Explosives Safety Specialist

NASA•Kennedy Space Center — Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, FL, US• Full Time

Posted 2 days ago• Business & Finance• Mechanical

Compensation

$90,173–$117,227/year

Job Description

Summary

As an Explosives Safety Specialist at the Kennedy Space Center, you will be responsible for providing oversight of explosives, propellants, and pyrotechnic use and make recommendations on siting of new and existing facilities, programs, and projects. You will support the Explosive Safety Officer ensuring execution of explosives, propellants, and the pyrotechnics safety program to protect personnel and property from the hazards of explosives and energetic materials.

Open & closing dates

04/10/2026 to 04/16/2026

Salary $90,173 - $117,227 per year Pay scale & grade GS 12

Location

Duties

Works with managers at Patrick and Vandenberg Space Force Bases to ensure commonality of requirements at Kennedy Space Center (KSC). Maintains contact with other government entities to remain current on developments in explosive safety policy.
Supports the Explosive Safety Officer (ESO) managing the KSC Explosives Safety Program. Advises and resolves technical matters with explosives safety requirements. Proposes explosives requirements and criteria for complex or high value projects.
Supports the Center Explosives Safety Committee. Reviews all operating procedures for compliance to handle, store and transport explosives, propellants and pyrotechnics. Provides explosives subject matter expertise in mishap investigations.
Works closely with and utilizes information formulated by engineers and scientists to render explosive safety advice and assistance. Strives to help mitigate or eliminate explosives safety hazards in new or existing programs or projects.
Advises Center managers as a back up to the ESO on technical issues related to safety and the health of the explosives, propellants, and pyrotechnic safety program. Helps develop explosive safety policy for local and Agency ordnance applications.
Calculates explosive quantity distances for multiple hazard classes. Performs qualitative analysis of existing structures to determine the safe explosive capacity and recommends repairs or alternations.
Serves as subject matter expert for explosive licenses and site plans. Evaluates requests for deviations/waivers and reports to ESO. Supports annual explosive safety inspection program including field surveys to ensure compliance with requirements.
Participates in technical interchange meetings and provides explosives safety information on program/project requirements. Evaluates operational plans and study results, and provides technical data, findings, and guidance. Recommends design changes.

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.
Financial Disclosure, Drug Testing, and/or the Travel Requirements for this position may differ and be required based on the duty location/Directorate/Division/Branch requirements.
Position subject to pre-employment background investigation or higher-level clearance. Investigation/Clearance may differ and be required based on the duty location/Directorate/Division/Branch requirements.

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 in the review of operational plans, technical studies, or program requirements to ensure alignment with explosives safety criteria, requirements, and policies;
Applying established safety regulations and standards to the storage, handling, transportation, and use of explosives, propellants, or pyrotechnics;
Supporting the analysis of explosive hazards, such as hazard classifications, effects, and/or basic risk mitigation measures, to help prevent or reduce mishaps in programs or facilities.

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.

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.

These competencies will be assessed using technical assessments. They may also be evaluated during a structured interview:

Ammunition and Explosives
Pyrotechnics
Workplace Safety
Problem Solving
Attention to Detail
Customer Service
Flexibility
Integrity/Honesty
Interpersonal Skills
Learning
Self-Management
Stress Tolerance
Teamwork
Decision Making
Reasoning

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.

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.

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.

If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found here. (https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire)