National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Aerospace Engineer, AST, Aerospace Flight Systems (Direct Hire)

Huntsville, Alabama Full time

Aerospace Engineer, AST, Aerospace Flight Systems (Direct Hire)

Department: National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Location(s): Huntsville, Alabama

Salary Range: $77772 - $144102 Per Year

Job Summary: Marshall Space Flight Center is seeking candidates to serve as Aerospace Engineers, to support critical NASA missions across the Center; duties include working with space and flight systems, spacecraft vehicles and subsystems, propulsion systems, payloads, design and operational requirements definition, hardware and/or software development, space or terrestrial environments, testing, verification, safety, integration, certification, and ground and flight operations.

Major 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.
  • Performs engineering functions including planning, research, design, development, testing, evaluation, and cost analysis for aerospace systems and projects.
  • Analyzes and evaluates aerospace vehicles, propulsion systems, environments, structures, and components across design, production, and operational phases.
  • Leads testing, evaluation, and validation of flight hardware and system capabilities to ensure compliance with design and safety requirements.
  • Designs and integrates aerospace hardware and/or software systems across development and operational phases.
  • Assesses system performance and integration needs; supports risk assessments and verifies mitigation; resolves technical issues impacting project objectives.
  • Applies engineering principles and scientific methods to provide solutions and recommendations for technical challenges.
  • Collaborates with multidisciplinary teams to incorporate technologies, improve system performance, and support project outcomes.

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: Supporting development, testing, or evaluation of aerospace systems, subsystems, components, propulsion, or software; Resolving technical issues and supporting project or team priorities within an engineering environment; Performing analysis related to safety or design of aerospace vehicles or systems. 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: Developing, testing, or evaluating aerospace systems, subsystems, components, propulsion, or software; Resolving technical issues and coordinating priorities across team members or project activities; Performing and interpreting analysis of the safety and design capabilities of aerospace vehicles or systems. To qualify for GS-13, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level: Designing, developing, or analyzing aerospace vehicles, systems, propulsion, software, subsystems, or payloads; Performing analysis of safety and design capabilities of aerospace vehicles or systems; Collaborating with engineers and stakeholders to resolve technical problems and meet project goals. Your resume must include a clear and detailed narrative description, in your own words, of how you meet the required specialized experience. 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. NASA prohibits the use of artificial intelligence (AI) or AI-assisted tool in drafting application and assessment responses. Please visit https://www.nasa.gov/careers/how-to-apply/#Artificial-Intelligence to review NASA's guidance on the use of AI tools during the application process. Required college majors for applicants qualifying on the basis of undergraduate or graduate education only: Aeronautical Engineering, Aeronautics, Aerospace Engineering, Astronautical Engineering, Astronautics, Biomedical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Materials Engineering, Materials Science, Applied Mechanics, Engineering Mechanics, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Metallurgy, Nuclear Engineering, Nuclear Engineering Physics, Physics, Applied Physics, Engineering Physics, Structural Engineering, Welding Engineering. Other majors will qualify if the major includes or is supplemented as follows: Ceramic Engineering, Ceramics, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Mathematics (Pure or Applied) (or other related field), if it includes or is supplemented by nine semester hours (or the equivalent) in machine design, mechanics, hydraulics, dynamics, thermodynamics, mechanical design or mechanical measurement.

How to Apply: Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application and have all required information available. We encourage you to provide a complete description of your educational achievements and include both paid and non-paid work in the experience portion of your resume. If you submit a resume that does not contain the required information, you may lose consideration. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: To begin the application process, you will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application process. Once logged in to your account, click on the "Apply" link. Follow the prompts to select your resume (2 pages or fewer) and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. Resumes longer than 2 pages will be rejected by the system. Resumes submitted via other document types will not be forwarded to the hiring manager, nor will they be used in the review of your qualifications. We strongly encourage you to utilize the USAJOBS resume builder when creating your resume. Using the resume builder will help you ensure your resume includes important information related to your qualifications and eligibility for this position. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. During the application process you can review, edit, delete and update your information. We'll automatically save your progress as you go, so you won't lose any changes. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the 'Include Personal Information' section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process. You will be taken to the vacancy questionnaire which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify all required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. NASA's online application process provides step by step guidance to ensure you provide all needed information. If you are unable to apply online, please contact NSSC-STAFFING@MAIL.NASA.GOV for assistance. Be advised - application materials faxed, emailed, and/or mailed to Marshall Space Flight Center will not be accepted for this announcement. NASA provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you are an applicant with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency contact center listed on the job vacancy announcement. The decision on granting reasonable accommodations will be on a case-by-case basis.

Application Deadline: 2026-05-12