AST, Technical Management (Direct Hire)

Summary As the Avionics and Flight Termination System (FTS) Team Lead within the Space Launch System (SLS), Stages Element Office, you will be responsible for the leading the avionics and FTS team of civil service and contractor personnel. You will advise the Element Manager on all matters relating to avionics and FTS. You will monitor and report on the prime contractor's performance and will be responsible for effectively interfacing with the engineering community, safety, and procurement personnel. Duties Help Serves as the senior expert technical authority for engineering projects/requirements for the Avionics Team. Keeps the Stages Element Manager informed on progress toward proposed contract modifications, resource analyses, and proposal analysis. Serves as expert representative on working groups. Conducts comprehensive project and/or program reviews. Serves as technical liaison within the Space Launch System Program (SLSP) and with other NASA centers and external agencies. Provides expert technical advice to program managers and contractor professionals. Implements process modifications or develops alternate solutions to reduce time and costs for versatile and innovative projects. Establishes and maintains liaison with program managers and works closely with their representatives to ensure that concerns such as proper facility, operations, or systems requirements definition, and adequate funding are met. Manages significant elements of complex projects with three or more subsystems, that support major NASA functions, programs, or projects. Develops new tools, methods, techniques, or systems that contribute to a larger program or project. Overcomes difficult and complex technical, project management, and organizational problems. Plans, guides, coordinates, and manages the work of subordinate, and matrixed resources. Performs periodic review to assess achievement of major goals. Provides engineering analysis for special projects, future projects, and in advance planning of new systems and capabilities of all applicable NASA programs and areas of concern and responsibility. Provides expert technical advice and direction to contractor professionals. Keeps the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) informed on progress, proposed contract modifications, analysis of proposals, and assessment of contract time extensions. Requirements Help 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 sectionYou must meet qualifications requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Position subject to pre-employment background investigation. 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: Managing avionics and control systems project resources and assessing prime contractor performance against established metrics (such as cost, schedule, risk, performance, or technical aspects); Managing multi-disciplinary teams performing work related to the development, integration, test, evaluation, or operations of avionics and control systems design; and Providing advisory services for management, boards, working groups, or technical committees. 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 #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: 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. 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 . 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, . 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 . 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: . 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. Meet the minimum qualifications requirements for the position Submit proof that you meet the requirements for CTAP/ICTAP as indicated in 'Required Documents' For additional information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, click here - #ictap Per Executive Order 14251, this position is not part of a bargaining unit. Probationary/Trial Period You may be required to serve a 1-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.Help 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.

Created: 2026-03-06