General Engineer, AST, Technical Management (Direct Hire)

NASA; Sacramento (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

NASA seeks a Data Officer to lead data strategies, governance, and open science across scientific domains, ensuring accessible and collaborative data practices for mission success.

The role provides senior technical leadership for data systems, security, policy, and emerging technologies, guiding critical decisions and advancing data stewardship across the agency.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant STEM field or equivalent professional experience.
• Strong knowledge of data governance, analytics, and policy.
• Experience with open science and data stewardship.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and integration of the BPS data ecosystem to improve accessibility and interoperability.
• Provide technical guidance on data governance, security, and policy across NASA and partners.
• Represent BPS on data governance boards and coordinate with SMD leadership.
• Oversee major data repositories and data capabilities, evaluating performance and risks.

Skills

Data governance

Data management

Data analytics

Open science

Policy

Security

Emerging technologies

Education

Bachelor's degree in a STEM field

Job description

Summary

Serves as the Data Officer responsible for developing and implementing data strategies to support effective scientific data management, governance, integration, and use. Applies data science and open science principles to improve data accessibility, collaboration, innovation, and technical decision-making. Provides technical leadership in data governance, analytics, security, policy, and emerging technologies.

Major Duties

Leads development and integration of the Biological and Physical Sciences (BPS) data ecosystem, applying advanced technologies to improve scientific data accessibility, interoperability, usability, and impact. Serves as a senior technical authority and liaison for BPS data initiatives, representing BPS across NASA and with Federal and international partners to advance data integration and collaboration. Provides expert technical guidance on open science and scientific data policy, collaborating with Science Mission Directorate (SMD) leadership to develop and implement data strategies, standards, and requirements. Provides technical oversight of major BPS scientific data repositories and capabilities, evaluating performance, integration, resources, risks, and operational issues to support BPS mission requirements. Leads implementation and assessment of BPS data management, sharing, and stewardship requirements, providing technical guidance to ensure compliance with NASA and SMD policies and standards. Represents BPS on SMD and NASA data governance boards, providing authoritative technical recommendations on data systems, computing, artificial intelligence, open science, and data stewardship.

Education

This position requires education or exceptional experience Basic Education Requirement: You must have successfully completed a bachelor's degree with a major in one of the following: a) Engineering from a college or university that has ABET accredited engineering programs b) Physical Science, Mathematics, Life Science or other field of Science c) Computer Science that included 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours of course work in any combination of mathematics, statistics and computer science with at least half of those hours in mathematics and statistics courses that included differential and integral calculus; and that provided an in-depth knowledge of theoretical 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. If you did not complete a qualifying bachelor's degree, you may be eligible if you have obtained a graduate degree in an AST qualifying field, as listed above. Applicants who do not fully meet the basic education requirement may still be considered if they possess exceptional relevant experience, or a combination of education and experience, that clearly demonstrates significant full performance-level achievement directly related to the duties of this position. Engineering degrees earned within the United States: Engineering degrees earned within the United States must be from a college or university that has at least one ABET accredited engineering program. To find out if a school has at least one ABET accredited program, please visit http://www.abet.org. Engineering degrees earned outside the United States: Engineering degrees earned outside the United States must be recognized by a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA), often known as accords. These are non-governmental agreements among organizations that accredit academic degree programs. MRAs recognize the substantial equivalence of mature accreditation systems and programs accredited by signatory organizations within their jurisdictions. For a listing of Signatories, please visit, https://www.abet.org/global-presence/mutual-recognition-agreements/is-your-program-recognized/. Science and other related degrees earned within the United States: Science and other related degrees must have been awarded from colleges or universities that are accredited by recognized accrediting organizations. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, go to http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. Science and other related degrees earned outside the United States: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs. These education credentials must be 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://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. All degrees must have been received in the year of, or any year subsequent to the original date of accreditation.

Evaluations

You will be evaluated for this position based on how well you meet the qualifications and eligibility requirements outlined in this vacancy announcement. Your resume and supporting documentation will be reviewed in conjunction with your responses to the assessment questionnaire. As part of the assessment, your responses to the Written Interview prompts will be scored and used to place you into one of three quality groups. These scores, along with your qualifications and supporting materials, will determine your referral status. Please ensure your application materials and responses accurately reflect your experience and competencies, as misrepresentation may result in removal from consideration. These competencies will be assessed using technical assessments. They may also be evaluated during a structured interview: Attention to Detail Decision Making Oral Communication Planning and Evaluating Written Communication Data Management Technical Competence Executive Management 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. Under NASA's category rating process, applicants will be assessed on the position competencies and placed in one of two categories identified and defined below: Best Qualified Categroy - Applicants who demonstrate a superior level of all evaluation criteria. Qualified Category - Applicants who demonstrate the basic qualifications, with general knowledge, skills, and abilities. Names of all qualified candidates in the Best Qualified category will be sent to the hiring official for employment consideration (unless a sufficient number of qualified veterans are found - in which case only those names will be initially certified ). Candidates within the Best Qualified category who are eligible for veteran preference will receive selection priority over non-veteran preference eligibles. 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].

Other 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. If you have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), you must:

• Indicate your eligibility when applying for a position. The questionnaire asks you to identify your ICTAP/CTAP eligibility.
• Be well qualified for this position to receive consideration. Candidates rated in the 'Best Qualified' category are considered well-qualified. Please see 'How You Will Be Evaluated' for more information.
• Submit proof that you meet the requirements for CTAP/ICTAP as indicated in 'Required Documents.'

For additional information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, click here - 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. When selecting a suitable candidate, agencies will rely upon the lawful and authorized US citizenship of all attorneys, supervisors, inspectors, etc. 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; and 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.