Lead Quality Assurance Specialist (Aerospace) (Direct Hire)

NASA•Kennedy Space Center — Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, FL, US• Contract

Posted 2 days ago• Manufacturing• Mechanical

Compensation

$126,711–$164,729/year

Job Description

Summary

As the Lead Quality Assurance Specialist in the Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate, Exploration Ground Systems Division, Quality Assurance Branch at Kennedy Space Center, you will lead, plan, develop, administer, evaluate, and coordinate a comprehensive quality assurance program supporting assigned aerospace programs and projects. In this role, you will also lead a team in identifying, distributing, and balancing workload among employees to ensure efficient and timely mission support.

Open & closing dates

02/27/2026 to 03/03/2026

Salary $126,711 to - $164,729 per year Pay scale & grade GS 14

Location

Duties

Assesses existence, adequacy, compliance, and effectiveness of the support contractor's Quality Management Systems activities.
Collaborates with quality engineering to establish a feasible quality program and develops assessment processes using tools such as surveillance, sampling, audits, audit checklists, and other methodologies necessary.
Leads the team in identifying, distributing, and balancing workload among employees; arranges for team member training; monitors and reports on the status and progress of work.
Evaluates existing Government Quality models for effectiveness and efficiency. Works with quality engineering to modify existing (or develop/implement new) quality models according to risk-based methodologies and program requirements.
Participates in working groups at the Program, Agency, and other government organizations in the development of aerospace systems, quality assurance guidelines, and Safety and Mission Assurance directives in support of assigned programs and projects.
Performs Government Mandatory Inspection Points (GMIPs), In-Line Assessments (ILAs), audits, final acceptance of flight hardware, receiving inspections, and review of Acceptance Data Packs.
Reviews and approves contractors' plans and procedures for compliance with quality assurance requirements, resolves contractors' problems of interpreting and conforming to NASA policies and standards.
Monitors ongoing operations and assures satisfactory scheduling to support around-the-clock processing of flight hardware. Coordinates with contractors to address technical concerns, nonconformances, and provide process/technical guidance on issues.
Verifies contractors’ products/services comply with contract requirements, ensuring products are produced per design documentation, drawings, and specifications, while maintaining good working relations with contractor counterparts.

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. 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 or higher-level clearance. Investigation/Clearance may differ and be required based on the duty location/Directorate/Division/Branch requirements.
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.

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-14, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level:

Leading or advising a group or team performing quality assurance oversight/insight activities on a project or program;
Coordinating resource management and ensuring the execution of quality assurance programs, requirements, and processes;
Performing quality assurance activities such as critical inspections, audits, assessments, surveillance inspections, contract quality assurance, and evaluation of Quality Management Systems on flight hardware or similar programs.

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:

Quality Engineering and Assurance
Technical Competence
Quality Management
Quality Assurance
Planning and Evaluating

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.