Summary
Commercial Space Transportation is working to meet the demands now and into the future by working with those involved in every aspect of the commercial space industry, including the next generation of rocket engineers and scientists. We join forces with executives from the commercial space transportation industry, representatives from the satellite industry, manufacturers, users, and state and local government officials, both nationally and internationally.
Duties
The Executive Director, Office of Operational Safety, within the Office of Commercial Space Transportation, serves as a senior advisor to the Associate and Deputy Associate Administrators for Commercial Space Transportation. The Executive Director has broad responsibility for short and long-term external services related to the commercial space transportation system. The Executive Director provides leadership and direction for commercial space programs, goals, and priorities, including launch vehicle and spaceport safety authorization, safety analysis, and safety assurance.
The Executive Director is responsible for leading a directorate consisting of multiple subordinate organizational components and coordinating activities with other applicable components of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Executive Director oversees resources in excess of $20M and leads a geographically dispersed organization of approximately 102 employees, including engineers and support professionals, and 19 senior managers.
Principal Responsibilities:
- Leads the Operational Safety organization, comprised of the Safety Authorization, Safety Analysis, and Safety Assurance Divisions, which are required for commercial space transportation operations.
- Oversees and integrates agency efforts to ensure the public health and safety through the licensing of commercial space launches and reentries and launch site operations, performing compliance monitoring at launch events and monitoring FAA-licensed, permitted, and otherwise regulated commercial space transportation activities to ensure compliance with FAA regulations.
- Directs the planning and execution of policies, standards, and procedures related to commercial space transportation licensing, safety oversight, and operations regulated and monitored by the FAA.
- Formulates and executes strategies to ensure continual improvement of operational services to stakeholders. Regularly reviews projects and programs to ensure they are aligned with short and long-term Agency and line of business (LOB) goals, objectives, and plans. Establishes and refines Operational Safety objectives to support Agency and LOB goals and plans.
- Interacts routinely with high-level officials in the Department of Transportation, other Federal agencies, the private sector, educational institutions, and members of Congress and their staffs to communicate Operational Safety strategic initiatives, ensuring protection of public safety interests and encouraging the commercial space transportation industry.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- US Citizenship is required.
- Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
- Designated or Random Drug Testing required.
Qualifications
As a basic requirement for entry into the FAA Executive System, you must clearly articulate and describe within your five (5) page resume evidence of progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior executive level management capability; and that is directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under the Leadership and Technical Requirements listed below.
- LEADERSHIP REQUIREMENT: Do you have experience in achieving operational results? If so, provide examples of ways you have exercised leadership to deliver significant results. Explain how you established goals, assessed outcomes, and improved products and services. Indicate how you identified and met customers' requirements and addressed the needs of stakeholders. Include examples of complex problems you solved or difficult obstacles that you overcame as a leader. Your description should include (1) the size and complexity of organizations you have led, (2) the scope of programs you have managed, and (3) the impact of your results on customers and other stakeholders.
- LEADERSHIP REQUIREMENT: Do you have experience leading people? If yes, describe the size of the organization and number and types of positions you have managed. Discuss ways that you have established and maintained positive work environments and prevented or eliminated discrimination or harassment. Describe ways that you have mentored and developed employees and built individual and team performance. Discuss how you have established and led teams to deliver products and services. Include in your description experience in leading others in a matrix environment across organizations.
- LEADERSHIP REQUIREMENT: Do you have experience building relationships? If yes, describe (1) the types of individuals with whom you routinely collaborate; and (2) the purpose and outcomes of the communication. Discuss your experience in communicating and cooperating with others to achieve goals. Provide examples of how you have built relationships to achieve consensus and how you were able to obtain the cooperation of others with competing priorities and perspectives. Describe how you effectively communicate information within and outside of your organization.
- LEADERSHIP REQUIREMENT: Do you have experience leading strategic change? If yes, describe examples of strategic changes that you led for your organization; describe the entities that the change affected (agency, industry, organizational components). Discuss obstacles you encountered and how you overcame them to the benefit of the agency. Include in your description ways that you applied long-range vision, developed strategies, and applied innovative ideas and techniques.
- TECHNICAL REQUIREMENT: Demonstrated experience implementing and overseeing compliance with commercial space transportation safety and licensing requirements, including interpretation and execution of applicable policies, regulations and standards.
Education
An education requirement has not been established for this occupational series.
Preview Job Questionnaire
Make sure your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications and answers to the job questionnaire.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
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.
Required Documents
1. A resume that does not exceed five (5) pages. Any information submitted in excess of five (5) pages WILL NOT be considered. The resume must provide evidence (such as related professional experience and accomplishments) that demonstrates you possess the required leadership and technical qualifications.
2. An SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, if you are claiming noncompetitive eligibility as a current/former FAA Executive or current/former member of the Senior Executive Service or equivalent system.
3. A Senior Executive Candidate Development Program (SESCDP) certificate if you are claiming noncompetitive status based on your completion of an SESCDP program.
Note: Please do not submit additional materials (e.g. ECQ written narrative statements, DD Form 214, performance plans/evaluations, letters of recommendation) they will not be considered as part of the application package.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
The application process used to recruit for this position is RESUME ONLY. Your five (5) page resume must provide information regarding your professional experience and accomplishments that demonstrate you meet the leadership and technical requirements. Uploaded resumes must be attached to your application in USAJOBS and submitted in Word (or Word compatible) or PDF format. You are strongly encouraged to review OPM's Guide to SES Qualifications for specific examples and guidance on writing effective executive resumes, found here: .https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/reference-materials/guidetosesquals_2012.pdf
You must apply online to receive consideration. Your application must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the Close Date for it to be accepted. If you are applying for positions associated with FAA registers, your application must be submitted at the time a referral list is created in order to receive consideration for positions associated with a register.
SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) graduates should submit a copy of their CDP program certification with their package.
Next steps
Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications and determine your ranking. The most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. We expect to make a selection within 90 days of the closing date of this announcement. You will be notified of the outcome.
All qualified applicants will be considered regardless of political affiliation, race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, or other non-merit factors. DOT provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency contact listed in the Agency Contact Information section of this announcement or the hiring manager. An employee with a disability must notify the decision-maker of the accommodation request. Job applicants and employees are required to follow up oral requests in writing. Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Additional information on reasonable accommodations procedures or on EEO Programs is available on Office of Civil Rights (ACR) or by contacting the local FAA Civil Rights Office.