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Mechanical

Research Materials Engineer, AST, Aerospace Materials

NASA logoNASA$117,284–$152,471/yrEgg Harbor Township, New Jersey, United StatesFull-timePosted 2d ago

About the job

## Summary As a Research Material Engineer, AST, Aerospace Materials in the Durability, Damage Tolerance, and Reliability Branch, you will lead computational and experimental studies on Process-Intensive Metallic Materials, develop models to predict material behavior, collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, and communicate research findings to advance material performance, reliability, and safety for aerospace applications. ## Duties - Conduct computational modeling of advanced materials for aerospace applications, including metals, ceramics, polymers, composites, and coatings. - Develop predictive frameworks for material behavior, integrating empirical, theoretical, and numerical approaches to advance computational materials science for aerospace materials. - Design, execute, and process data from experiments to calibrate and validate models and characterize Process-Intensive Metallic Materials (e.g., processed using Laser Powder Bed Fusion) supporting reliability and durability research. - Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to develop and mature computational materials research as the foundation for engineering solutions across diverse aerospace structures and systems. - Interpret and implement the results of testing, nondestructive evaluation and high-fidelity metrology to calibrate and validate computational materials simulations of the properties and performance of materials in aeronautical and space environments. - Innovate and implement new computational and experimental methods for material characterization, properties and performance assessment. - Manage technical aspects of contracted research, ensuring compliance with NASA standards and project requirements. - Prepare and present technical reports and research findings to stakeholders, advancing NASA’s mission through knowledge dissemination. ## Qualifications In addition to the Basic Education Requirement (in the Education section below), to qualify for this position you must meet the requirements below and have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade, which has equipped you with the particular competencies needed to successfully perform the duties of the position described above.

NASA utilizes OPM-approved qualification and rating requirements specific for Aerospace Technology (AST) positions which recognizes NASA's unique aerospace work. The specific qualifications and minimum education requirements are further described below and within the education section of the job announcement.

To qualify for GS-13, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level: Conducting computational materials modeling of process-structure-property/performance (PSP/P) relationships for Process-Intensive Metallic Materials for aerospace applications; Developing or applying methods for predicting the damage tolerance and life of aerospace Process-Intensive Metallic Materials; Processing and interpreting high-fidelity nondestructive evaluation data of Process-Intensive Metallic Materials to define the initial damage and track damage evolution state for analyses.

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.

Please visit https://www.nasa.gov/careers/how-to-apply/#Super-Intelligence to review NASA's guidance on the use of super intelligent (SI) or SI-assisted tools during the application process. ## Education This position requires education or exceptional experience Basic Education Requirement: You must have successfully completed a bachelor's degree with a major in one of the following: a) Engineering from a college or university that has ABET accredited engineering programs b) Physical Science, Mathematics, Life Science or other field of Science c) Computer Science that included 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours of course work in any combination of mathematics, statistics and computer science with at least half of those hours in mathematics and statistics courses that included differential and integral calculus; and that provided an in-depth knowledge of theoretical and practical applications of computer science, including digital computer system architecture and system software organization, the representation and transformation of information structures, and the theoretical models for such representations and transformations.

If you did not complete a qualifying bachelor's degree, you may be eligible if you have obtained a graduate degree in an AST qualifying field, as listed above.

Applicants who do not fully meet the basic education requirement may still be considered if they possess exceptional relevant experience, or a combination of education and experience, that clearly demonstrates significant full performance-level achievement directly related to the duties of this position.

Engineering degrees earned within the United States: Engineering degrees earned within the United States must be from a college or university that has at least one ABET accredited engineering program. To find out if a school has at least one ABET accredited program, please visit http://www.abet.org.

Engineering degrees earned outside the United States: Engineering degrees earned outside the United States must be recognized by a 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/.

Science and other related degrees earned within the United States: Science and other related degrees must have been awarded from colleges or universities that are accredited by recognized accrediting organizations. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, go to http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.

Science and other related degrees earned outside the United States: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs.

These education credentials must be deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. All degrees must have been received in the year of, or any year subsequent to the original date of accreditation.

This is a US federal job announcement from USAJOBS, the government's official job site, where the application is made. This board is not operated, sponsored or endorsed by OPM or the hiring agency.

From NASA's job posting, checked 7 Nov 2026. The employer's own page is the final word on requirements and availability.

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