Fire Protection Engineer (Direct Hire) – John F. Kennedy Space Center
John F. Kennedy Space Center, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, United States
Full Time, Permanent. Work schedule: Full-time. Travel Required: Occasional travel – You may be expected to travel for this position. Telework eligible: Yes – as determined by the agency policy. Remote job: No. Relocation expenses reimbursed: No.
Open: 11/13/2026 to 11/17/2026. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement.
Salary: $125,776 – $193,760 per year. Pay scale & grade GS 14 – 15. Promotion potential: 15. Salary range reflects the lowest and highest potential salaries of the locations.
This job is open to: The public – U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
Summary: Serves as the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) responsible for interpreting and applying fire protection, life safety, building, electrical, and operational requirements supporting NASA facilities and mission operations. Provides technical oversight, compliance determinations, and risk-informed recommendations for facility design, construction, modernization, and operational activities to ensure safe, reliable, and compliant execution of institutional and mission objectives.
Locations: 2 vacancies in the following locations: Kennedy Space Center, FL; Wallops Island, VA.
Duties: Duties described below are at the highest grade advertised. Serves as the Center Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) for interpretation and application of fire protection requirements. Reviews, approves, and provides final determinations on requests for code equivalencies, waivers, and deviations. Advises senior leadership, programs, projects, and institutional organizations on regulatory compliance. Establishes and maintains policies, procedures, and technical standards governing facility design and construction. Serves as the AHJ in multidisciplinary technical reviews of facilities, infrastructure, and launch support. Resolves complex technical issues involving code interpretation, life safety, and fire protection. Coordinates with federal, state, local, and Agency stakeholders to ensure compliance with applicable requirements. Provides strategic leadership supporting facility modernization, operational readiness, and mission assurance.
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. You must meet qualifications requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Position subject to pre-employment background investigation or higher-level clearance. Financial Disclosure, Drug Testing, and/or the Travel Requirements for this position may differ.
Qualifications: In addition to the Basic Education Requirement (in the Education section below), to qualify for this position you must meet the requirements below. To qualify for GS-14, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level: Evaluating facility designs, construction activities, engineering projects, or operational systems. Leading technical analyses, inspections, assessments, or reviews related to fire protection and life safety. Developing recommendations and providing strategic guidance to address code compliance issues. To qualify for GS-15, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level: Serving as a technical authority responsible for interpreting and applying fire protection and life safety requirements. Evaluating and approving code compliance strategies, deviations, waivers, equivalencies, or risk-informed decisions. Advising senior management, engineering organizations, or operational programs regarding regulatory compliance. Your resume must include a clear and detailed narrative description, in your own words, of how you meet the requirements. Experience statements copied from a position description, vacancy announcement or other reference materials will not be considered. 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: Basic Requirement: You must have successfully completed a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor’s or higher degree in engineering, or a combination of education and experience including differential and integral calculus and courses more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following: 1. Professional registration or licensure – Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT), or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE). 2. Written Test – Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination. 3. Specified academic courses – Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences. 4. Related curriculum – Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor’s degree in an engineering technology program. U.S. degrees must have been awarded from colleges or universities that are accredited by a recognized accrediting body (see http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/). Education completed in foreign colleges or universities must be evaluated for U.S. equivalency (see 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.
Additional information: Additional selections may be made for similar positions across NASA within the local commuting area of the position. For purposes of Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) selection priority, well-qualified applicants must: Indicate your eligibility when applying for a position. Exceed the minimum qualification requirements for the position. Submit proof that you meet the requirements for ICTAP as indicated in ‘Required Documents.’ 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 work. 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; 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.
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. Veterans: Under the provisions of Direct Hire Authority, veterans’ preference does not apply. You will be assessed on the following competencies: Fire Protection Engineering; Fire Management; Compliance; Technical Competence. To preview the application questionnaire, click on the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13112789. NASA considers paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs. NASA will not ask you to disclose criminal history record information during the application process. For questions, contact Agency-FCCJ@NASA.gov.
Required documents: All submitted resumes must not exceed two (2) pages in length. Resumes longer than two pages will be rejected by USAJOBS. A complete application package includes a resume, required documents and completion of the vacancy application questionnaire. Please note: if any of the following types of information are included on your resume, your application package will be rejected: 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 submitting. The following documents are required: Resume; Transcript – this position has a basic education requirement. To be found qualified, you must provide a copy of your college transcript that fully demonstrates your education. You may need to submit other supporting documents (licenses, certification, veterans’ preference information). If you are a surplus or displaced employee (CTAP and ICTAP), submit proof that you meet the requirements. Official documents are required at the time of appointment for verification of eligibility and qualifications. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in loss of consideration.
How to apply: Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. We encourage you to provide a complete description of your educational achievements. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial questionnaire. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement. 1. To begin the application process, you will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account. 2. Follow the prompts to select your resume (2 pages or fewer) and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application. 3. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the ‘Include Personal Information’ section. 4. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. NASA’s online application process provides step by step guidance to ensure you provide all needed information. Contact NSSC-STAFFING@MAIL.NASA.GOV for assistance. Be advised – application materials faxed, emailed, and/or mailed to Kennedy Space Center will not be accepted. NASA provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.
Next steps: Once you submit your application package, you will receive an acknowledgement email. Throughout the process, you can check your application status by logging into your USAJOBS account; all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. Whether or not you are contacted for an interview depends upon the location of the position. If you are selected, you will be notified by phone or email with a tentative job offer. An official, written job offer will be issued once all requirements have been verified.
Additional information: This job is in the Competitive Service. Supervisory status: No. Represented by a union: No. Drug test: Yes. Security clearance: Sensitive Compartmented Information. Position sensitivity and risk: Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk. Background check type: Suitability/Fitness. Financial disclosure required: Yes. Occupation and job series: 0804 Fire Protection Engineering. Announcement number KSC-27-DE-13112789-BP.