Systems Engineer – Space Nuclear Propulsion (SNP)

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Position Description:

This opportunity will provide systems engineering and integration support and technical leadership to the Systems Planning and Technical Leadership Branch, NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), the Technology Demonstration Missions (TDM) Program, and the Space Nuclear Propulsion (SNP) subproject.   Personnel will work closely with the Project Manager(s) and/or Project Lead(s) within the projects and will coordinate and integrate with personnel supporting the project including personnel representing Agency-level Mission Directorate(s) or other Centers with which the project(s) share an interface. Personnel will provide leadership and/or support for the development of key systems engineering products supporting SNP technical maturation efforts for both Nuclear Thermal Propulsion and Nuclear Electric Propulsion and will support subsequent activities where these products are assessed and matured.

Responsibilities:

Specific support to be provided includes the following:

• Provide guidance and/or support in developing programmatic processes and documentation, process definition, and other systems engineering management and planning activities. 
• Provide guidance to enable and aid the development of systems engineering activities and products. 
• Provide assessments, independent analyses, and recommendations as necessary in areas including, but not limited to, systems engineering processes and documentation.
• Provide guidance in response to systems, technical, and management questions or issues affecting performance and management processes. 
• Develop, document, and implement plans and processes that support technology maturation.

• Provide support, as needed and appropriate, to broad systems engineering functions such as:
  • Maintaining integrated schedules.
  • Task and action tracking.
  • Routine status and communication activities.
  • Compiling required inputs and reporting materials.
  • Ensuring proper documentation practices.
  • Maintaining essential program records to enable organized and traceable project execution. 
     
• Participate in reviews, meetings, working groups, task teams, and trade studies.
• Develop and/or provide guidance for the development of key briefings to the Project and/or interfacing organizations. 
• Lead and/or facilitate complex tasks and trade studies as well as independently manage subtasks with minimum government oversight. 
• Provide technical and strategic leadership as delegated by the project(s).

Qualifications:

A BS degree in STEM field such as Aerospace, Industrial, Systems, Electrical or Mechanical Engineering or a BS in a related technical discipline such as Computer Science, Mathematics, or Physics is required.  Personnel must have a minimum of 10 years of experience, but the expected range is 10 - 15 years of relevant experience in Systems Engineering and Integration.

A successful candidate should possess or be experienced in:

• Technical integration.
• Integrating solutions to issues.
• Strong team leadership skills.
• Organizing and leading integrated discussions.
• Facilitating task team participation.
• Facilitating document reviews.
• Leading, planning, executing, and participating in design reviews.
• Supporting review boards.
• Managing Data Requirements Descriptions (DRDs) and contractor deliverables.
• Reading, interpreting, and understanding hardware engineering drawings.
• A general knowledge of space vehicle design and interfaces, system design, and system engineering and integration.
• Critical thinking skills.
• Demonstrated problem-solving experience with ground and/or flight hardware.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Skill delivering project level briefings.

Desired qualifications and experience (presence of one or more of these qualifications will be used as a selection factor):

·        Experience/research working with nuclear propulsion concepts.

·        Experience with developing systems engineering processes.

·        Experience with planning/facilitating development and testing to raise technology readiness level.

·        Experience with engine hardware design and testing.

Essential Functions

Work Environment: 

Office environment. Requires ability to provide clear, concise, accurate and timely communication, both verbally and in writing (100%). Requires ability to interact professionally with co-workers, management, and client (100%). Requires travel in the domestic USA (5%).  Requires ability to work at a computer for long periods of time (100%).

Physical Requirements:

Requires sitting for extended periods of time in meetings with peers, management, and with our client at NASA facilities to discuss technical issues (10%). Also, requires sitting for extended periods of time at a desk to write reports and perform engineering tasks (80%). Requires ability to use stairs or elevators for access between floors and multiple buildings at NASA and our facilities (10%).  

Equipment and Machines: 

Requires ability to operate a personal computer, a telephone, fax machine, copier, calculator, and other general office equipment (100%).

Attendance: 

Normal workday 7:30-4:30, Monday thru Friday.  Minimal overtime may be required (10%) to meet schedule milestones and to support technical demands of the job. Regular attendance is a necessity, and adequate arrangements for delegating duties during absences are required. 

Other Essential Functions:

The ability to work independently with minimal supervision, and to make rational decisions, and to exercise good judgment is essential (100%). Grooming and dress must be appropriate for the position and must not impose a safety risk/hazard to the employee or others.

Proof of U.S. Citizenship is required. 

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