Research AST, Biological Studies (Direct Hire)

As a Research AST, Biological Studies Scientist within the Space Biosciences Division, the incumbent leads deep-space exploration research, directs multidisciplinary bioscience teams, and translates findings into mission capabilities. Provides scientific authority for mission development, data analysis, and astronaut health. Supports NASA's objectives through advanced biological investigations and strategic leadership.

Major duties

• Lead complex scientific investigations involving space biosciences or other deep-space disciplines; establish research objectives, methodologies, priorities, and technical approaches for high-impact exploration missions.
• Provide scientific guidance for the planning, design, development, and execution of deep-space missions, including defining scientific objectives, instrument requirements, mission concepts, data-acquisition strategies, and success criteria.
• Lead the integration and interpretation of multi-omics, physiological, or imaging data from spaceflight or analog environments using advanced computational methods to identify biological mechanisms and risks for long duration exploration.
• Lead collaborative research involving scientists, engineers, and other government or external partners; establish scientific priorities and resolve complex biological and experimental challenges affecting human and robotic exploration.
• Evaluate research findings to identify implications for biological impacts and countermeasures, planetary protection, closed-loop life-support systems, bioregenerative systems, and long-duration exploration.
• Provide leadership with authoritative recommendations on scientific priorities, technology development, research investments, and biological risks associated with future missions.

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: Leading independent, multidisciplinary research in biological sciences, including investigations of biological responses to environmental stressors, and applying advanced biological methods to address complex scientific challenges; Leading the design, execution, and scientific evaluation of biological investigations, including developing research objectives, experimental protocols, instrumentation requirements, controls, sample collection and preservation strategies, as well as integrating and interpreting complex biological datasets; Serving as a scientific authority in biological sciences, including leading multidisciplinary teams and partnerships; translating research findings into actionable recommendations for stakeholders and organizational priorities; and communicating results to the scientific community. 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. 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.

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.