Open Innovation Specialist

Craig Technologies•Houston, TX

18h•$119,000 - $134,000•Remote

About The Position

Craig Technologies has an opening for an Open Innovation Specialist at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas remotely. In this role, you will provide critical expertise and project management in support of the Center of Excellence for Collaboration. You will lead multiple open innovation projects to engage the global solver community to turn problems into solutions for NASA and the federal government. Applicants must have a technical background, preferably with scientific and/or engineering experience or expertise, be process oriented with attention to detail, and be able to work independently and as part of a team. AIBEL works with vehicle, habitat and suit designers across multiple NASA Programs, including the EVA and Human Surface Mobility Program, Commercial Crew Program, International Space Station, Gateway, Human Landing System and Orion. Your work will be cross-disciplinary, interfacing with scientists, engineers, hardware designers and physiologists across the NASA and vendor communities, including peers at other NASA centers. You bring experience in a technical field, project management, and open innovation. You use your experience and judgment to determine appropriate open innovation methodologies, lead process improvement initiatives, and translate complex technical challenges into actionable solutions. This position is a fully remote/teleworking position. Occasional travel may be required.

Requirements

BS degree in Engineering, Science, or equivalent technical discipline or experience
5-10 years of relevant innovation experience with increasing levels of responsibilities.
Prior experience successfully working with multiple customers and/or stakeholders in parallel
Prior project management experience
Familiarity with Software/IT architecture, data systems, and development methods
Proven ability to prioritize multiple projects and maintain customer satisfaction
Proven ability to learn and adapt to multiple software tools, such as Microsoft Office products, Google Workspace, and Salesforce
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Ability to work independently with minimal direction

Nice To Haves

Prior experience building and growing an open innovation community on a platform (desired but not required)
Prior experience with government procurement or request for proposals (desired but not required)

Responsibilities

Manage the full lifecycle of the NASA Tournament Lab toolkit for multiple projects from inception to close-out for NASA and other Government Agencies.
Write requirements for complex technical projects.
Oversee task order execution on the NASA Open Innovation Services 3 (NOIS3) contract.
Advise project owners and contractors on best practices in open innovation tools.
Conduct lessons learned meetings with project owners to inform process improvements.
Identify and lead process improvement initiatives that align with Program Management strategy and goals.
Identify, evaluate, and recommend innovative methodologies and tools and/or platforms that support strategic initiatives.
Assist with benchmarking activities, including the analysis of trends/report out of data systems.
Coordinate with team members in support of interagency agreements and funding documents for projects.
Coordinate with public affairs officers in support of strategic communications.
Support the development, maintenance, and implementation of the NASA Open Innovation Academy.
Attend and/or present at conferences and other meetings or site visits as required.