Public Notice - Engineering (Direct Hire)

NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 70,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

NASA is recruiting for positions across multiple NASA centers with a focus on aerospace engineering specialties at GS-7 through GS-15 levels. Responsibilities include directing technical efforts, conducting advanced analysis, and advising senior leadership on complex technical and programmatic matters.

The role requires completing the Basic Education Requirement in engineering or related fields and meeting specialized experience criteria. Open to U.S.

Qualifications

• Specialized experience or graduate study required for GS-07/09/11 levels as described in the announcement.
• Engineering positions require a degree or equivalent combination of education/experience.
• Successful candidates must meet the education and experience requirements and be eligible for the NASA AST pathway.

Responsibilities

• Directs technical efforts across organizational boundaries and provides guidance to senior officials on complex engineering matters.
• Conducts and oversees advanced engineering analysis, design, test, and evaluation on mission-critical systems.
• Advises executive leadership and program managers on technical and programmatic matters and represents NASA in high-level forums.

Skills

Technical leadership

Engineering analysis

Policy development

Education

ABET accredited engineering program

Job description

Summary

Positions advertised are in various organizations across NASA. NASA may fill positions in any of the following series, at any grade level, and any location listed in this announcement (GS-0801, 0806, 0840, 0850, 0854, 0855, and 0861 at the GS-7/9/11/12/13/14/15 levels).

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.
• Directs technical efforts across organizational boundaries and provides authoritative guidance to senior officials on highly complex engineering matters.
• Conducts and oversees advanced engineering analysis, design, test, and evaluation on mission-critical systems. Applies expert judgment to resolve complex technical problems and recommends optimal solutions.
• Advises executive leadership and program managers on complex technical and programmatic matters. Represents the organization in high-level technical forums, boards, and reviews at the agency and interagency levels.
• Develops and approves engineering standards, technical policies, and requirements documents at the program or enterprise level. Authors technical reports and assessments that inform senior leadership decisions.
• Provides technical mentorship and discipline leadership across experience levels. Serves as a functional area expert supporting long-term organizational technical capability and engineering workforce development.
• Represents the organization in technical exchanges with contractors, partner agencies, and external entities. Leads formal technical reviews and integrated product teams requiring senior-level engineering expertise.
• For supervisory positions, you will perform a full range of supervisory duties which includes assigning and evaluating work; recommending personnel actions; taking disciplinary actions; and identifying training needs and developing employees.

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.
• A one -year supervisory probationary period may be required.
• To be considered for employment, you must submit your complete application by 11:59 PM ET on September 15, 2026.

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-07, you must have:

• One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level:
• Performing routine engineering support tasks under close supervision; Collecting data, maintaining records; or Preparing basic technical documentation in support of engineering projects or programs.

OR

• Completed 1 full academic year of graduate study in an appropriate field

OR

• Any combination of experience and graduate study in an appropriate field

OR

• You may also qualify at the GS-07 level by meeting one of these Special Provisions:
• Are in the upper third of your class, based on completed college work at the time of filing an application.
• Have an average of 2.9 or better on a 4.0 scale for either all completed college work at the time of application, or all college courses completed during the last 2 years of the undergraduate curriculum.
• Achieved a grade average of B+ (3.5 on a 4.0 scale) or better in the major field of study where such field is fully qualifying. This is either the average of all completed college work in the major field of study at the time of application or the average of all college courses completed in the major field of study during the last 2 years of the undergraduate curriculum.
• Elected to membership in one of the national honorary scholastic societies meeting the minimum requirements of the Association of College Honor Societies (other than freshman honor societies). These honor societies are listed at ACHS.
• Completed 12 months of student trainee experience that includes at least one work period equivalent to the GS-5, or at least 15 months of appropriate student trainee experience which includes one work period equivalent to the GS-04 level. One work period is 2 months or 320 hours.
• For engineering positions, successfully completed a 5-year program of study, or at least 160 semester hours, leading to a bachelor's degree.
• For engineering positions, have a professional engineering degree, and up to 12 months of experience gained as a technician or technologist equivalent to the GS-5 or higher level.
• Successfully completed all requirements for two bachelor's degrees, one in an appropriate field of science or engineering.
• Have six months of directly related/specialized experience or training, including 3 months gained after the junior year of college. This experience may have been obtained on a part-time or intermittent basis and may have been paid or unpaid.
• Received honors or elective positions indicating superior leadership outside of your academic setting. Additionally, your academic standing must have been in the upper half of the graduating class.
• Have pattern of completing courses that include unusual preparatory value or direct relation to the particular aerospace specialty for which you are being considered.
• Have creative research aptitude or special talent for NASA scientific or engineering work. This must be shown by evidence obtained and documented by NASA in certifications from college professors or officials, or standardized questionnaires, or similar techniques.

To qualify for GS-09, you must have:

• One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level:
• Performing engineering analysis, design, test, or evaluation on assigned systems or components; Applying engineering principles to solve technical problems under supervision; Preparing technical documentation in support of engineering projects or program requirements.

OR

• Completed all requirements for a master's or equivalent graduate degree in an appropriate field

OR

• Completed 2 full academic years of graduate education in an appropriate field

OR

• Have an equivalent combination of experience and graduate study as discussed in a), b) and c) above

To qualify for GS-11, you must have:

• You must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level:
• Conducting engineering analysis, design, test, or evaluation; Applying professional engineering judgment with limited supervision; Producing technical reports and recommendations.

OR

• Completed all requirements for a doctoral degree (i.e., Ph.D. or equivalent) in an appropriate field

OR

• Completed 3 full academic years of graduate education in an appropriate field

OR

• Have an equivalent combination of experience and graduate study as discussed in a), b) and c) above

To qualify for GS-12, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level:

• Conducting complex engineering work; Serving as technical authority on moderately complex systems; Leading engineering projects; Integrating multi-discipline technical requirements.

To qualify for GS-13, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level:

• Leading engineering programs or technical projects; Serving as recognized technical authority on complex systems; Developing engineering solutions

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

• Providing senior engineering technical leadership; Directing multi-disciplinary programs; Serving as expert in the applicable discipline; Advising senior officials on complex technical and programmatic matters.

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

• Providing expert-level engineering program direction; Serving as a technical authority; Developing technical policy or standards.

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.

In determining the NASA AST specific position title to which you are appointed, you may be required to have one of the following majors (this list is not inclusive):
Aeronautical Engineering, Aeronautics, Aerospace Engineering, Astronautical Engineering, Astronautics, Biomedical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Materials Engineering, Applied/Engineering Mechanics, Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Nuclear Engineering Physics, Applied/Engineering/Physics, Structural Engineering. Other majors may qualify if supplemented as follows: Ceramic Engineering, Ceramics, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Computer Science*, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Mathematics (or other related field), if it includes or is supplemented by nine semester hours (or the equivalent) in machine design, mechanics, hydraulics, dynamics, thermodynamics, mechanical design or mechanical measurement.

Promotion Potential: The full performance level (FPL) will vary based on the position in which the selectee is placed and does not default to the highest grade advertised.

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.

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.

Additional Information

In the Announcement Questionnaire, you will be prompted to select the location, occupational series (select as many as desired), and lowest grade you wish to be considered for.

Supervisory and/or non-supervisory positions may be filled from this announcement at any applicable grade.

Other duty locations not specifically listed on this announcement may be considered at management's discretion.

Additional selections may be made for similar positions across NASA within the local commuting area(s) of the location(s) identified in 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."

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.

Supervisory probationary periods are not subject to the above process, although, if a standard probationary period is required. You are subject to the conditions of both a standard probationary period and the supervisory probationary period.

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. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal 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.