Aerospace Engineer, AST, Aerospace Flight Systems (Direct Hire)
Job Description
Summary
Marshall Space Flight Center seeks Aerospace Engineers to lead and support critical NASA missions. This role provides technical and program leadership across space and flight systems, including vehicles, propulsion, payloads, and integrated hardware/software, supporting design, development, testing, certification, and mission operations.
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.
- Assists in analyzing aerospace vehicles, propulsion systems, environments, structures, and components across development and operational phases.
- Supports testing, evaluation, and validation of aerospace hardware and system capabilities.
- Assists in design and development of aerospace hardware and/or software components.
- Supports system performance assessments and integration activities.
- Assists with risk assessments and supports verification of mitigation through testing and analysis.
- Applies engineering principles to support technical problem-solving and analysis.
- Collaborates with engineers and team members to support project tasks and objectives.
Requirements
- 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 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.
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:
a) One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level:
- Assisting with the development or evaluation of aerospace systems, subsystems, components, or software;
- Assisting with resolving technical issues or supporting team priorities;
- Assisting with the collection and review of data used in analysis of the safety or design capabilities of aerospace vehicles or systems.
b) Completed 1 full academic year of graduate study in an appropriate field
OR
c) Any combination of experience and graduate study in an appropriate field
OR
d) 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.
a) One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level:
- Supporting the development or evaluation of aerospace systems, subsystems, components, or software;
- Supporting resolution of technical issues and assisting with coordination of team priorities;
- Assisting with analysis of the safety or design capabilities of aerospace vehicles or systems.
b) Completed all requirements for a master's or equivalent graduate degree in an appropriate field
OR
c) Completed 2 full academic years of graduate education in an appropriate field
OR
d) Have an equivalent combination of experience and graduate study as discussed in a), b) and c) above
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.
Required college majors for applicants qualifying on the basis of undergraduate or graduate education only:
Aeronautical Engineering, Aeronautics, Aerospace Engineering, Astronautical Engineering, Astronautics, Biomedical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Materials Engineering, Materials Science, Applied Mechanics, Engineering Mechanics, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Metallurgy, Nuclear Engineering, Nuclear Engineering Physics, Physics, Applied Physics, Engineering Physics, Structural Engineering, Welding Engineering. Other majors will qualify if the major includes or is supplemented as follows: Ceramic Engineering, Ceramics, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Mathematics (Pure or Applied) (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.
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 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.
Evaluation
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Direct Hire Authority: These positions will be filled through the Office of Personnel Management's Direct Hire Authority. Category rating and veterans' preference will not be considered in evaluating applicants. For more information on Direct Hire Authority, please see: OPM Direct Hire Fact Sheet.
Veterans: Under the provisions of Direct Hire Authority, veterans' preference does not apply. However, applicants who are eligible for veterans' preference are encouraged to include that information in their application and submit supporting documentation (i.e. DD-214, or other substantiating documents). For more information please see: Veterans' Preference information on the FedsHireVets website.
You will be evaluated for this position based on how well you meet the qualifications and eligibility requirements outlined in this vacancy announcement. Please ensure your application materials and responses accurately reflect your experience and competencies, as misrepresentation may result in removal from consideration.
You will be assessed on the following competencies:
- Attention to Detail
- Design and Development Engineering
- General Engineering
- Learning
- Oral Communication
- Planning and Evaluating
- Teamwork
Some of these competencies will be assessed using a Written Interview technical assessment, while others may be evaluated during a structured interview.
Candidates eligible for ICTAP/CTAP, reemployment priority or priority consideration will be referred before other candidates, as necessary.
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.
NASA will not ask you to disclose criminal history record information during the application process or before we make a conditional/tentative offer of employment. If you apply for this position and are selected, NASA will conduct a suitability/security background investigation after you accept a tentative job offer. If you feel you are asked to disclose your criminal history before you accept a tentative offer and wish to file a complaint within 30 days, please contact: [email protected].
Required Documents
All submitted resumes must not exceed two (2) pages in length. Resumes longer than two pages will be rejected by USAJOBS. Applicants are strongly encouraged to prioritize including experience and relevant qualifications that directly align with the position advertised. All work experience and accomplishments must be associated with dates (month/year) to allow for accurate qualification assessment.
A complete application package includes a resume, required documents and completion of the vacancy announcement questionnaire. Please see this guidance: . 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.
The following documents are required:
- Resume
- Transcript
As listed in the Education section above, this position has a basic education requirement.
To be found qualified, you must provide a copy of your college transcript that fully demonstrates you meet the requirements listed in the Education section. You may provide either an unofficial transcript or a copy of an official transcript. Failure to provide a complete copy of your college transcript that shows you have completed a required degree program or coursework may result in you being found not qualified.
At the GS-07 level, most applicants qualify based on their grade point average (GPA). Transcripts without a GPA will likely result in you being found not qualified.
You may need to submit other supporting documents (licenses, certification, veterans' preference information, etc.), based on your answers to the application questionnaire. When you apply, please verify you submit the appropriate documents. Do not submit an OF-306 with 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.
Official documents are required at the time of appointment for verification of eligibility and qualifications.
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Job Details
- Department
- Mechanical
- Category
- Aerospace Engineering
- Employment Type
- Part Time
- Location
- Huntsville, Alabama
- Posted
- May 5, 2026, 08:00 PM
- Listed
- May 7, 2026, 12:15 PM
- Compensation
- $52,551 - $83,568 per year
About NASA
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