Student Trainee (Aerospace Engineering)

This vacancy is open to students pursuing Aerospace Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, or Astronautical Engineering majors.

Work under the guidance of senior engineers/scientists to support NASA mission operations in groundbreaking design, development, test and evaluation, and/or research work of aerospace technologies that align to your academic studies and interests.

Specific duties will be dependent upon the assigned occupational specialty in preparation for more difficult tasks as a professional trainee after graduation.

Disciplines include, but are not limited to: Fluid and Flight Mechanics, Materials and Structures, Propulsion and Power, Flight Systems, Data Systems and Analysis, and Operations.

To be eligible for this position, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree with a major in one of the following required fields: Aerospace Engineering Aeronautical Engineering Astronautical Engineering Degrees in engineering technology are not qualifying for this position. Engineering programs from institutions within the United States: You must be enrolled in a degree program at a college or university school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum. Degrees must be received in the year of, or any year subsequent to the original date of accreditation.

To find out if a degree meets this requirement, go to the ABET website. Engineering programs from institutions outside the United States: Engineering programs from educational institutions outside the United States must be recognized by an ABET Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA), often known as accords. These are non-governmental agreements among organizations that accredit academic degree programs.

MRAs recognize the substantial equivalence of mature accreditation systems and programs accredited by signatory organizations within their jurisdictions. For a listing of Signatories, please visit, https://www.abet.org/global-presence/mutual-recognition-agreements/is-your-program-recognized/. College Transcript: Applicants must submit a copy of their most recent college transcript that lists the school's name, student's name, degree program, major, GPA, college courses, course title, and number of credit hours completed.

Unofficial transcripts will be accepted, however should you be selected, official transcripts will be required prior to your appointment date. Accepted for Enrollment: If you have been accepted for enrollment in an institution but have not yet begun coursework, you must submit an Acceptance Letter from the institution AND your most recent academic transcript from your previous program.

You will be evaluated for this position based on how well you meet the qualifications and eligibility requirements listed in this vacancy announcement. To determine your referral status, we will rely on your responses to the vacancy questionnaire.

You will only be considered for the grade level matching your claimed academic level.

Your eligibility will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. These competencies will be assessed using a multiple hurdle process with several talent assessments, including the Early Career Talent Assessment (ECTA), panel reviews, and structured interviews: Attention to Detail Flexibility Interpersonal Skills Learning Problem Solving Self-Management (Achievement) Technology Application In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process.

In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12891888 Under NASA's category rating process, applicants will be assessed on the position competencies and placed in one of three categories identified and defined below: Best Qualified Category - Applicants who demonstrate a superior level of all evaluation criteria.

Highly Qualified Category - Applicants who demonstrate a satisfactory level of the evaluation criteria. Qualified Category - Applicants who demonstrate the basic qualifications, with general knowledge, skills, and abilities. Names of all qualified candidates in the Best Qualified category will be sent to the hiring official for employment consideration (unless a sufficient number of qualified veterans are found - in which case only those names will be initially certified).

Candidates within the Best Qualified category who are eligible for veteran preference will receive selection priority over non-veteran preference eligibles. NASA will not ask you to disclose criminal history record information during the application process or before we make a conditional/tentative offer of employment. If you apply for this position and are selected, NASA will conduct a suitability/security background investigation after you accept a tentative job offer.

If you feel you are asked to disclose your criminal history before you accept a tentative offer and wish to file a complaint within 30 days, please contact: [email protected].

PLEASE TAKE CARE IN PREPARING AND SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION. When completing the Questionnaires, please pay close attention to the selections and inputs you are making. Entries regarding your eligibility made in error cannot be modified after the application is submitted and you will lose consideration if you are determined to be ineligible based on the answers to the questionnaire.

Selectees starting June 1, 2026 must have a graduation date on or after August 22, 2026. Selectees starting August 24, 2026 must have a graduation date on or after November 14, 2026. Interns may be promoted to higher grades based on the amount of education completed and acceptable performance.

However, promotions are not guaranteed. Special rate tables may apply for graduate students. Trial Period You may be required to serve a two-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.

If selected, the requirement to serve such period will be determined by Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part

1. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Conversion Eligibility Interns may be considered for conversion to a Term or Permanent appointment within 180 days of completion of degree requirements provided they: Successfully completed an academic course of study with a grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.9 (on a 4.0 scale); Complete a minimum of 480 hours of work experience before completing degree requirements; Meet the qualification requirements for the position to which they are converted (including any required coursework); and Maintain acceptable performance. Eligibility for conversion does not guarantee that NASA will offer conversion to a Term or Permanent job. The full performance level (FPL) of the position for conversion is GS-13.

As identical vacancies are identified, additional selections may be made. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you have a physical or mental disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, that may interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you may request a RA in your online application. Requests and required supporting documentation must be submitted before beginning the assessments.

RA determinations are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet minimum qualifications, you will be notified of the decision and, if applicable, receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. If you receive the link after the announcement closes, you must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL.

Review the guidance to determine if a RA is needed. Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. Per Executive Order 14343, this position is not part of a bargaining unit.

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments, and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section.

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. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email.

The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this Application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link.

Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments.

You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.

Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.

To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click "Edit my Application". This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/.

Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application. 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.

All submitted resumes must not exceed two (2) pages in length. Resumes longer than two pages will be rejected by USAJOBS. Applicants are strongly encouraged to prioritize including experience and relevant qualifications that directly align with the position advertised.

All work experience and accomplishments must be associated with dates (month/year) to allow for accurate qualification assessment. To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes: Your resume showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment and duties performed College Transcript or Acceptance Letter (please see below for more information) Veterans' preference documentation, if applicable: If you are a veteran and you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a DD214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions. For spouses claiming derived veterans' preference, proof of marriage is also required.

For more information on veterans' preference and possible other supporting documents that you may have to submit, please visit FedshireVets. Please

note: if any of the following types of information are included on your resume and transcripts, your application package will 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. Do not submit an OF-306 with your application.

College Transcript: Applicants must submit a copy of their most recent college transcript that lists the school's name, student's name, degree program, major, GPA, college courses, course title, and number of credit hours completed. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted, however should you be selected, official transcripts will be required prior to your appointment date. If your college transcript does not list all of this information, you must provide supplemental documentation from your educational institution that specifies the information missing from your transcript.

Accepted for Enrollment: If you have been accepted for enrollment in an institution but have not yet begun coursework, you must submit an Acceptance Letter from the institution AND your most recent academic transcript from your previous program. Official documents are required at the time of appointment for verification of eligibility and qualifications. Official documents are required at the time of appointment for verification of eligibility and qualifications.