Supervisory Aerospace Engineer

About the role

The mission of the Office of Commercial Space Transportation is to ensure protection of the public, property, and the national security and foreign policy interests of the U.S. during commercial launch or reentry activities, and to encourage, facilitate, & promote U.S. commercial space transportation.

The Safety Analysis Division evaluates & conducts specialized analyses for the licensing of commercial space launches & reentries & operation of commercial (non-federal) launch and reentry sites.

What you will do

• Serves as a Branch Manager for the Safety Analysis Division (ASA-200) within AST.
• The work requires application of professional knowledge, practices, principles, theories, concepts, methods, techniques, and abilities in aerospace engineering.
• Applies an advanced knowledge of the technical aspects of the appropriate specialization as well as expert knowledge of FAA programs and missions, the commercial space transportation industry, the general principles of launch/reentry applications and operations, and Federal laws, regulations, and policies governing the commercial space transportation industry.
• Regularly reviews projects and programs to make sure they are aligned with long and short-term AST goals, objectives, and plans.
• In coordination with the Division Manager, establishes and refines branch objectives to support higher-level goals and plans.
• Ensures that the branch staff has the required guidance to carry out functions and objectives.
• Applies budget, human resource, and other administrative policies and procedures to the objectives of the branch.
• Managerial duties typically affect employees and managers in more than one organizational unit/project/program, and include: planning; communicating the organization's vision and objectives; setting priorities; assigning tasks and responsibilities; monitoring and evaluating performance; coaching and developing employee capabilities; approving leave; and taking, recommending or approving corrective/disciplinary actions as appropriate.
• Work usually includes a mixture of routine and complex projects/programs based on the objectives of the major subdivision/LOB/SO.
• Contacts are primarily within the organizational unit, major subdivision and the LOB/SO with subordinates, peers, and higher level managers to discuss the status of projects/programs and to plan for the future.
• Has authority to make commitments for subordinate organizational units, within guidelines.
• Maintains effective communication with all stakeholders and builds cooperative, ongoing working relationships with them to achieve organizational objectives.
• The incumbent will collaborate with all levels of management, including senior level executives and program sponsors/owners to solicit and provide input, coordinate approvals, measure and report progress, and facilitate stakeholder involvement.
• The Branch Manager supports the Division Manager to execute daily operations.
• Defines, plans, and organizes assigned budget, staff, and other resources to accomplish objectives for more than one organizational unit/project/program.
• Work is typically governed by established policies, procedures, and organizational objectives that frequently leave room for discretion.
• Resolves all but unique problems without the intervention of higher level management.
• Regularly called upon to identify problem areas and to develop and recommend new policies and procedures for resolution.
• Individual and organizational performance is typically reviewed periodically by higher level management, usually through status reports and organizational performance measures.
• Uses discretion to ensure the alignment of projects/programs with the tactical (short-term) objectives of the major subdivision.
• Work activities typically impact directly on project/program objectives for more than one organizational unit and for the major subdivision.
• Work frequently affects the major subdivision's internal and external customers.

Requirements

• We are not accepting applications from noncitizens.

Education

This position has a positive education requirement: Applicants must submit a copy of their college or university transcripts(s) and certificates by the closing date of announcement to verify qualifications. If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to appointment.

You may upload these documents with your application in USAJOBS or fax it to fax number provided in the announcement (please include announcement number on each page).

Failure to do so will result in loss of consideration.

Schools must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation may be verified at the following website: ***

Foreign education must be evaluated by a private professional organization specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials or an accredited U.S. educational institution in terms of equivalence to a degree acquired at an American college or university. A copy of the evaluation results must be included, otherwise your foreign education will not be considered.

Basic Requirements: A. Degree: Engineering.

To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor¿s degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by ABET; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics.

OR B.

Combination of education and experience -- college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering.

The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following: 1. Professional registration or licensure -- Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT)1 , or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico.

Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration.

For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions. 2.

Written Test -- Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE)2 examination or any other written test required for professional registration by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico. 3.

Specified academic courses -- Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A. 4.

Related curriculum -- Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate scientific field, e.g., engineering technology, physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a bachelor¿s degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance.

Ordinarily there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g., in interdisciplinary positions.

(The above examples of related curricula are not all inclusive.) Note: An applicant who meets the basic requirements as specified in A or B above, except as noted under B.1., may qualify for positions in any branch of engineering unless selective factors indicate otherwise. · If you are a current or former Federal employee, and you currently hold or previously held a position classified in the 0861 occupational series, you are not required to submit a college transcript provided you upload a copy of the SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, verifying your classification in the 0861 occupational series. · Applicants, who are not currently in the 0861 occupational series in the Federal Government and fail to provide a copy of an unofficial or official transcript will not receive further consideration for this vacancy.

Upon selection, if not currently employed in the 0861 occupational series, you will be required to submit an official transcript prior to appointment.

If you do not have an official transcript (original, with the raised seal), you should contact your school immediately to request it. · Foreign Education: For additional information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education

How you will be evaluated

IMPORTANT: Applicants may be rated on the extent and quality of experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of the position(s). All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated. Ensure that your application package/resume supports your responses.

Documents you must provide

• Only supplemental documentation (e.g. transcript, SF-50, and/or veterans' documentation) will be accepted in combination with your on-line application or faxed to ***.
• These documents must be uploaded or faxed on or before the closing date of the announcement.
• All submitted documents must reference the announcement number.
• If you want consideration for one or more of the Special Hiring Authorities, documentation that must be submitted at the time of application can be found at Direct Hiring Authorities | Federal Aviation Administration (faa.gov).
• For guidance on how to create a Federal resume, visit ***
• Failure to submit all required documents by the closing date will result in a finding of ineligible.
• We are not responsible for incomplete, illegible or missing documents.
• Please DO NOT email your application documents.
• We cannot accept documents received via the email system.
• Documents sent via email will NOT receive consideration.
• This position has a positive education requirement; college transcripts are required for ALL candidates newly appointed to the FAA in the 0800 (Engineering) series.
• College transcripts must be submitted from current FAA employees applying for internal vacancies if they have never held a position in the 0800 (Engineering) series with the FAA.
• College transcripts are not required from current FAA employees who are currently occupying an 0800 (Engineering) series.
• If selected, official transcripts are required prior to employment.
• All Veterans: If you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit either a DD Form 214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (Member 4 Copy or equivalent), or a document from the armed forces certifying that within 120 days you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service under honorable conditions.
• If you are claiming 10 point preference, you must also submit a completed SF-15, Application for 10-Point Veteran's Preference, and supporting documents outlined on the SF-15.
• Documents must be uploaded or faxed to the Servicing Human Resource Management Office listed in this announcement and all documents must be received by the closing date of the announcement.
• If you fail to submit documentation, you will be assessed as a non-veteran.
• If you are claiming 10 point preference but fail to submit the supporting documents outlined on the SF-15, you will be tentatively assessed as a 5 point preference eligible provided your DD Form 214 reflects that you have the service required to qualify for preference.
• Documents must be uploaded or faxed to the Servicing Human Resource Management Office listed in this announcement and all documents must be received by the closing date of the announcement.
• If you fail to submit documentation, you will be assessed as a non-veteran.
• Veterans currently on active duty claiming veterans' preference: You will be granted tentative preference if you submit a document from the armed forces certifying that within 120 days you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service under honorable conditions and your application shows that you have the required service.
• Prior to being appointed, you must provide to the Servicing Human Resource Management Office a DD Form 214 documenting discharge/release and showing that the service was honorable or general.
• If you are on terminal leave, you must provide documentation certifying authorized terminal leave.
• If you want consideration for one or more of the Special Hiring Authorities, documentation that must be submitted at time of application can be found at Direct Hiring Authorities | Federal Aviation Administration (faa.gov).
• Forms: SF-15 : Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference

What to expect next

Once we receive your complete application, the Human Resources Office will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications. Eligible and qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. You will be contacted directly if selected for an interview.

For instructions on how to check the status of your application, please go to: USAJOBS Help Guide. Important - If you make any changes to your application, you must resubmit it. If you make changes to your application and do not resubmit it, your changes will not be considered part of your application package, and only your previously submitted application will be evaluated.

All qualified applicants will be considered regardless of political affiliation, race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, or other non-merit factors. DOT provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.

If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency contact listed in the Agency Contact Information section of this announcement or the hiring manager. An employee with a disability must notify the decision-maker of the accommodation request.

Job applicants and employees are required to follow up oral requests in writing. Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Additional information on reasonable accommodations procedures or on EEO Programs is available on Office of Civil Rights (ACR) or by contacting the local FAA Civil Rights Office.

Additional information

We may use this vacancy to fill other similar vacant positions. Position may be subject to a background investigation. A one-year probationary period may be required.

The person selected for this position may be required to file a financial disclosure statement within 30 days of entry on duty.

FAA policy limits certain outside employment and financial investments in aviation-related companies. *** This position is covered by the Department of Transportation's Drug and Alcohol Testing Program.

Any applicant tentatively selected for this position will be subject to pre-employment or pre-appointment drug screening. Persons occupying a "testing designated position (TDP)" will be subject to random drug and/or alcohol testing. NOTES: 1.

This position is covered by the FAA Core Compensation plan. Additional information about Core Compensation is available at: *** 2.

As a part of the Federal-Wide Hiring Reform Initiative (streamlining the hiring process), the FAA is committed to eliminating the use of the Knowledge, Skills and Ability (KSA) narratives from the initial application in the hiring process for all announcements.

Therefore, as an applicant for this announcement, you are NOT required to provide a narrative response in the text box listed below each Managerial Selection Factor.

In lieu of providing a narrative response in the text box listed below each Managerial Selection Factor, in your work history, please include information that provides specific examples of how you meet the response level or answer you chose for each. Your work history examples should be specific and clearly reflect the highest level of ability.

Your answers will be evaluated further to validate whether the level that you selected is appropriate based on the work history and experience you provided. Your answers may be adjusted by a human resource specialist as appropriate. 3.

Unless previously completed, the incumbent must satisfactorily complete a 1-year probationary period to remain in this supervisory or managerial position. 4. Some, all, or none of the applicants may be interviewed.

5. This Level 2 (Non-Critical Sensitive; Secret) position requires favorable adjudication of an Access National Agency Check and Inquiries (ANACI) background investigation prior to appointment, unless a waiver is obtained. This is not a bargaining unit position.

Links to Important Information: Locality Pay, COLA