Nuclear Engineer - AST, Nuclear Propulsion and Power

US George C. Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Alabama
Report
Job Description

Duties

  • Duties described below are at the full-performance level. Duties assigned at a lower grade level will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity; duties will be commensurate with the grade of selected employee.
  • Support requirements, design, analysis, verification, and validation associated with the development of Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) systems.
  • Support project planning, design review, and other meetings to maintain a current knowledge base of design, requirements, issues, action items, resolution, and verification activities.
  • Support engineering and scientific work involving processes, instruments, and systems used to generate and/or control nuclear energy and radiation.
  • Conduct assessments to determine optimal design solutions, including identifying and managing engine system integrations.
  • Design control systems, propellant systems, propulsion systems, and the components that comprise those systems.
  • Collaborating with engineers to design, build and test propulsion components.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • This position is open to U.S. citizens, nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S
  • Position subject to pre-employment background investigation
  • You must meet qualifications requirements by the closing date of this announcement

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-12, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level.
  • Assisting in working with aerospace materials and/or manufacturing processes for nuclear or other propulsion systems;
  • Assisting in developing requirements for propulsion (e.g., nuclear, chemical, etc.) systems and/or aerospace power generation systems;
  • Utilizing design solutions for components that are compatible with the high stress environments of aerospace propulsion systems.
To qualify for GS-13, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level.
  • Working with aerospace materials and/or manufacturing processes for propulsion systems or similar;
  • Participating in developing requirements for propulsion (e.g., nuclear, chemical, etc.) systems and/or aerospace power generation systems;
  • Identifying materials and/or recommending design solutions for components that are compatible with the high stress environments of nuclear or other propulsion systems.
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.

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.

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://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

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.
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.

This is a bargaining unit position. If additional selections are made, those positions may or may not be in a bargaining unit. To learn more about bargaining units at NASA please click here NASA Unions (Bargaining Units) | NASA.

  • 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 listed in this vacancy announcement. To determine your qualifications and referral status, we may review your resume and supporting documentation and compare it against your responses to the vacancy questionnaire. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

You will be assessed on the following competencies:

  • Creative Thinking
  • Technical Competence
  • Nuclear Engineering/Propulsion
  • Propulsion Integration Engineering
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 three categories identified and defined below: :
  • Best Qualified Category - Applicants who demonstrate a superior level of all evaluation criteria.
  • Highly Qualified Category - Applicants who demonstrate a satisfactory level of the 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.

  • 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.

  • Required Documents

    As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

    A complete application package includes a resume, required documents and completion of the vacancy announcement questionnaire. Please see this guidance: What to include in your resume. Your resume should describe your specialized experience and support your answers to the vacancy announcement questionnaire. If you are using a Curriculum Vitae (CV) as a resume, it must meet all requirements listed above for a complete resume package. Please note: if any of the following types of information are included on your resume, your application package will be disqualified:

    • Classified or government sensitive information.
    • Social Security Number (SSN)
    • Photos of yourself
    • Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
    • Encrypted and digitally signed documents.
    If your resume contains any of the above information, you must redact that information prior to the submission of your application.

    The following documents are required:
    • Resume
    • Transcript


    While a transcript is the preferred proof of qualifying education, you may submit any of the following items:
    • An unofficial transcript
    • A copy of an official transcript
    • A copy of a degree (i.e., a picture or scan)
    • A list of completed/credited courses that includes, the title, course code, and number of semester, quarter or classroom hours for each course (i.e., BUAD- 101-Introduction to Business, 3 Semester hours).
    You will lose consideration if you do not submit proof of your education. Documents must fully support the education requirements listed above. Incomplete documents or documents that do not show completion of required degree program or coursework may result in disqualification.

    There may be other supporting documents (licenses, certification, veterans preference, etc.), depending on your answers to the questionnaire and job announcement description, that you may have to submit, please verify your application.

    If you are a surplus or displaced employee (CTAP and ICTAP), submit proof that you meet the requirements for CTAP/ICTAP. This includes copies of your agency notice, most recent Performance Rating and most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) noting current position, grade level, and duty location.

    If you are a veteran and you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a DD214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions. For more information on veterans' preference and possible other supporting documents that you may have to submit, please visit FedshireVets

    Official documents are required at the time of appointment for verification of eligibility and qualifications.

  • How to Apply

    A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.

    To begin the application process, click on the 'Apply' link. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
    Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

    After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the "Include Personal Information" section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process. You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify all required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.

    If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

    If you have questions about this announcement, you may contact the agency toll free at the phone number located below. Be advised - application materials faxed, emailed, and/or mailed to Marshall Space Flight Center will not be accepted for this announcement.

    NASA provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you are an applicant with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency contact center listed on the job vacancy announcement. The decision on granting reasonable accommodations will be on a case-by-case basis.

    Agency contact information

    NASA Shared Services Contact Center

    Phone

    1-877-677-2123

    Fax

    1-866-779-6772

    Email

    nssc-contactcenter@mail.nasa.gov

    Address

    Marshall Space Flight Center
    Marshall Space Flight Ctr
    Huntsville, AL 35811
    US

    Next steps

    Once you submit your application package, you will receive an acknowledgement email. Throughout the process you will receive regular status updates through USAJOBS. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

    If you are found qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration. Whether or not you are contacted for an interview depends upon the location of the position and the judgment of the hiring manager.

    If you are selected, you will be notified by phone or email with a tentative job offer. If you fail to meet the conditions of employment or any other pre-employment requirements, such as missing a scheduled appointment, we may rescind a tentative job offer.

    An official, written job offer will be issued once all requirements have been verified.

  • Fair and Transparent

    The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

    • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
    • Reasonable accommodation policy
    • Financial suitability
    • Selective Service
    • New employee probationary period
    • Signature and false statements
    • Privacy Act
    • Social security number request

Required Documents

A complete application package includes a resume, required documents and completion of the vacancy announcement questionnaire. Please see this guidance: What to include in your resume. Your resume should describe your specialized experience and support your answers to the vacancy announcement questionnaire. If you are using a Curriculum Vitae (CV) as a resume, it must meet all requirements listed above for a complete resume package. Please note: if any of the following types of information are included on your resume, your application package will be disqualified:

  • Classified or government sensitive information.
  • Social Security Number (SSN)
  • Photos of yourself
  • Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
  • Encrypted and digitally signed documents.
If your resume contains any of the above information, you must redact that information prior to the submission of your application.

The following documents are required:
  • Resume
  • Transcript


While a transcript is the preferred proof of qualifying education, you may submit any of the following items:
  • An unofficial transcript
  • A copy of an official transcript
  • A copy of a degree (i.e., a picture or scan)
  • A list of completed/credited courses that includes, the title, course code, and number of semester, quarter or classroom hours for each course (i.e., BUAD- 101-Introduction to Business, 3 Semester hours).
You will lose consideration if you do not submit proof of your education. Documents must fully support the education requirements listed above. Incomplete documents or documents that do not show completion of required degree program or coursework may result in disqualification.

There may be other supporting documents (licenses, certification, veterans preference, etc.), depending on your answers to the questionnaire and job announcement description, that you may have to submit, please verify your application.

If you are a surplus or displaced employee (CTAP and ICTAP), submit proof that you meet the requirements for CTAP/ICTAP. This includes copies of your agency notice, most recent Performance Rating and most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) noting current position, grade level, and duty location.

If you are a veteran and you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a DD214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions. For more information on veterans' preference and possible other supporting documents that you may have to submit, please visit FedshireVets

Official documents are required at the time of appointment for verification of eligibility and qualifications.


Help

This job is open to

  • The public

    U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
US George C. Marshall Space Flight Center
Engineering
Full Time
Onsite
Competitive
See Description for Experience
1 year, 8 months ago