International Program Specialist

Headquarters, NASA (NASA); Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 122,000 - 187,000; Full time

Job summary

NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC seeks an International Program Specialist to draft and negotiate international agreements, advise mission directorates, and manage interactions with partner space agencies. The role provides expert analysis of space policy developments in assigned regions and supports NASA leadership on cooperative activities.

The position is full-time, with telework eligible per agency policy, and requires security clearance.

Qualifications

• Experience developing international agreements to facilitate cooperation between NASA and international space agencies.
• Experience engaging with international space agencies and leadership.
• Experience developing briefing materials related to NASA international cooperation.

Responsibilities

• Develop, coordinate, and negotiate international agreements for collaboration on space and aeronautics activities.
• Develop briefing materials and policy guidance for NASA leadership and officials.
• Convey information on policies, regulations, and laws pertaining to international cooperation.
• Act as liaison with international partner agencies and U.S. government organizations.
• Provide information and advice to executives to enable timely decisions on partnerships.

Skills

International agreements

Engagement leadership

Briefing materials

Job description

Summary

Serves as an International Program Specialist at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. responsible for drafting and negotiating international agreements; advising mission directorate, field center, and other officials on the policy, regulatory and legal aspects of international partnerships; managing interactions with international partners; and providing expert analysis of space policy developments in assigned regions.

Overview

1 vacancy in the following location: NASA Headquarters Washington, DC

Job Details

Telework eligible: Yes—as determined by the agency policy.

Remote job: No.

Relocation expenses reimbursed: No.

Salary: $121,785 - $187,093 per year.

Pay scale & grade: GS 13 - 14.

Promotion potential: 14.

Work schedule: Full-time.

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

Appointment type: Permanent. Occupations and job series: 0301 Miscellaneous Administration And Program.

Supervisory status: No.

Federal service type: This job is in the Competitive Service.

Represented by a union: No.

Drug test: Yes.

Security clearance: Secret.

Position sensitivity and risk: Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk.

Background check type: Suitability/Fitness.

Financial disclosure required: No.

Announcement number: HQ-27-IMP-13104502-BL.

Control number: 890797300.

Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of the hiring agency that posted the job announcement.

Clarification from the agency

Current NASA federal employees serving on a career, career-conditional, VRA, Schedule A for individuals with disabilities, or NASA term appointment that provides eligibility to convert to a permanent appointment.

Duties

• Duties described below are at the highest grade advertised. Duties assigned at lower grade levels will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity; duties will be commensurate with the grade of selected employee.
• Develop, coordinate, and negotiate international agreements for collaboration on space and aeronautics activities.
• Develop and provide briefing materials and policy guidance to NASA mission directorate, field center, and other officials to obtain the maximum possible benefit from international cooperative activities.
• Convey information to NASA officials on the policies, regulations, and laws pertaining to international cooperation to enable NASA to achieve its mission and goals.
• Act as a liaison with international partner space and aeronautics agencies, other international organizations, and with U.S. government organizations. Obtain expertise and contacts to represent NASA positions on areas of mutual interest.
• Provide information and advice to the supervisor and other Office of International and Interagency Relations (OIIR) executives, to enable timely and effective decisions related to international partnerships on NASA missions.

Conditions of employment

• Current Federal employees must meet qualifications, time in grade, and 90 days after competitive appointment requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
• 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 GS-13, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level:

• Support development of international agreements to facilitate cooperation between NASA and international space agencies;
• Support NASA leadership in engagements with international space agencies;
• Develop briefing materials related to NASA international cooperation.

To qualify for GS-14, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level:

• Lead development of international agreements to facilitate cooperation between NASA and international space agencies;
• Lead support to NASA leadership in engagements with international space agencies;
• Lead development of briefing materials related to NASA international cooperation.

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.

Note: Time-in-grade requirements also apply to applicants who have held a non-temporary, competitive service GS position in the past year.

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.

If you are applying for a GS-12 or higher level and are a current federal employee, you must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible for this position. To be eligible, you must have completed a minimum of 52 weeks in a position no more than 1 grade lower than the advertised position. (Please submit your SF-50 that shows Time-in-Grade eligibility and reflects your title, series, and grade. If your eligibility for both merit promotion and/or time-in-grade cannot be determined, your application will be rated ineligible.)

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.
• Submit proof that you meet the requirements for CTAP/ICTAP as indicated in 'Required Documents'

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

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.

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 will be scored and used to place you into one of two 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:

• International Program Development
• International Relations
• Policy Management
• Oral Communication
• Written Communication

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 quality grouping process, applicants will be assessed on the position competencies and placed in one of two groups identified and defined below:

• Best Qualified Group – Applicants who demonstrate a superior level of all evaluation criteria.
• Qualified Group – Applicants who demonstrate the basic qualifications, with general knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Candidates eligible for ICTAP/CTAP, reemployment priority or priority consideration will be referred before other candidates, as necessary. If no such candidates apply or are eligible to be referred, the following candidates will be sent to the hiring official for employment consideration:

• Best Qualified merit promotion candidates. Highly Qualified merit promotion candidates may also be referred, if additional candidates are needed.
• Qualified candidates eligible for consideration under Schedule A or VRA in accordance with veterans’ preference rules, as applicable.
• Qualified candidates that are eligible for special hiring authorities or non-competitive hiring authorities.

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].

Agency contact information

NASA Shared Services Center

Phone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

Email: [e-mail]

Address:

NASA Headquarters

300 E St SW

Washington, DC 20546

US

Fair and transparent

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