Information Technology Specialist (Direct Hire)

NASA•Houston, Texas• Full Time

Posted 6 hours ago• Business & Finance• Mechanical

Compensation

$60,348–$92,541/year

Job Description

Summary

This vacancy consists of a variety of positions and grade levels aimed at insourcing critical skills. Roles may include real time mission operations in the Mission Control Center, mission systems development, testing, and integration, training and simulation, analysis, and other mission support functions essential to human spaceflight.

Open & closing dates

04/22/2026 to 04/29/2026

Salary $60,348 - $92,541 per year Pay scale & grade GS 7 - 9

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.
Monitors system performance, identifies issues, and coordinates timely resolutions to ensure safe and reliable mission or training operations.
Analyzes operational data and requirements to refine procedures, tools, or system configurations for mission readiness.
Develops, updates, and maintains technical documentation, procedures, and training materials to support operational teams.
Assists in analyzing technical issues and responding to end-users to troubleshoot complex problems.
Evaluates new technologies or system updates to determine operational impacts and recommends implementation strategies.
Provides timely technical support and troubleshoots reported issues to maintain continuity of mission or training activities.

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.

You may meet the basic requirements through substitution of education for experience

To qualify at the GS-7, you must have:
a) One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level:

Performing routine tasks such as gathering basic system or operational information and following detailed instructions to support simple technical activities;
Completing straightforward steps in checking data accuracy, running basic tests, or updating tools while closely following established procedures.

OR
b) Completed 1 full academic year of graduate education with (1) a major in computer science, engineering, information science, information systems management, mathematics, operations research, statistics, or technology management OR (2) a major that provided a minimum of 24 semester hours in one or more fields of computer science, engineering, information science, information systems management, mathematics, operations research, statistics, or technology management, and that required the development or adaptation of applications, systems, or networks.
OR
c) Completed a bachelor's degree in a field listed above and meet Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) criteria: (1) you must be in the upper third of your graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision; or (2) you must have a 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 GPA; or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 GPA based on courses completed in your major field of study during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or (3) election to membership in a national scholastic honor society (ACHS).

To qualify for the GS-9, you must have:
a) One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level:

Assisting others in analyzing technical or system requirements to help identify issues and support the operation of IT or mission systems;
Assisting others in developing, testing, or maintaining software, tools, or system components to support functionality, performance, or user needs;
Assisting others in researching and evaluating technical data, identifying potential risks or problems, and recommending basic solutions using established methods and policies.

OR
b) Completed all requirements for a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree with (1) a major in computer science, engineering, information science, information systems management, mathematics, operations research, statistics, or technology management OR (2) a major that provided a minimum of 24 semester in one or more fields of computer science, engineering, information science, information systems management, mathematics, operations research, statistics, or technology management, and that required the development or adaptation of applications, systems, or networks.
OR
c) Completed 2 full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree with (1) a major in computer science, engineering, information science, information systems management, mathematics, operations research, statistics, or technology management OR (2) a major that provided a minimum of 24 semester hours in one or more fields of computer science, engineering, information science, information systems management, mathematics, operations research, statistics, or technology management, and that required the development or adaptation of applications, systems, or networks.

AND

IF you are qualifying based on experience, you MUST also have IT-related experience demonstrating each of the four competencies listed below:

Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.
Customer Service - Works with clients and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services.
Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
Problem Solving - Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.

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 Requirement:

If you are using education completed in the United States to meet the qualification requirements, your degree must have been awarded from a college or university that is accredited by a recognized accrediting organization. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, go to http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.

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:

Accountability
Attention to Detail
Customer Service
Oral Communication
Problem Solving
Flight and Ground Data Systems
Technical Competence
Technology Application

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.

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

To be found qualified on the basis of education, you must provide a copy of your college transcript that fully demonstrates you meet the requirements listed in the Qualifications 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 degree program or coursework may result in you being found not qualified for the job and you may lose consideration.

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.

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.