Federal

Manager Exploration Ground Systems Program

Headquarters, NASA ยท National Aeronautics and Space Administration
๐Ÿ“ Kennedy Space Center, Florida ES-00 $223,380 - $228,000/yr
Posted: Apr 16, 2026 Deadline: Apr 30, 2026 (Closes in 14 days days left)

About This Position

The Manager, Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) Program, is responsible to the Deputy Associate Administrator (DAA) Moon to Mars for the management, leadership, and direction to ensure safe and effective execution of all EGS Program systems development and processing and integration requirements and the implementation of Kennedy Space Center (KSC) goals and objectives in this area of responsibility.

Qualifications

As a basic requirement for entry into the Senior Executive Service (SES) under a career appointment, you must clearly articulate and describe within your 2-page resume that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Mandatory Technical Qualifications MTQ related to this position. If your 2-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and MTQ, you may be disqualified. Any additional pages over the 2-page limit will not be reviewed.

Your resume should include evidence of progressively responsible supervisory, managerial, or professional experience which involved management of a program or organization of significant scope and complexity, normally obtained over several years by serving in positions at the GS-15 level or equivalent. If you are (1) currently serving under a career SES appointment, (2) eligible for reinstatement into the SES (this means you were previously employed as a Career SES employee and you successfully completed a one-year probationary period), OR (3) have successfully completed a SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) and certified by OPM, you do not need to address the ECQs in your resume. However, your resume must clearly state that you are a current career SES, eligible for SES reinstatement, or SES CDP certified and year of certification.

Please DO NOT submit separate documents addressing the ECQs or MTQ. Only your 2-page resume will be accepted and considered. Any additional documents submitted will not be accepted. EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs) For more information on the ECQs, please visit OPM's ECQ webpage.

ECQ 1 - Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding: This core qualification requires a demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and commitment to serve the American people. Competencies: Knowledge of the American System of Government, Commitment to the Rule of Law, and Civic-Mindedness ECQ 2 - Driving Efficiency: This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades. Competencies: Fiscal Responsibility, Managing Resources, Leveraging Technology ECQ 3 - Merit and Competence: This core qualification involves the demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality.

Competencies: Technical Skill, Problem Solving, Agility and Resilience ECQ 4 - Leading People: This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable. Competencies: Accountability, Developing Others, Executive Judgment ECQ 5 - Achieving Results - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors.

Competencies: Operational Mindset, Innovation, Strategic Thinking MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATION (MTQ): Your resume must include accomplishments that address the MTQ. MTQ 1 - Demonstrated executive level expertise in leading the planning, development, integration, and operational execution of complex, multi disciplinary ground systems that support human spaceflight and multi mission launch operations. Competencies: Program/Project Management, Technical Work and Team Management.

Your application package must be in your own words. 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.

Major Duties

The Manager Exploration Ground Systems Program: Responsible to the DAA Moon to Mars (M2M) for the management, leadership, and direction to ensure safe and effective execution of all EGS Program systems development and processing and integration requirements and the implementation of KSC goals and objectives in this area of responsibility. Ensures that assigned human resources are effectively developed and deployed to provide the skills and abilities to support development and operations at KSC. Provides executive leadership to manage diverse technical disciplines to ensure the success of assigned programs.

Speaks for DAA M2M for planning, policy development and implementation, and issues and problem resolution in assigned areas of responsibility. Promotes and establishes safety and health initiatives to ensure safety remains the primary objective of the organization. Represents EGS Program to NASA Headquarters, Agency programs, other Centers, Federal and other government agencies, members of Congress, private industry, academia, and the public.

Ensures that relevant policies, decisions, and positions are communicated, and that issues relating to or impacting the Center, its mission, and its capabilities are considered and acted upon. Promotes the goals, objectives, and accomplishments of NASA and M2M through an aggressive community outreach program that utilizes the unique skills and abilities of the organization's human resources. Represents the EGS Program to the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle and Space Launch System Programs, as well as the multi-user Space Launch Complex for Government and commercial users.

Serves as the primary management interface to the Center Director and first-line directors at KSC. Serves as a member of the Kennedy Strategic Management Council and Kennedy Center Management Council, the principal policy-making and determining councils of the Center.

Education

This position has a positive education requirement. To be eligible, you must clearly state in your resume the following: degree, major and/or minor, and college/university. A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S.

Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page. A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major study in engineering, physical science, mathematics, life sciences, computer science, or other field of science is required.

An official transcript will be required if you are selected. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FOREIGN EDUCATION: 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, click here.

How You Will Be Evaluated

All qualifications requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. We will review your resume to ensure you meet the qualification requirements. If you meet the basic qualification requirements, your application will be referred to and evaluated by an executive panel.

Highly Qualified applicants may undergo one or more interviews and/or be asked to provide a list of references or additional documents to confirm eligibility. Upon selection, if the selectee does not have Qualifications Review Board (QRB) certification by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), he/she must undergo an ECQ based structured interview with OPM before appointment to this position.

Additional Information

Veterans' preference is not applicable to the SES.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section and submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. To begin, click Apply to access the online application.

You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.

Follow the prompts to select your resume to be included with your application package.

Your uploaded resume 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 online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position.

Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. It is applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and uploaded, (i.e., resume) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application.

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit:https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.

Faxed, emailed, and/or mailed application materials 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.

Required Documents

A complete application includes items described below. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may be removed from consideration for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible). Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application.

RESUME: All applicants are required to submit a two (2) page resume showing all relevant experience. Applicants seeking initial career appointment to the SES must include evidence of the ECQs and MTQ(s) within their resume. Please see this guidance: What to include in your resume.

Note: if any of the following types of information are included on your resume, your application package may be disqualified: Classified or government sensitive information. Social Security Number (SSN) Photos of yourself Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc. Encrypted and digitally signed documents.

If your resume contains any of the above information, you must redact that information prior to the submission of your application VACANCY QUESTION/ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES: Responses are automatically submitted through USAJOBS when you apply to this vacancy.

You may be asked to provide additional documentation to support your eligibility and the information provided in your application package. For example, we may request academic transcripts, SF-50s, SES Candidate Development Program certificate, etc. Therefore, we encourage you to have these documents prepared and ready when requested by the agency. If you fail to provide the required documents within the stated time period, we may withdraw a job offer and/or remove you from further consideration.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the salary for the Manager Exploration Ground Systems Program position at Headquarters, NASA?
The salary range for this position is $223,380 - $228,000/yr. This is a ES-00 position on the General Schedule pay scale. Actual pay may vary based on locality adjustments.
Where is the Manager Exploration Ground Systems Program job located?
This position is located in Kennedy Space Center, Florida. This is an on-site position.
What qualifications do I need?
As a basic requirement for entry into the Senior Executive Service (SES) under a career appointment, you must clearly articulate and describe within your 2-page resume that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Mandatory Technical Qualifications MTQ related to this position. If your 2-page resume does not reflect demonstrated ...
How do I apply for this position?
Apply through USAJobs.gov by clicking the 'Apply on USAJobs' button. You'll need a USAJobs account, a federal-style resume, and supporting documents. The deadline is Apr 30, 2026.
Is a security clearance required?
Yes, a Sensitive Compartmented Information clearance is required.
What does ES-00 mean?
ES-00 refers to the General Schedule grade level. Higher grades require more experience and offer higher pay. Visit our GS Pay Scale page for full salary tables by grade and locality.
What benefits do federal employees receive?
Federal employees receive comprehensive benefits including health insurance (FEHB), retirement through FERS, Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with government matching, paid annual and sick leave, paid parental leave, life insurance, and student loan repayment programs.