Materials Engineer, AST, Aerospace Materials (Direct Hire)

Summary

The Engineering Directorate at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is seeking candidates to serve as a Materials Engineer across their organizations. These positions include experimental and theoretical analysis of spacecraft, launch vehicle, and aircraft structures to determine their behavior in atmospheric and space environments and their interaction with the environment.

Duties



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• Define materials approaches across entire programs (e.g., aircraft sections or propulsion systems), aligning with performance and cost targets.
• Lead collaboration between design, manufacturing, suppliers, and quality teams to resolve complex materials-related challenges.
• Develop, evaluate, and introduce emerging materials (advanced composites, high-temp alloys, additive materials) into production systems.
• Identify technical risks related to materials and processes early, and develop mitigation plans to avoid failures or delays.
• Lead Laboratory-wide digital transformation by architecting integrated systems (Manufacturing Execution Systems, AI/ML), driving advanced analytics, and managing cross functional teams to optimize manufacturing performance and reliability.
  
  

Requirements



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Conditions of employment

• 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.
• The duty location will be determined upon selection but must be at one of the locations indicated within the announcement.
  
  

Qualifications

In addition to the Basic Education Requirement (in the Education section below), to qualify for this position you must meet the requirements below. 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.

NASA utilizes OPM-approved qualification and rating requirements specific for Aerospace Technology (AST) positions which recognizes NASA's unique aerospace work. The specific qualifications and minimum education requirements are further described below and within the education section of the job announcement.

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

• Administering materials selection decisions, evaluating trade-offs (e.g., performance, environment, cost), and justifying final choices;
• Leading failure investigations, performing root cause analysis, and delivering detailed technical reports with corrective actions; and
• Guiding test planning and execution, including defining requirements, methods, and acceptance criteria.
  
  
  
  
  
  

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.

Education


Basic Education Requirement: You must have successfully completed a bachelor's degree with a major in one of the following:

• Engineering from a college or university that has ABET accredited engineering programs
• Physical Science, Mathematics, Life Science, Computer Science, or other field of Science
• Social Science, medical, or other fields directly related to the duties of the position.
  
  

If you did not complete a qualifying bachelor's degree, you may be eligible if you have obtained a graduate degree in an AST qualifying field, as listed above.

Degrees in engineering technology are not considered qualifying for this position.

How You May Qualify at the GS-09 Level and Above

Applicants at the GS-09 level and above who meet the basic education requirement and possess at least one year of directly related experience may be considered qualified even when their academic major or coursework is not an exact match to the specialty area of the position. In these cases, greater weight is given to the quality and level of the applicant's directly related experience.

Engineering degrees earned within the United States: Engineering degrees earned within the United States must be from a college or university that has at least one ABET accredited engineering program. To find out if a school has at least one ABET accredited program, please visit http://www.abet.org.

Engineering degrees earned outside the United States: Engineering degrees earned outside the United States must be recognized by a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA), often known as accords. These are non-governmental agreements among organizations that accredit academic degree programs. MRAs recognize the substantial equivalence of mature accreditation systems and programs accredited by signatory organizations within their jurisdictions. For a listing of Signatories, please visit, https://www.abet.org/global-presence/mutual-recognition-agreements/is-your-program-recognized/.

Science and other related degrees earned within the United States:

Science and other related degrees must have been awarded from colleges or universities that are accredited by recognized accrediting organizations. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, go to http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.

Science and other related degrees earned outside the United States:

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.

Additional information

Additional selections may be made for similar positions across NASA within the local commuting area(s) of the location(s) identified in this announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) within NASA. CTAP/ICTAP will be cleared for any additional selection from this announcement.

If you have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), you must:

• Indicate your eligibility when applying for a position. The questionnaire asks you to identify your ICTAP/CTAP eligibility.
• Meet the minimum qualifications requirements for the position
• Submit proof that you meet the requirements for CTAP/ICTAP as indicated in 'Required Documents'
  
  

For additional information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, click here - https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/#ictap

Any applicant that received a Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment (VSIP) from the federal governmentwithin the last five years based of the closing date of this announcement, if selected, may be required to repay the full amount prior to establishing a start date. For additional information on the VSIP repayment requirement, click here - https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/voluntary-separation-incentive-payments/

Per Executive Order 14343, this position is not part of a bargaining unit.

Probationary Period

You may be required to serve a one-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. If selected, the requirement to serve such period will be determined by Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 11.

In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
  
  

Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.



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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.