Aerospace Engineer, AST, Flight Systems Test
Compensation
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Job Description
Summary
As an Aerospace Engineer with the Mechanical Engineering Branch, you will be responsible for thermal and fluid analysis of liquid, gas, and cryogenic liquid systems in the area of rocket propulsion testing. You will work on project teams to support government and commercial customers who are testing engines and engine components at Stennis Space Center. You will provide engineering solutions when problems arise and monitor corrective actions through completion.
Who Can Apply
Current NASA federal employees serving on a career, career-conditional, VRA, Schedule A for individuals with disabilities, or NASA term appointment that provides eligibility to convert to a permanent appointment.
Duties
- Provides guidance on mechanical engineering design and fluid analysis work in the area of rocket propulsion testing.
- Analyzes cryogenic liquid, high pressure liquid and gas, pneumatic or hydraulic systems and provides recommendations for meeting customer requirements.
- Develops performance requirements and design criteria for evaluating propulsion test facilities including cryogenic and high-pressure propellant systems.
- Leads investigations to obtain baseline data for propulsion test system studies. Documents design process (i.e. design reviews) per procedures.
- Oversees fluid mechanical mathematical models of test facility pressurant, purge, and propellant systems in support of rocket propulsion test activities.
- Develops analytical and computational models of conventional fluid systems and high-pressure cryogenic propellant systems to evaluate and assess performance of the test facility.
- Identifies, investigates, and resolves standard problems in mechanical systems.
- Provides engineering solutions and technical consultation to civil servants and support contractors in the resolution and correction of field problems and monitors corrective actions through completion.
Requirements
- Current Federal employees must meet qualifications, time in grade, and 90 days after competitive appointment requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
- If selected, you will be required to complete a financial disclosure statement.
In addition to the Basic Education Requirement (in the Education section below), to qualify for this position you must meet the requirements below and have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade, which has equipped you with the particular competencies needed to successfully perform the duties of the position described above.
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-13, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level:
- Performing thermal and fluid analysis of piping and tubing systems to determine flow characteristics of a system including changes in fluid pressure, temperature, and velocity through pipe/tube and pipe/tube components;
- Performing thermodynamic and heat transfer calculations to characterize heat and mass transfer in mechanical and/or energy systems;
- Analyzing test data to determine performance of fluid and/or energy 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.
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.
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.
You will be evaluated for this position based on how well you meet the qualifications and eligibility requirements outlined in this vacancy announcement. Your resume and supporting documentation will be reviewed in conjunction with your responses to the assessment questionnaire. As part of the assessment, your responses to the Written Interview prompts will be scored and used to place you into one of three quality groups. These scores, along with your qualifications and supporting materials, will determine your referral status. Please ensure your application materials and responses accurately reflect your experience and competencies, as misrepresentation may result in removal from consideration.
Assessment preview link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12861970
These competencies will be assessed using technical assessments. They may also be evaluated during a structured interview:
- Fluid Systems
- Mathematical Modeling and Analysis
- Mechanical Engineering
- Thermal Systems
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 quality grouping process, applicants will be assessed on the position competencies and placed in one of three groups identified and defined below:
- Best Qualified Group - Applicants who demonstrate a superior level of all evaluation criteria.
- Highly Qualified Group - Applicants who demonstrate a satisfactory level of the evaluation criteria.
- Qualified Group - Applicants who demonstrate the basic qualifications, with general knowledge, skills, and abilities.
- Best Qualified merit promotion candidates. Highly Qualified merit promotion candidates may also be referred, if additional candidates are needed.
- Qualified candidates eligible for consideration under Schedule A or VRA in accordance with veterans' preference rules, as applicable.
- Qualified candidates that are eligible for special hiring authorities or non-competitive hiring authorities.
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
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
- 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.
You may need to submit other supporting documents (Notification of Personnel Action SF-50, 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. 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.
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.
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Job Details
- Department
- Mechanical
- Category
- Aerospace Engineering
- Employment Type
- Full Time
- Location
- Stennis Space Center, MS, United States
- Posted
- Jan 13, 2026, 07:00 PM
- Listed
- Jan 15, 2026, 04:15 AM
- Compensation
- $106,437 - $138,370 per year
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