Overview

Open & closing dates

01/12/2026 to 01/23/2026

Salary: $145,480 to - $189,126 per year

Pay scale & grade: GS 13

Location: Johnson Space Cnt, Houston, TX

Remote job: No

Telework eligible: Yes—as determined by the agency policy.

Travel Required: 25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Relocation expenses reimbursed: No

Appointment type: Permanent

Work schedule: Full-time

Service: Competitive

Promotion potential: 13

Job family (Series): 2181 Aircraft Operation

Supervisory status: No

Security clearance: Secret

Drug test: Yes

Position sensitivity and risk

Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk

Trust determination process

Suitability/Fitness

Financial disclosure: No

Bargaining unit status: No

Announcement number

JSC-26-DE-12856858-LC

Control number: 853812800

Summary

This position is located in the Aircraft Operations Division, Flight Operations Directorate. As a Project Pilot you will pilot aircraft used in the development and test programs; perform flights and ground simulations of advanced missions; and serve as a pilot aboard a helicopter.

This job is open to:

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

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Duties

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Serves as a rotary-wing instructor pilot. Proactively maintains all pilot qualifications and proficiency requirements. Conducts annual egress, emergency procedures training, and Crew Resource Management training.
Provides instructional training, briefings, syllabus events, and evaluation flights in support of Astronaut Space Flight Readiness Training. Maintains instructional material, syllabus, and proficiency exams.
Reviews and maintains applicable aircraft flight manuals, checklists, and aircraft-specific standard operating procedures in accordance with official NASA directives. Conducts standardization meetings to illicit feedback to operational documentation.
Identifies hazards and reports unsafe acts and procedures. Supports the investigation and resolution of aircraft anomalies and mishaps as assigned, and actively participates in safety inspections and training.
Serves as a project team member providing operational expertise for aircraft upgrades, modifications, and functional check flights.
Communicates effectively with other project pilots and NASA managers to effectively utilize aircrew and aircraft to maximize mission accomplishment.
Manages project schedules and supports key review processes, including the Configuration Control Panel, Test Readiness Review, Flight Readiness Review, and Operational Readiness Review, for modifications to division aircraft.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

This position is open to U.S. citizens, nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
This position may require a one-year probationary period. If selected, the requirement to serve such period will be determined by Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 11. **See Additional Information section**
You must meet qualifications requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
You must be proficient in the English language.
At the time of initial appointment, you must possess a current FAA first class medical certificate or a military pilot flight physical; OR you must obtain a NASA flight medical certification.
Position subject to pre-employment background security investigation.

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 this position you must possess:

1. Certificate and Rating:

A current Federal Aviation Administration Commercial Pilot Certificate/License with ratings OR a pilot with ratings from the armed services; AND
A current Federal Aviation Administration Flight Instructor Certificate/License with ratings OR a flight instructor with ratings from the armed services.

2. Flight Hours: A minimum of the following flight time hours:

1,500 hours of flight time as pilot-in-command or co-pilot in aircraft of any weight or category; and
250 hours pilot-in-command with rotary-wing helicopter; and
75 hours of night flying; and
100 hours of flight time in the preceding 12 months.

3. Specialized experience: One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level that includes:

Participating in the planning and execution of rotary-wing aircraft sorties and evaluation activities, including functional test flights;
Conducting classroom instruction on developing, teaching, and assessing both academic and on-aircraft syllabus requirements for students training in rotary-wing aircraft;
Developing and implementing aviation safety training principles and procedures to ensure safe and standardized flight operations.

4. Specialty Flight Hours:

Instructor Time Requirement: A minimum of 500 hours providing flight instruction directly related to the area of instruction and category of aircraft in the position.

To receive proper consideration, you must:

Submit a copy of your license (front and back) with your application AND
Ensure that your flight hours are indicated in your resume.

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.Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

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.

Per Executive Order 14343, this position is not part of a bargaining unit.

Probationary Period

You may be required to serve a one-year probationary 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 11.

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 probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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additional information

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window

Learn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Direct Hire Authority: These positions will be filled through the Office of Personnel Management's Direct Hire Authority. Category rating and veterans' preference will not be considered in evaluating applicants. For more information on Direct Hire Authority, please see: OPM Direct Hire Fact Sheet.

Veterans: Under the provisions of Direct Hire Authority, veterans' preference does not apply. However, applicants who are eligible for veterans' preference are encouraged to include that information in their application and submit supporting documentation (i.e. DD-214, or other substantiating documents). For more information please see: Veterans' Preference information on the FedsHireVets website.

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 qualifications and referral status, we may review your resume and supporting documentation and compare it against your responses to the vacancy questionnaire. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

You will be assessed on the following competencies:

Advanced Technical Training Design
Air Traffic Systems
Decision Making
Education and Training
Institutional Aircraft Operations
Mission Execution
Oral Communication
Teaching Others

NASA considers paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

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: Agency-FCCJ@NASA.gov.

Required Documents

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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.

A complete application package includes a resume, required documents and completion of the vacancy announcement questionnaire. Please see this guidance: What to include in your resume. Your resume should describe your specialized experience and support your answers to the vacancy announcement questionnaire. If you are using a Curriculum Vitae (CV) as a resume, it must meet all requirements listed above for a complete resume package.

Please note: if any of the following types of information are included on your resume, 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.

The following documents are required:

License
Professional Certification
Resume

There may be other supporting documents (licenses, certification, veterans preference, etc.), depending on your answers to the questionnaire and job announcement description, that you may need to submit, please verify your application. Do not submit your OF-306 with your application.

If you are a surplus or displaced employee (CTAP and ICTAP), submit proof that you meet the requirements for CTAP/ICTAP. This includes copies of your agency notice, most recent Performance Rating and most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) noting current position, grade level, and duty location.

Official documents are required at the time of appointment for verification of eligibility and qualifications.

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-CONTACTCENTER@MAIL.NASA.GOV for assistance. Be advised - application materials faxed, emailed, and/or mailed to Johnson Space 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.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

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