Quality Assurance Specialist (Aerospace)
About The Position
As a Quality Assurance Specialist within the Aircraft Operations Division, you will provide technical leadership for aircraft maintenance, quality, production, and support activities. You will coordinate maintenance planning, contractor oversight, technical compliance, risk management, and cross-functional efforts to ensure safe, reliable, and mission-ready NASA aircraft. The position serves as Back Shop Lead, overseeing work across structural repair, corrosion control, nondestructive inspection (NDI), machining, welding, avionics, electrical, component repair, ground support equipment, and other support shops. It leads planning and coordination of workloads, personnel, equipment, facilities, tooling, materials, and technical requirements supporting aircraft inspections, modifications, repairs, production schedules, and missions. The role coordinates with maintenance, quality, engineering, logistics, safety, operations, contractors, and programs to address repair, fabrication, and production issues. It evaluates maintenance requirements, technical data, shop capabilities, workload, schedules, resources, and risks to develop work plans, recovery strategies, resource recommendations, and courses of action. It also monitors contractor work and performs quality assurance audits, Government Mandatory Inspection Points (GMIPs), process surveillance, and product inspections to verify technical, contractual, safety, and airworthiness compliance. The specialist monitors production and maintenance planning discussions, reports status and risks to leadership, and serves as a senior technical advisor on maintenance support operations, specialized repairs, shop capabilities, workforce, facilities, equipment, quality, compliance, and process improvement.
Requirements
- One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level to qualify for GS-13.
- Experience leading aircraft maintenance support shop activities involving functions such as structural repair, corrosion control, nondestructive inspection, component repair, avionics, electrical, or ground support equipment.
- Experience planning and coordinating maintenance workloads, personnel, tooling, equipment, materials, facilities, and technical requirements for aircraft inspections, repairs, modifications, production schedules, and mission requirements.
- Experience performing or leading quality assurance audits, Government Mandatory Inspection Points, process surveillance, product inspections, and technical compliance reviews of aircraft maintenance, repair, fabrication, or contractor activities.
- U.S. citizenship, U.S. nationality, or allegiance to the United States.
- A pre-employment background investigation or higher-level clearance may be required; investigation and clearance requirements may vary by NASA Center.
- Current federal employees must meet applicable qualifications, time-in-grade, and 90-day requirements by the announcement closing date.
- Applicants must provide a clear, detailed narrative in their own words describing how they meet the specialized experience requirement; copied experience statements may result in disqualification.
Responsibilities
- Serve as Back Shop Lead, providing technical leadership for structural repair, corrosion control, NDI, machining, welding, avionics, electrical, component repair, ground support equipment, and other support shops.
- Plan and coordinate back shop workload, personnel, equipment, facilities, tooling, materials, and technical requirements for aircraft inspections, modifications, repairs, production schedules, and missions.
- Coordinate with maintenance, quality, engineering, logistics, safety, operations, contractors, and programs to resolve repair, fabrication, and production issues.
- Evaluate maintenance requirements, technical data, shop capabilities, workload, schedules, resources, and risk to develop work plans, recovery strategies, resource recommendations, and courses of action.
- Monitor contractor maintenance support for workmanship, technical compliance, production, documentation, tooling, material control, and schedule performance; recommend corrective actions.
- Perform and lead QA audits, GMIPs, process surveillance, and product inspections to verify maintenance and repair compliance with technical, contractual, safety, and airworthiness requirements.
- Monitor back shop production, workload reviews, technical discussions, and maintenance planning sessions; present maintenance status, capability, risks, and recommendations to branch and division leadership.
- Advise on maintenance support operations, specialized repairs, shop capabilities, workforce, facilities, equipment, quality, compliance, and process improvement to enhance safety and aircraft availability.
Benefits
- Federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive benefits package; specific benefits depend on position type and should be confirmed with the hiring agency.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
No Education Listed
