As Director for Safety and Mission Assurance is responsible for the management and technical direction of
the Center's safety programs including the Center's safety culture. Plans, directs and coordinates all activities
necessary to ensure that proper safety policies, objectives and standards are established, clearly defined,
supported and enforced.
To qualify, candidates must have the skill and ability to perform the duties described above as demonstrated by progressively responsible supervisory/managerial experience, normally with several years at the GS-15 level or equivalent, which demonstrates clearly the ability to manage people and resources. Candidates must also demonstrate qualifications in the managerial and technical areas noted below.
Executive Core Qualifications
Leading Change - Involves the ability to bring about strategic change, within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment.
Leading People - Involves the ability to lead people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals. Inherent to this is the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts.
Results Driven - Involves the ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations. Inherent to this is the ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks.
Business Acumen - Involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically.
Building Coalitions - Involves the ability to build coalitions internally and with other federal agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals.
Applicants must meet the following basic education requirement in addition to the technical and managerial qualification requirements described above.
Professional engineering degree (ABET accredited and/or appropriate coursework) OR
Combination of education and experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying professional 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:
current registration as a professional engineer by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam or Puerto Rico;
successfully passing the Engineer-in-Training examination;
specified academic courses (60 semester hours in appropriate physical, mathematical and engineering sciences);
related curriculum (i.e. engineering technology)
More detailed information on the basic education requirement may be found at http://www.opm.gov/policydata-
oversight/classification-qualifications/
Technical Qualifications
Knowledge of safety and mission assurance principles and practices applicable to experimental flight
research test and operations involving both inhabitated and uninhabitated advanced aerospace research
vehicles, including skills in independent assessment of safety programs related to experimental flight
research; flight and ground operations; flight crew, workforce, facility, and public safety.
Ability to effectively manage organizations responsible for safety and mission assurance processes and
procedures for complex aerospace flight systems, large multi-functional facilities, environmental health,
workforce and budgets.
Ability to provide independent assessment of safety of experimental research flight and operational
aircraft flight and ground operations; provide independent risk analysis; risk mitigation, and quality
assurance programs.
U.S. citizenship is required
As Director for Safety and Mission Assurance (S&MA) of the Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC), the incumbent reports directly to the Office of the Center Director, with responsibility for the management and technical direction of the Center's safety and mission assurance programs. Plans, directs, and coordinates all activities necessary to ensure that proper safety culture, policies, objectives, processes, and standards are established, clearly defined, supported, and enforced, with emphasis on aviation operations and experimental
flight research safety, facilities safety, and workforce safety.
The Director oversees three subordinate organizations: Flight Assurance Office; Aviation, Safety, Health and Environmental Management Branch; and the Quality Office.
The Director serves as the principal advisor and consultant on project flight systems safety matters to line and functional management within the Center, and speaks for Armstrong authoritatively on safety and mission assurance to outside organizations flying at Armstrong. The Director provides independent risk assessment and analysis, separate from line management, and independently monitors safety and ensures communication and accountability Centerwide.
The AFRC deals with piloted, remotely piloted, and unpiloted experimental and advanced aerospace research vehicles, as well as airborne science operations. Major Directorate program areas include independent assessment of the safety of experimental flight research, flight and ground operations, and
public safety. Many flight research and aircraft test operations are inherently classified as high risk. The
S&MA Director formulates and develops flight systems safety guides and accomplishes a system of safety reviews, appraisals, and independent evaluations of AFRC and contractor activities. Ensures inclusion of appropriate safety standards and related requirements in contractual clauses with contractors. Negotiates safety policy with Agency-level senior managers for research aircraft programs. The Director monitors aviation safety to ensure aircraft operations at AFRC are in accordance with published standards, rules, regulations, and ensures pilot training and proficiency meet required safety standards; oversees the Armstrong Quality Assurance Program for aerospace research vehicles, vehicle systems, components, material and related support equipment during development, manufacture, procurement, assembly, modification, repair, maintenance, and operational phases; and plans and administers a program of integrated institutional risk management in the safety, health, and environmental programs which systematically identifies potential and real risk hazards and regulatory compliance liability.
The Director is responsible for furthering the goals of equal employment opportunity and diversity by taking positive steps to support the accomplishment of affirmative action objectives and by adhering to nondiscriminatory employment practices in all areas under his/her supervision.
KEY REQUIREMENTS
A financial disclosure statement is required upon appointment into the SES.
First time SES appointees are subject to a one-year probationary period.
Occasional travel may be required
This is a drug-testing designated position
Successful completion of a security investigation will be required
Pass it on for Referral Bonus. Not the right role for you, but know someone we should meet? Share with him to earn $1,000 referral bonus.
Posts
