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Public Flyer - Physical Scientist/Physicist (Direct Hire)

Goddard Space Flight CenterMoffett Field, California, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, Greenbelt, Maryland, Las Cruces, New Mexico, Houston, Texasusajobspublished 10/08/2026
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Must-have:Senior

Positions advertised are in various organizations across NASA. NASA may fill positions in any of the following series, at any grade level, and any location listed in this announcement (GS-1301, 1310, and 1330 at the GS-11/12/13/14/15 levels).

Major duties

  • 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.
  • Directs technical or scientific efforts across organizational boundaries and provides authoritative guidance to senior officials on highly complex scientific matters.
  • Conducts and oversees advanced technical or scientific research, experiments, analysis, design, test, and evaluation. Applies expert judgment to resolve complex technical or scientific problems and recommends optimal solutions.
  • Advises executive leadership and program managers on complex technical or scientific programmatic matters. Represents the organization in high-level technical or scientific forums, boards, and reviews at the agency and interagency levels.
  • Develops or approves scientific techniques, standards, processes, procedures, technical policies, and requirements documents at the program or enterprise level. Authors technical reports and assessments that inform senior leadership decisions.
  • Provides technical or scientific mentorship and discipline leadership across experience levels. Serves as a functional area expert supporting long-term organizational technical capability and scientific workforce development.
  • Represents the organization in technical or scientific exchanges with contractors, partner agencies, and external entities. Leads formal technical reviews and integrated product teams requiring senior-level scientific expertise.
  • 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.

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-11, you must have: a) You must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level: Conducting scientific or technical analysis, design, testing, or evaluation using established methods; Applying scientific or technical procedures and judgment with limited supervision; Producing scientific or technical reports, recommendations, or assisting in refining procedures, experimental setups, or data collection methods to support project objectives. OR b) Completed all requirements for a doctoral degree (i.e., Ph.D. or equivalent) in an appropriate field OR c) Completed 3 full academic years of graduate education in an appropriate field OR d) Have an equivalent combination of experience and graduate study as discussed in a), b) and c) above To qualify for GS-12, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level: Performing independent scientific or technical work and serving as a subject-matter resource within assigned projects; Contributing to developing or improving scientific or technical methods, models, products, or study designs; Preparing scientific or technical findings used for regulatory compliance, scientific interpretation, mission planning, or project support. To qualify for GS-13, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level: Providing scientific or technical guidance for studies or projects and serving as a recognized discipline authority in advanced scientific or technical areas; Developing scientific or technical solutions, conducting research or data analysis, formulating recommendations, coordinating multidisciplinary scientific or technical activities, and ensuring quality and data integrity within projects or programs; Providing authoritative scientific or technical recommendations that shape program decisions, policy implementation, or mission planning. To qualify for GS-14, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level: Providing senior-level scientific or technical leadership within programs or broader scientific communities; Managing or leading major scientific or technical programs, high-impact studies, or advising senior officials on complex programmatic issues; Contributing to developing policy, scientific or technical products, strategic plans, or program-level guidance related to scientific or technical operations. To qualify for GS-15, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level: Providing expert-level direction for scientific or technical programs; Leading large-scale, multidisciplinary scientific or technical efforts that establish research or operational priorities; Serving as a discipline authority for establishing scientific or technical policy, developing and implementing scientific or technical strategies, and advising senior leadership on complex scientific or technical matters. 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. Required college majors for applicants qualifying on the basis of undergraduate or graduate education only (GS-11): Space: Aerospace Engineering, Astronautical Engineering, Astronautics, Earth and Planetary Science, Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Optical Engineering, Engineering Physics, Space Science. Other appropriate physical science, mathematics or engineering fields are qualifying if the major includes or is supplemented by one physics or engineering lab in: Electronics, Optics, Materials, Vibration, High Vacuum Theory, Heat Transfer or comparable field relating to aerospace instrumentation. Earth: Any appropriate field of engineering, physical or computer science or mathematics. Study must include or be supplemented by six semester hours (or the equivalent) in appropriate life or other natural science courses and include or be supplemented by at least two courses which would provide knowledge of subjects appropriate to the vacancy being filled. Measurement: Aeronautical Engineering, Aeronautics, Aerospace Engineering, Astronautical Engineering, Astronautics, Astronomy, Astrophysics, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering (except power), Electronics Engineering, Applied Mechanics, Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Mechanics, Nuclear Engineering, Nuclear Engineering Physics, Oceanography, Optical Engineering. Other majors will qualify if the major includes or is supplemented as follows: Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Mathematics (Pure or Applied), Physics, Applied Physics, Engineering Physics (or other related field), if includes or is supplemented by two courses in solid state physics, materials, optics, statics and dynamics, electricity and electronics, electron optics, kinetic theory of gases, electromagnetic propagation or radiation, semiconductors, vibration, high vacuum theory, information theory or heat transfer. 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.

Education

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.