Environmental Protection Specialist (Direct Hire)

NASA•Stennis Space Center — Stennis Space Center, Bay St. Louis, MS, US• Contract

Posted 6 hours ago• Business & Finance• Mechanical

Compensation

$89,508–$138,370/year

Job Description

Summary

As the Air Program Specialist, you will develop and manage air permits and compliance requirements supporting propulsion testing and Center operations. You will conduct emissions inventories and monitoring, prepare technical documentation, ensure compliance with the Clean Air Act, and coordinate with regulatory agencies. You will also manage air program projects, support long range environmental planning, and communicate air quality requirements to leadership, tenants, and stakeholders.

Open & closing dates

03/18/2026 to 03/24/2026

Salary $89,508 to - $138,370 per year Pay scale & grade GS 12 - 13

Location

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.
Develops, implements, and provides oversight of air permitting and compliance programs for propulsion testing, facility operations, and tenant activities.
Serves as the Center's senior technical authority on Clean Air Act requirements; interprets complex regulations, negotiates with regulators, and ensures compliance across all operations.
Directs emissions inventories, source testing, monitoring, and modeling; validates data and ensures scientific integrity.
Manages major air program projects, budgets, and performance metrics; oversees contractors and interdisciplinary teams.
Represents the Center in high level meetings with the Environmental Protection Agency, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, and other agencies; communicates complex air quality issues to leadership and non-technical audiences.
Leads long range air quality planning, risk assessments, and strategy development to support propulsion testing and Center growth.

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.
If selected, you will be required to complete a financial disclosure statement.

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.

To qualify for GS-12, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level:

Assisting with the development and implementation of air permits and Clean Air Act compliance requirements to prepare permit applications and technical documentation, and interpreting federal and state air regulations to coordinate with regulatory agencies on routine permitting and compliance issues;
Conducting emissions inventories, source assessments, or monitoring activities, validating data for regulatory compliance, and managing air program projects by tracking performance metrics, managing contractor work, or preparing technical reports and briefings;
Serving as a technical point of contact for internal and external partners, communicating air quality requirements to support long range air quality planning and compliance strategies.

To qualify for GS-13, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level:

Developing, implementing, or overseeing complex air permitting and compliance programs for propulsion testing and facility operations, and serving as a senior technical authority on Clean Air Act requirements to resolve sensitive regulatory issues;
Directing large scale emissions inventories, monitoring programs, or modeling efforts to ensure scientific integrity and regulatory defensibility, and managing air program projects, budgets, contractors, consultants, and interdisciplinary teams;
Representing an organization in engagements with regulatory agencies and leadership to communicate complex air quality issues to non-technical audiences and lead long range air quality planning, risk assessments, or strategic initiatives that support mission growth.

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.

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

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 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 assessment questionnaire. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or assessment questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

You will be assessed on the following competencies:

Institutional Environmental Planning/NEPA
Technical Competence
Compliance
Written Communication

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.

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

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. 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.