Physical Scientist, AST, Science Program Management (Direct Hire)

NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration is seeking a Physical Scientist (AST, Science Program Management) to align technology investments with the Astrophysics Division's vision and co-develop long-term roadmaps with the Chief Technologist and staff.

You will engage with technologists across SMD and other agencies to identify opportunities for Astrophysics and strengthen NASA’s investment alignment.

Qualifications

• Specialized experience in engaging with industry, government, academia or Federally Funded Research Centers.
• Experience driving technology maturation and alignment with mission needs.
• Ability to design and manage a streamlined process for tracking evolving technology requirements.

Responsibilities

• Engage with stakeholders across NASA and external partners to identify astro-physics tech opportunities.
• Lead development of a multi-horizon technology roadmap and maturation strategy.
• Develop and maintain a technology gaps list tied to NASA-funded missions and initiatives.
• Lead technology reviews, assessments, and mission concepts with the Chief Technologist.
• Implement opportunities for technology development, including solicitations and portfolio reviews.
• Support technology outreach and knowledge sharing within NASA and with external scientists.

Skills

Strategic engagement

Innovation leadership

Technology roadmap development

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Physical Science/Mathematics/Computer Science

Job description

Summary

As a Physical Scientist (AST, Science Program Management) with the Astrophysics Division, you will ensure alignment of technology investments with the Division's strategic vision and co-develop a long-term technology roadmap with the Astrophysics Chief Technologist and Division staff. You will also engage with Technologists across the Science Mission Directorate (SMD) and other government agencies to identify opportunities for Astrophysics and enhance the alignment of NASA investments.

Duties

• Engage with stakeholders across and outside NASA; colleagues in the Astrophysics Division; and technology providers in academia, commercial, and nonprofit sectors to identify technology related opportunities for the astrophysics community.
• With the Astrophysics Division Chief Technologist, lead the development of a multi-horizon technology roadmap and technology development and maturation strategy to ensure that Astrophysics Division investments are appropriately prioritized.
• Work with the Astrophysics Program Offices to develop and maintain a technology gaps list that is closely tied to NASA-funded strategic missions and initiatives.
• With the Astrophysics Division Chief Technologist, lead and support technology-related reviews, assessments, and mission concepts.
• With the Astrophysics Division Chief Technologist, lead the implementation of opportunities for technology development and maturation, including solicitation preparation, proposal reviews, program execution, and portfolio reviews.
• Support Astrophysics technology outreach to ensure knowledge sharing within NASA, with external technologists and scientists, and with the general public.
• Support technology program budget development for the annual Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) cycle.
• Support NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) and Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) technology reviews, assessments, and other programmatic needs.

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/trial 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.
• 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

In addition to the Basic Education Requirement (in the Education section below), to qualify for this position you must meet the requirements below. 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.

NASA utilizes OPM-approved qualification and rating requirements specific for Aerospace Technology (AST) positions which recognizes NASA's unique aerospace work. The specific qualifications and minimum education requirements are further described below and within the education section of the job announcement.

To qualify for GS-15, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level:

• Leading strategic engagement with industry, government organizations, academia, or Federally Funded Research Centers to strengthen awareness of evolving technologies supporting astrophysics;
• Driving innovation efforts to expand opportunities for developing, maturing, and advancing technologies aligned with astrophysics mission needs;
• Managing or designing a streamlined process that tracks and updates evolving, prioritized technology requirements.

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.

NASA prohibits the use of artificial intelligence (AI) or AI-assisted tool in drafting application and assessment responses. Please visit https://www.nasa.gov/careers/how-to-apply/#Artificial-Intelligence to review NASA's guidance on the use of AI tools during the application process.

Education

Basic Education Requirement: You must have successfully completed a bachelor's degree with a major in one of the following:

• Engineering from a college or university that has ABET accredited engineering programs
• Physical Science, Mathematics, Life Science or other field of Science
• 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.

Degrees in engineering technology are not considered qualifying for 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.

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 additional information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, 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, 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; 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.

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.

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.

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.