Mechanical Engineer (Direct Hire)

Summary You will serve as a Mechanical Engineer with a special emphasis in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems (HVAC). The work includes the identification of future Center needs; assisting in the preparation of engineering and budgetary documentation; reviewing engineering designs; and acting as project manager on facility design and construction projects. Responsibilities 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. Acts as a Project Engineer, with the responsibility of coordinating all phases of engineering, construction and inspection of construction, renovation, and repair projects. Coordinates a broad range of facilities engineering management activities covering a variety of complex facilities. Prepares design, specifications, cost estimates and supervises drafting effort for mechanical engineering projects. Performs analysis of facilities mechanical systems to inform the scope and requirements for construction, rehabilitation, or repair projects to maintain facilities, improve operations, or provide for facilities to meet new requirements. Prepares outlines of services, scopes of work, construction estimates, or engineering fee estimates for work to be performed by private architectural-engineering firm personnel. Supports the Facilities Management Branch in overseeing all campus mechanical systems (i.e. chillers, hydronic condensing boilers, propane distribution, ground source heat pumps, ductwork, fresh air systems, and HVAC controls). Performs design reviews of mechanical system installations or modifications to existing infrastructure. Fosters a culture of engagement, diversity, inclusiveness, excellence and innovation. Champions NASAs commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility to create an environment that promotes a commitment to safety, integrity and teamwork. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications 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. To qualify for GS-07, you must have: a) One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level: Studying or assisting in aerospace related research, development design, operations; or Applying general engineering theories, principles, and methodologies to assist with facilities or construction projects. OR b) Completed a bachelors degree in a field listed above or a related field and meet Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) criteria. SAA: (1) you must be in the upper third of your graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision; or (2) you must have a 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 GPA; or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 GPA based on courses completed in your major field of study during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or (3) election to membership in a national scholastic honor society c) Completed 1 full academic year of graduate study in an appropriate field OR d) d) Have an equivalent combination of experience and graduate study in an appropriate field. To qualify for GS-09, you must have: a) One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level: Reviewing and commenting on engineering drawings; Performing market research and making suggestions on materials and/or equipment selection; and Reviewing technical and/or cost proposals for facility modifications. OR b) Completed all requirements for a masters or equivalent graduate degree in an appropriate field OR c) Completed 2 full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a masters degree or equivalent graduate degree 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-11, you must have: a) One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level: Assisting in the design of facilities mechanical systems such as chillers, heat pumps, HVAC controls, and propane distribution systems; Supporting development of technical solutions to issues involving facilities mechanical systems; and Assisting in the management of construction activities related to facilities mechanical systems to ensure finished products comply with engineering design. 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 progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or equivalent doctoral degree in an appropriate field OR d) Have an equivalent combination of experience and graduate study as discussed in a), b) and c) above 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 NASAs guidance on the use of AI tools during the application process. Education Basic Requirement: You must have successfully completed a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelors or higher degree. You must have successfully completed a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelors or higher degree that included a major in engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelors degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by 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. OR Have a combination of education and experience: college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following: 1. Professional registration or licensure — 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 individuals 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 example, an individual who attains registration through a State Boards eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions. 2. Written Test — Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination or any other written test required for professional. 3. Specified academic courses — Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements. 4. Related curriculum — Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelors 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 bachelors degree in engineering, provided you have had at least 1 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. (The above examples of related curricula are not all inclusive.) U.S. degrees must have been awarded from colleges or universities that are accredited by recognized accrediting organizations. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, go to http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs. These education credentials must be deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. All degrees must have been received in the year of, or any year subsequent to the original date of accreditation. Additional Information Additional selections may be made for similar positions across NASA within the local commuting area(s) of the location(s) identified in this announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) within NASA. CTAP/ICTAP will be cleared for any additional selection from this announcement. If you have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), you must: – Indicate your eligibility when applying for a position. The questionnaire asks you to identify your ICTAP/CTAP eligibility. – Meet the minimum qualifications requirements for the position -Submit proof that you meet the requirements for CTAP/ICTAP as indicated in Required Documents. For additional information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, click here – https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/#ictap. This is a bargaining unit position. If additional selections are made, those positions may or may not be in a bargaining unit. To learn more about bargaining units at NASA please click here NASA Unions (Bargaining Units) | NASA.