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

Summary

As a Science Manager, you will manage space science mission solicitations aligned with strategic goals and federal requirements, conduct advanced planning and process improvement, and chair scientific and/or technical, management, and cost reviews. You will oversee contracts or grants, cost and schedule, quality, and transition to implementation. You will ensure unbiased, conflict-free proposal evaluations, build partnerships, brief leaders, analyze complex data, and provide expert guidance.

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.
• •Support and lead the formulation of future spaceflight science mission solicitations (e.g., Announcements of Opportunity) aligned with strategic science goals (astrophysics, heliophysics, earth and planetary sciences) and federal regulations.
• •Lead advanced planning and analytical studies to develop interdisciplinary opportunities and initiate process improvements. Ensure that all solicitations, technical details, and evaluation plans incorporate best practices and lessons learned.
• •Organize and chair formal scientific reviews, independent study teams, and Technical, Management, and Cost (TMC) proposal review panels. Coordinate scientific, engineering and management disciplines to ensure quality space mission assessments.
• •Perform comprehensive management functions spanning planning, design, test and evaluation, cost analyses, and quality management. Ensure a smooth transition to project implementation and support overall line-management processes.
• •Plan, schedule and monitor contracted work, academic grants, and internal technical operations. Ensure quality instrument and mission proposal evaluations free of Conflict of Interest (COI) or biases, and consistent with solicitation rules.
• •Organize research collaborations and technical forums involving contractors, academia, partner agencies, etc. Disseminate research findings, organize open meetings/websites, present to executive leadership (e.g., NASA HQ), and debrief proposers.
• •Initiate and lead investigative group studies. Apply advanced scientific and geospatial techniques to interpret complex observational data, derive defensible science conclusions, or assess mission schedule, cost, and management.
• •Serve as a recognized authority in the physical sciences, providing scientific and technical guidance across experience levels. Collaborate closely with cross-functional team members to deliver efficient work products and develop shared tools.

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 the GS-14, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level: Supporting the analysis of internal and external customer requirements for spaceflight science programs and instrumentation and presenting needed changes, activities, or scientific research results to upper management; Providing technical input into the development and implementation of policies, procedures, and operational schedules for evaluating space science missions and/or synthesizing scientific research results; Supporting management and direction or coordination of multidisciplinary team efforts including monitoring contractors, for a significant end product or a subject matter of complex scope, such as an assessment of spaceflight mission systems or development of advanced instrumentation. To qualify for the GS-15, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level: Analyzing internal and external customer requirements for spaceflight science programs to identify and recommend changes related to program management, systems engineering, instrumentation, or integration; Providing scientific and/or technical direction in the development and implementation of policies, procedures, and operational schedules for evaluating space science missions and/or synthesizing scientific research results; Managing and directing or coordinating multidisciplinary team efforts including monitoring contractors, for a significant end product or a subject matter entity of complex scope, such as an assessment of spaceflight mission systems or development of advanced instrumentation. 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/#Artificial-Intelligence to review NASA's guidance on the use of artificial intelligent (AI) or AI-assisted 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: 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