Senior Technical Advisor, SSC Spaceflight Worthiness Certification Program, SYD 80

The United States Space Force (USSF) at Patrick SFB/Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida is searching for a Senior Technical Advisor, SSC Spaceflight Worthiness Certification Program, to support SYD 80 (NH-0801-04, GS-14/15 equivalent).

Description:
Seeking a self-starter with strong technical and problem-solving abilities serves as the principal advisor to Commander, Space Systems Command (SSC) for Spaceflight Worthiness independent assessment and reporting directly to the Ops Integration Director under the Space Access PAE. The role requires skills in planning, organizing, and implementing systems engineering processes to assess the spaceflight worthiness of USSF missions to provide independent technical assessments of mission readiness, not influenced by cost or schedule, to ensure the space flight worthiness of the integrated stack (Space Vehicle and Launch Vehicle). It requires ability to lead projects, plan and execute assignments independently, anticipate problems, develop technical direction, and develop innovative solutions to complex technical issues. The candidate must have experience in acquiring and developing complex systems, ideally with a deep background in launching vehicles and/or space vehicles. Additionally, the candidate must be a team player that can collaborate with various staff offices, System Deltas, Portfolio Acquisition Executives, external mission partners, and other USG agencies (NASA, NRO, etc). The position demands the ability to analyze, interpret, and solve highly complex problems, often developing new techniques and establishing precedents. The candidate must excel in both written and oral communication, capable of presenting briefings, preparing formal reports, and negotiating complex matters with management and external partners.

Ideal Candidate:
Background: Knowledge of a wide range of advanced multidisciplinary professional engineering concepts, principles, practices, standards, methods, and techniques to apply experimental theories and new developments.
Education: Bachelor's degree in engineering with Professional Engineering Certification (Required) master's degree in aerospace engineering or related field (Desired). Spaceflight Worthiness Expertise: Expert knowledge of spacecraft capabilities and subsystems to determine independent technical readiness for missions.
Analytical Skills: The ability to research, design, and conduct comprehensive spacecraft flight readiness assessments.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
1. Knowledge of a wide range of advanced multidisciplinary professional engineering concepts, principles, practices, standards, methods, and techniques to apply experimental theories and new developments to problems not susceptible to treatment by accepted methods, and to plan and execute specialized programs of marked difficulty, responsibility, and significance.
2.Knowledge of the mission, roles, functions, organizational structure, and operation of the Department of Defense, Department of the Air Force, United States Space Force and organizations that govern, interface with, and/or influence systems acquisition, development, and/or sustainment; and knowledge of planning, programming, and budgeting cycles, financial systems, and restrictions on expenditure of funds.
3.Knowledge of and skill in evaluating state-of-the-art and advancements in theory, application, technology, and policy affecting systems being developed, and in planning, organizing, and directing the functions and staff in critical aspects of development, production, and/or support of systems, subsystems, or equipment.
4.Skill in establishing and maintaining effective relationships, building consensus and coalitions, negotiating, and resolving conflicts with a variety of individuals and organizations as well as communicating effectively, both orally and in writing.
5.Ability to plan, organize, and direct the functions of a major command-wide program, and mentor and motivate the engineering and technical personnel on behalf of the Director as well as analyze, plan, and adjust work operations of one or more organizational segments to meet program requirements and objectives.
6.Expert and authoritative knowledge of engineering/scientific principles, practices, and procedures as related to national defense space and missile program, project, and components. Ability to perform scientific/engineering research and analyses to address unresolved matters, longstanding difficulties, or system changes to national defense space programs
7. Space Force space launch or other operations and/or Air Force or Space Force missile operations, requirements, and mission assurance experience is highly desirable.
8. Knowledge of government contracting operations to represent the government's technical interest in such matters as negotiations, plans, budgets, and scope of work.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship Required
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret w/SCI security clearance.
• May need to obtain and maintain approval to access the portfolio of Special Access Programs required to perform daily duties. If so, incumbent must be willing to submit to a Counterintelligence Polygraph.
• A professional engineering degree at the bachelor’s level from an ABET-accredited institution (or OPM-approved equivalent) is required.
• This is a Critical Acquisition Position (CAP).
• Must be able to meet the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) requirements, attaining the Advanced Certification in Engineering / Technical Management (ETM) within the designated grace period.
• This is a designated drug testing position. The incumbent is subject to random testing for drug use, IAW DAFI 90- 508.
• Employee is expected to meet Continuing Acquisition Education requirements.
• Employee must execute, as a condition of appointment, a written agreement to remain in federal service in this position for at least (3) years. In signing such agreement, the employee does not forfeit any employment rights.
• 10. May be required to work nights, weekends, and/or holidays. Overtime may be required.
• Eligible for situational telework only, including Emergency and OPM prescribed “Unscheduled Telework”.
• This position will close after 5 business days or 75 applications, whichever comes first.
• Employee may be required to perform travel by military or commercial passenger aircraft in the performance of temporary duty assignments.
• PCS/Relocation is not authorized.
• Subject to TDY approximately 25 days a year.

Qualifications

The 0801 series has an individual occupational requirement that must be met and can be viewed here. In addition to the above requirements you can view the experience level requirements here. Please scroll down to the 4th section titled Professional and Scientific Positions.

How you will be evaluated

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

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies as related to the series and grade of the position being filled. Final qualifications determinations will be assessed based on OPM's General Schedule Qualifications Standards found here:

Interviews: You will be contacted by e-mail and/or telephone if your application is identified as qualifying for a position being filled. An interview may be conducted. If interviewed, you will be asked to address the same knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies used to initially qualify your application for the position.

Resume:You must submit a resume that may NOT exceed two pages, and the font size should not be smaller than 10 pts. You will not be considered for this vacancy if your resume exceeds two pages or is illegible/unreadable. Do NOT include photographs, inappropriate material, inappropriate content, nor personal information such as age, gender, religion, social security number, etc., on your resume. If the resume you submit contains such information you will not be considered for this vacancy. Your resume must provide:

1. Personal information - your full name, email and mailing addresses, phone number
2. Education information - the name of the school and the dates you attended
3. Work experience - paid and unpaid work with the following information:
   • Job title
   • Detailed duties and accomplishments
   • Employer's name and address
   • Supervisor's name and phone number
   • Starting and ending dates (If actual dates are not known, provide your best-estimated timeframes.)
   • Hours per week
   • Salary, if applicable
4. Other qualifications - skills, certifications/licenses, honors, awards, special accomplishments, and job-related training courses

College Transcripts (if applicable): Please see the Education section of this announcement for detailed information about transcripts.

Next steps