position.
• Exceed the minimum qualification requirements for the position.
• Submit proof that you meet the requirements for ICTAP as indicated in “Required Documents.”

For additional information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, click: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/#ictap.

Any applicant that received a Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment (VSIP) from the federal government within the last five years based of the closing date of this announcement, if selected, may be required to repay the full amount prior to establishing a start date. For additional information on the VSIP repayment requirement, click here – https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/voluntary-separation-incentive-payments/.

Per Executive Order 14343, this position is not part of a bargaining unit.

Probationary Period

You may be required to serve a one-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. If selected, the requirement to serve such period will be determined by Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 11.

In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government;
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How you will be evaluated

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

Direct Hire Authority: These positions will be filled through the Office of Personnel Management’s Direct Hire Authority. Category rating and veterans’ preference will not be considered in evaluating applicants. For more information on Direct Hire Authority, please see: OPM Direct Hire Fact Sheet.

Veterans: Under the provisions of Direct Hire Authority, veterans’ preference does not apply. However, applicants who are eligible for veterans’ preference are encouraged to include that information in their application and submit supporting documentation (i.e. DD-214, or other substantiating documents). For more information please see: Veterans’ Preference information on the FedsHireVets website.

You will be evaluated for this position based on how well you meet the qualifications and eligibility requirements listed in this vacancy announcement. To determine your qualifications and referral status, we may review your resume and supporting documentation and compare it against your responses to the vacancy questionnaire. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

You will be assessed on the following competencies:

• Advanced Technical Training Design
• Crew Systems and Aviation Operations
• Institutional Aircraft Operations
• Accident Investigation
• Decision Making
• Oral Communication
• Teamwork

To preview the application questionnaire, click on the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13101498

NASA considers paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

NASA will not ask you to disclose criminal history record information during the application process or before we make a conditional/tentative offer of employment. If you apply for this position and are selected, NASA will conduct a suitability/security background investigation after you accept a tentative job offer. If you feel you are asked to disclose your criminal history before you accept a tentative offer and wish to file a complaint within 30 days, please contact: [e-mail].

Required documents

Required Documents

All submitted resumes must not exceed two (2) pages in length. Resumes longer than two pages will be rejected by USAJOBS. Applicants are strongly encouraged to prioritize including experience and relevant qualifications that directly align with the position advertised. All work experience and accomplishments must be associated with dates (month/year) to allow for accurate qualification assessment.

A complete application package includes a resume, required documents and completion of the vacancy announcement questionnaire. Please see this guidance: What to include in your resume. Your resume should describe your specialized experience and support your answers to the vacancy announcement questionnaire. If you are using a Curriculum Vitae (CV) as a resume, it must meet all requirements listed above for a complete resume package.

Please note: if any of the following types of information are included on your resume, your application package will be disqualified:

• Classified or government sensitive information.
• Social Security Number (SSN)
• Photos of yourself
• Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
• Encrypted and digitally signed documents

If your resume contains any of the above information, you must redact that information prior to the submission of your application.

The following documents are required:

• Professional License
• Professional Certification
• Resume

There may be other supporting documents (licenses, certification, veterans preference, etc.), depending on your answers to the questionnaire and job announcement description, that you may need to submit, please verify your application. Do not submit your OF-306 with your application.

If you are a surplus or displaced employee (CTAP and ICTAP), submit proof that you meet the requirements for CTAP/ICTAP. This includes copies of your agency notice, most recent Performance Rating and most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) noting current position, grade level, and duty location.

Official documents are required at the time of appointment for verification of eligibility and qualifications.

Agency contact information

NASA Shared Services Center

Phone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

Email: [e-mail]

Address: Johnson Space Center 2101 NASA Parkway Houston, TX 77058 US

Next steps

Once you submit your application package, you will receive an acknowledgement email. Throughout the process you will receive regular status updates through USAJOBS. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (Account Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: Application Status.

Whether or not you are contacted for an interview depends upon the location of the position and the judgment of the hiring manager.

If you are selected, you will be notified by phone or email with a tentative job offer. If you fail to meet the conditions of employment or any other pre-employment requirements, such as missing a scheduled appointment, we may rescind a tentative job offer.

An official, written job offer will be issued once all requirements have been verified.

Fair and transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance. Criminal history inquiries Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Financial suitability New employee probationary period Privacy Act Reasonable accommodation policy Selective Service Signature and false statements Social security number request