Director, Flight Research & Demonstration Program
Leads the Flight Research and Demonstration Program, directing system level planning, management, and evaluation of research advancing aeronautics technologies. Develops strategies, allocates resources, assesses risk, coordinates with stakeholders, and ensures alignment with Agency goals while overseeing program operations and performance.
Major duties
The Director, Flight Research & Demonstration Program: Develops overall program strategies and requirements, including objectives and outcomes consistent with Agency strategic goals and objectives; using inputs from a range of Research Center and external technical experts. Assesses and allocates technical, budget and schedule requirements to program and other managers as required. Ensures preparation of supporting plans and budgets, including program plans, program commitment agreements, and integrated program and budget documents. Maintains cognizance of programs and projects as required, including performance, content, schedules, and resources. Assesses technical, budget and schedule risks throughout program/project life cycles. Ensures preparation of needed materials and supports briefings and presentations to Congress, the Office of Management and Budget, and other constituencies and stakeholders. Supports the Aeronautics Division Director in high level interactions with a variety of external organizations, including industry, universities, and other government departments and agencies. Cultivates strategic partnerships that accelerate transformative innovation and advance national aeronautics priorities. Provides for the interpretation, dissemination, and implementation of program and program-related policy guidance for activities in the incumbent's areas of cognizance. Anticipates new requirements, problems, opportunities, developments and trends so that new Mission Directorate initiatives can be planned and integrated with current activities and priorities. Plans, manages, and oversees the activities of the Flight Research and Demonstration Program Office within the Aeronautics Division of the Research and Technology Mission Directorate, including organization design, staffing, work assignment and flow, and performance evaluation and improvement.
Qualifications
As a basic requirement for entry into the Senior Executive Service (SES) under a career appointment, you must clearly articulate and describe within your 2-page resume that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Mandatory Technical Qualifications MTQ(s) related to this position. If your 2-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and MTQ(s), you may be disqualified. Any additional pages over the 2-page limit will not be reviewed. Your resume should include evidence of progressively responsible supervisory, managerial, or professional experience which involved management of a program or organization of significant scope and complexity, normally obtained over several years by serving in positions at the GS-15 level or equivalent. If you are (1) currently serving under a career SES appointment, (2) eligible for reinstatement into the SES (this means you were previously employed as a Career SES employee and you successfully completed a one-year probationary period), OR (3) have successfully completed a SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) and certified by OPM, you do not need to address the ECQs in your resume. However, your resume must clearly state that you are a current career SES, eligible for SES reinstatement, or SES CDP certified and year of certification. Please DO NOT submit separate documents addressing the ECQs or MTQ(s). Only your 2-page resume will be accepted and considered. Any additional documents submitted will not be accepted.
EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs) For more information on the ECQs, please visit OPM's ECQ webpage.
ECQ 1 - Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding: This core qualification requires a demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and commitment to serve the American people. Competencies: Knowledge of the American System of Government, Commitment to the Rule of Law, and Civic-Mindedness
ECQ 2 - Driving Efficiency: This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades. Competencies: Fiscal Responsibility, Managing Resources, Leveraging Technology
ECQ 3 - Merit and Competence: This core qualification involves the demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality. Competencies: Technical Skill, Problem Solving, Agility and Resilience
ECQ 4 - Leading People: This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable. Competencies: Accountability, Developing Others, Executive Judgment
ECQ 5 - Achieving Results - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors. Competencies: Operational Mindset, Innovation, Strategic Thinking
MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATION (MTQ): Your resume must include accomplishments that address the MTQ(s).
MTQ: Demonstrated experience leading and overseeing a multidisciplinary portfolio of aeronautics research and flight demonstration programs/projects across their full life cycle, including: (1) sound program/project management in formulation, budgeting, scheduling and execution; (2) collaborating across organizational and interagency boundaries, leveraging industry partnerships, and integrating cutting edge technical capabilities to advance aeronautics program objectives. Competencies: Program/Project Management and Partnership and Business Development
Your application package must be in your own words. 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 has a positive education requirement. To be eligible, you must clearly state in your resume the following: degree, major and/or minor, and college/university. A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page. A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major study in engineering, physical science, mathematics, life sciences, computer science, or other field of science is required. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FOREIGN EDUCATION: 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, click here.