Langley Research Center

Summary
Positions advertised are located in various organizations at Langley Research Center (LaRC) and Glenn Research Center (GRC) and focus on research and development in engineering and related technical disciplines. NASA may fill positions in the GS-0801, 0806, 0830, 0850, 0854, 0855, 0861, and 0893 series at the GS-11/12/13/14/15 grade levels.
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Duties
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• 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.
• Lead and conduct engineering research, experimentation, modeling, and analytical studies to advance scientific understanding and NASA research objectives.
• Formulate research hypotheses, develop methodologies, analyze observational and experimental data, and draw evidence-based conclusions from engineering investigations.
• Lead multidisciplinary research activities and provide technical guidance and recommendations on scientific and engineering investigations.
• Develop research standards, study protocols, measurement requirements, analytical methods, and validation approaches supporting research investigations.
• Advance measurement systems, instrumentation, algorithms, and analytical techniques through research, testing, performance assessment, demonstration, and validation.
• Communicate research findings and emerging science and technology through publications, technical products, presentations, briefings, scientific forums, and technical reviews.
• Lead or participate in research collaborations with NASA organizations, contractors, other agencies, academia, and external partners to advance research objectives.
• For supervisory positions, you will perform a full range of supervisory duties which includes assigning and evaluating work; recommending personnel actions; taking disciplinary actions; and identifying training needs and developing employees.

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/trial 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.
• Position subject to pre-employment background investigation or higher-level clearance. Investigation/Clearance may differ and be required based on the duty location/NASA Center requirements.
• Financial Disclosure, Drug Testing, and/or the Travel Requirements for this position may differ and be required based on the duty location/NASA Center requirements.
• To be considered for employment, you must submit your complete application by 11:59 PM ET on September 8, 2026.

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.
Vacant research positions may be filled at one of several grade levels depending upon the scientific impact of the person selected. A review may be required to determine the appropriate grade level of the position and supplemental materials may be required from the selectee. Please keep this in mind when indicating the lowest grade you will accept. If selected at the lower grade level, your scientific impact will be examined in addition to other factors, to determine if you are eligible for promotion.
To qualify for GS-11, you must have:
a) One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level:

• Conducting engineering research or investigations involving the development or application of experimental methods, modeling, data analysis, testing, or evaluation to address engineering problems or research objectives.

OR
b) Completed all requirements for a master's or equivalent graduate degree in an appropriate field
OR
c) Have an equivalent combination of experience and graduate study as discussed in a) and b) above
To qualify for GS-12, you must have:
a) One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level:

• Planning and conducting engineering research or investigations involving experimental methods, modeling, testing, or data analysis and developing technical findings or recommendations to address engineering problems or research objectives.

OR
b) Completed all requirements for a doctoral degree (i.e., Ph.D. or equivalent) in an appropriate field.
To qualify for GS-13, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level:

• Leading engineering research or investigations involving the development or application of experimental methods, modeling, testing, or analytical techniques and providing technical recommendations to address complex engineering problems or research objectives.

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

• Leading multidisciplinary engineering research or investigations involving the development of research methodologies, experimental or analytical approaches, or advanced technologies and providing technical guidance or recommendations on significant engineering research activities.

To qualify for GS-15, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level:

• Leading engineering research programs or investigations of organizational, agency, or national significance, including providing authoritative technical guidance and developing research methodologies, standards, policies, or long-term research strategies.

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.
Promotion Potential: The full performance level (FPL) will vary based on the position in which the selectee is placed and does not default to the highest grade advertised.
Please visit https://www.nasa.gov/careers/how-to-apply/#Artificial-Intelligence to review NASA's guidance on the use of artificial intelligent (AI) or AI-assisted tools during the application process.
Required college majors for applicants qualifying on the basis of undergraduate or graduate education only (GS-11 and GS-12 research):
In determining the NASA AST specific position title to which you are appointed, you may be required to have one of the following majors (this list is not inclusive):
Aeronautical Engineering, Aeronautics, Aerospace Engineering, Astronautical Engineering, Astronautics, Chemical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Materials Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Optical Engineering, Structural Engineering, Applied Mechanics, Engineering Mechanics, Engineering Physics, Nuclear Engineering Physics, Physics, Applied Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics (Pure or Applied), Earth and Planetary Science, Space Science, Astronomy, Astrophysics, and other related engineering, physical science, computer science, or mathematics fields.
Additional coursework in engineering, physical science, mathematics, computer science, life science, or other related fields may also be required depending on the position.
Education
This position requires education or exceptional experience
Basic Education Requirement: You must have successfully completed a bachelor's degree with a major in one of the following:
a) Engineering from a college or university that has ABET accredited engineering programs
b) Physical Science, Mathematics, Life Science or other field of Science
c) Computer Science that included 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours of course work in any combination of mathematics, statistics and computer science with at least half of those hours in mathematics and statistics courses that included differential and integral calculus; and that provided an in-depth knowledge of theoretical and practical applications of computer science, including digital computer system architecture and system software organization, the representation and transformation of information structures, and the theoretical models for such representations and transformations.
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.
Applicants who do not fully meet the basic education requirement may still be considered if they possess exceptional relevant experience, or a combination of education and experience, that clearly demonstrates significant full performance-level achievement directly related to the duties of this position.
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.