Flight Test Analyst - ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) Job in Nellis AFB, NV

Vacancy No. DE-13083166-27-MEL Department Naval Air Systems Command
Salary $91,427.00 to $141,337.00 Grade 4 to 4
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 10/7/2026 Close Date 11/5/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Nellis AFB, NV


Flight Test Analyst - ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance)

Department of the Navy
Naval Air Systems Command

Summary

This is a public notice flyer to notify interested applicants of anticipated vacancies. Applications will not be accepted through this flyer. Interested applicants must follow the directions in the "How to Apply" section of this flyer to be considered. There may or may not be actual vacancies filled from this flyer. Notice of Result letters will not be sent to applicants who respond to this flyer.

Duties

  • You will conduct daily intelligence analysis on the current and growing threat state of Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) in both the commercial domain as well as adversary capabilities.
  • You will be responsible for identifying critical details of test events, intelligence gaps, exposure risks and subsequently assessing risks to operational security.
  • You will manage the operational security of the Integrated Test Team (ITT) activity.
  • You will protect and manage the operational security of ITT activity, including developing, testing, and evaluating technologies and methodologies of ISR technologies and/or counter-ISR technologies.
  • You will develop and execute comprehensive test plans and reports, scenarios, profiles, and procedures for integrated testing of advanced systems.
  • You will manage test resources, including personnel, equipment, and facilities, to ensure efficient and effective test execution.
  • You will oversee the design, execution, data reduction, analysis, and reporting of integrated tests, ensuring technical accuracy and adherence to objectives while producing usable test cards.
  • You will report to the ITT Lead Test Engineer (LTE), project officers, and external organizations to facilitate data collection and test execution.
  • You will interact with external organizations as well as contractor support teams and vendors to ensure effective test execution.
  • You will prepare authoritative technical reports and briefs for interested personnel (i.e., contractors, sponsors, managers, and senior leaders) on program status, technical problems, scheduling, and costs.
  • You will lead and mentor junior engineers, providing technical guidance and ensuring the quality and accuracy of their work.
  • You will travel as required to support flight test events, program support meetings, and inter-agency collaborations.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

  • Must be a US Citizen.
  • Must be determined suitable for federal employment.
  • Must participate in the direct deposit pay program.
  • New employees to the Department of the Navy will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov
  • Within the Department of Defense (DoD), the appointment of retired military members within 180 days immediately following retirement date to a civilian position is subject to the provisions of 5 United States Code 3326.
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • You will be required to obtain and maintain an interim and/or final security clearance prior to entrance on duty. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal.
  • This position is covered under the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA). Certification in the Acquisition Functional Area and category assigned to the position is required within established category timeframes.
  • Successful completion of a pre-employment drug test (including marijuana) is required. A tentative offer of employment will be rescinded if you fail to report to the drug test appointment or fail the test. You will be subject to random testing.
  • This position may require travel from normal duty station to CONUS and OCONUS and may include remote or isolated sites. You must be able to travel on military and commercial aircraft for extended periods of time.

Qualifications

Your resume must also demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-9/11 grade level or DP-03 pay band in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector. Specialized experience must demonstrate the following:
1) Proven experience in flight test engineering, with a focus on systems testing, evaluation, and advanced aerospace/defense technologies;
2) Strong analytical, problem-solving, and creative thinking skills, with the ability to address complex problems with limited data;
3) Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to present complex technical information to diverse audiences;
4) Demonstrated experience in project leadership or program management, including managing schedules, costs, and deliverables; and
5) Ability to work autonomously, plan and execute assignments independently, and resolve conflicts effectively.

Additional qualification information can be found from the following Office of Personnel Management website:
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/files/all-professional-engineering-positions-0800.pdf
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1300/physics-series-1310/
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1500/mathematics-series-1520/


Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

Education

Applicants must meet the following positive education qualifications requirements of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualifications Standards Manual:

For 0801: Successful completion of a professional engineering degree. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree (or higher) in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET); or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position.
OR
Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT), or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration For more information about EI and EIT registration requirements, please visit the National Society of Professional Engineers website at: http://www.nspe.org
OR
Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination or any other written test required for professional registration by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico The FE examination is not administered by the U. S. Office of Personnel Management. For more information, please visit: http://www.nspe.org/Licensure/HowtoGetLicensed/index.html.ORSuccessful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and in engineering that included the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A (above). The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A (above)
OR
Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate scientific field, e.g., engineering technology, physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a bachelor's degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least one year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily, there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g., in interdisciplinary positions.

For 1310:
A: Degree: physics; or related degree that included at least 24 semester hours in physics.
OR
B: a Combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major in physics totaling at least 24 semester hours, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

In either A or B above, the courses must have included a fundamental course in general physics and, in addition, courses in any two of the following: electricity and magnetism, heat, light, mechanics, modern physics, and sound.

For 1520:
A: Degree: mathematics; or the equivalent of a major that included at least 24 semester hours in mathematics.
OR
B: Combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major in mathematics (including at least 24 semester hours in mathematics), as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

The total course work in either A or B above must have included differential and integral calculus and, in addition, four advanced mathematics courses requiring calculus or equivalent mathematics courses as a prerequisite.

Additional information

Journey Level Flight Test Analyst (FTA) that serves as a technical expert in flight test engineering and analysis on Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) satellite systems and various other sources of intelligence gathering. The incumbent is responsible for planning, directing, executing, and reporting on complex test activities to support the Integrated Test Team (ITT) and Weapons and Warfare Systems Test Department. The individual will be responsible for gathering intelligence, performing engineering analysis, and aggregating data from novel sources to provide a robust assessment of threats to operational security of various sensitive programs. The ITT is comprised of test team members represented by various NAVAIRSYSCOM disciplines and their relevant counterparts within other DoD entities. The incumbent is responsible to the ITT Lead Test Engineer (LTE), Program Office, 5K Dept, and the Naval Test Wing Pacific (NTWP) Commodore for the overarching planning, execution and reporting of Integrated Test.

The incumbent will be responsible for the completion of integrated testing and complex engineering analysis on ISR satellite systems. The work will inform senior U.S. government policymakers, providing critical insights that shape national strategy and decision-making. The incumbent will interact with external organizations, as well as contractor support teams and vendors. Travel may be required to support flight test events, and various program support meetings.

This role requires innovative problem-solving, leadership, and the ability to address emerging and controversial technical challenges. Area of testing may include mission systems, air vehicle and or weapons testing. The FTA's work directly supports the ITT and analysis on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance satellite systems.

This position is located at Nellis AFB, Nevada.

This position is covered by the Department of Defense Priority Placement Program.

Several vacancies may be filled.

A tentative offer of employment will be rescinded if the selectee fails to meet the pre-employment requirements, including failure to report to any of the scheduled appointments.

Federal annuitant information: The selection of an annuitant is subject to the Department of Defense and Department of the Navy policy on the employment of annuitants. Policy information may be found at: http://www.secnav.navy.mil/donhr/Documents/CivilianJobs/FedCivAnnuitants.pdf.

Veteran's preference does not apply when selecting individuals under this specific hiring authority. However, if you claim veteran's preference, you will be required to submit supporting documentation with your application as described in the Required Documents section below.

Certain incentives (such as Recruitment, Relocation or Student Loan Repayment) may be authorized to eligible selectees.

A relocation incentive is generally a single payment intended to offset some of the relocation costs experienced by the selectee. A relocation incentive may be authorized.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

In order to qualify for this position, your resume must provide sufficient experience and/or education, knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are being considered. Resumes are restricted to no more than 2 pages. Illegible/unreadable resumes will not be considered. Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your skills, knowledge, and abilities as they relate to this position. Therefore, we encourage you to be clear and specific when describing your experience.

As vacancies occur, the Human Resources Office will review your resume to ensure you meet the hiring eligibility and qualification requirements listed in this flyer. You will be rated based on the information provided in your resume, along with your supporting documentation.

If selected, you may be required to provide additional supporting documentation.

If after reviewing your resume and supporting documentation, a determination is made that you inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may be found ineligible/not qualified.

Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

All qualification requirements must be met before being considered for any vacancies.

Required Documents

A complete resume is required. Resumes are restricted to no more than 2 pages. Illegible/unreadable resumes will not be considered. Your resume must show relevant experience, job title, duties and accomplishments. Your resume must show complete information for each job entry to support minimum qualifications. The following information should be provided in your resume: employer's name, starting and end dates (Mo/Yr), hours per week if experience was less than full time (35-40 hours per week), and pay plan, series and grade level (e.g. GS-0201-09) for relevant federal experience. TIP: A good way to ensure you include all essential information is to use the Resume Builder in USAJOBS to create your resume.

Are you claiming membership in any professional organizations, or possession of a license, certificate or credentials? Check the Conditions of Employment section above to see if any are required. If you claim membership, license, certification, or credentials, you must submit a copy of said document in your application package.

Are you using education as a substitute for some or all of the experience requirement? Is there a basic education requirement for this position? Check the Education section above to see what is allowed and what is required. Any claims you make in your resume or assessment questionnaire regarding education or degrees MUST be supported by submitting with your application official or unofficial transcripts or a list of courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned issued from your school. While unofficial transcripts are acceptable for initial application, an official transcript will ultimately be required if you are selected for the position. You may submit a copy your degree(s) if specific coursework does not have to be verified.

Are you a veteran claiming 5-point veterans' preference or claiming sole survivorship preference? You must submit a copy of your latest DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (any copy that shows all dates of service, as well as character of service [Honorable, General, etc.] is acceptable) OR a VA letter that shows dates of service or service connected disability AND character of service. If you have more than one DD-214 for multiple periods of active duty service, submit a copy for each period of service. If you were issued a DD-215 to amend aforementioned information on the DD-214 you must submit that too. If you are not sure of your preference eligibility, visit the Department of Labor's website: Veterans' Preference Advisor

Are you a disabled veteran or claiming 10-point veterans' preference?
If you are eligible to claim 10 point veterans preference you must submit a DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty as described above for 5-point preference.

You must also provide the applicable supporting documentation of your disability (e.g. disability letter from the VA) as described on Standard Form-15 (SF-15). http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf.

Are you an active duty service member? Active Duty Service Members are required to submit a statement of service printed on command letterhead and signed by the command. The statement of service must provide the branch of service, rate/rank, all dates of service, the expected date of discharge and anticipated character of service (Honorable, General, etc.).

Application documents, including supplemental ones, may be shared outside the Human Resources Office. Supplemental documents may contain your SSN, DOB, or personal information of others (e.g., on military orders, marriage certificates). You may redact this information before submitting; however, if selected, you mustprovide unredacted originals.

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

Interested Applicants must submit resumes/application packages to:

https://navair.yellogov.com/external/requisitions/GGEnRl_4e8Jn5e9FXG1KtA

Facsimile applications will not be considered.

All resumes/applications must be received no later than the close date of this flyer. Resumes are restricted to no more than 2 pages. Illegible/unreadable resumes will not be considered.

It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that all information in their resume and documents, are received, legible, and accurate. HR will not modify answers/documents submitted by an applicant.

Failure to submit a complete application package will result in an ineligible rating and loss of consideration.

Agency contact information

Rube Jennings
Email
rube.l.jennings4.civ@us.navy.mil
Address
NAVAIRWARCENWPNDIV CHINA LAKE
1 Administration Circle
China Lake, CA 93555-6100
US

Next steps

Qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring manager. The selecting official may choose to conduct interviews.

Our evaluation will be based on the information you provide. You should expect that we will verify performance, suitability, and security information and take that information into account in making employment offers.

Naval Air Systems Command

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Agency contact information

Rube Jennings
Email
rube.l.jennings4.civ@us.navy.mil
Address
NAVAIRWARCENWPNDIV CHINA LAKE
1 Administration Circle
China Lake, CA 93555-6100
US

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