Public Flyer - Physical Scientist/Physicist (Direct Hire)

Public Flyer - Physical Scientist/Physicist (Direct Hire)
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
Goddard Space Flight Center
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Summary
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Duties
Requirements
How you will be evaluated
Required documents
How to apply
Summary

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).

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This job is open to

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U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
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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.
Requirements

Conditions of employment
This position is open to U.S. citizens, nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
This position may require a one-year probationary/trial period. If selected, the requirement to serve such period will be determined by Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 11. **See Additional Information section**
You must meet qualifications requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Position subject to pre-employment background investigation or higher-level clearance. Investigation/Clearance may differ and be required based on the duty location/NASA Center requirements.
Financial Disclosure, Drug Testing, and/or the Travel Requirements for this position may differ and be required based on the duty location/NASA Center requirements.
To be considered for employment, you must submit your complete application by 11:59 PM ET on October 13, 2026.
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 t