Full Job Description
The Contract for Organizing Spaceflight Mission Operations and Systems (COSMOS), NASA's next-generation mission operations contract, has an excellent opportunity for a System Test Engineer to join the team of testers responsible for testing the baseline software releases used in NASA Johnson Space Center's Mission Control Center (MCC). In particular, the successful candidate will develop testing capabilities within the test team for testing of the MCC Trajectory Services (MTS). The applicant will work in a dynamic team environment and will be responsible for working with the NASA customer, users, software engineers, and commercial and international partners to capture and understand system requirements, operations concepts, and develop test plans and procedures for execution. Travel required 1-2 times per year, typically lasting several days per trip. COSMOS ensures the continuity of critical human spaceflight support by providing mission control services, advanced training systems, and full-scale spacecraft mockups for astronaut preparation and engineering analysis.
Description of Duties
The MTS System Test Engineer is responsible for working in a dynamic team environment and will be responsible for working with the NASA customer, other systems engineers, users, and software engineers to test the MCC Trajectory Services (MTS) software. The candidate will perform patch testing, system release testing, procedure and document reviews, as well as, participate in the decomposition of system architecture requirements and development of test procedures to verify those requirements, and plan test objectives for test runs. The candidate should have a good understanding of the full software development life cycle from planning, design, building, testing, deployment and maintenance.
Successful candidates will:
37Be curious and willing to learn
37Decompose system architecture requirements and developing test procedures to verify those
requirements, as well as, plan test objectives for test runs
37Develop test plans to support detailed test procedures
37Execute test procedures, and documenting actual test results against expected results
37Perform systems requirements analysis, functional analysis, timeline analysis, requirements allocation,
and interface definition
37Perform technical management and integration tasks
37Develop new automated and manual test plans
37Make improvements and suggestions to advance overall system test capabilities
37Participate in peer reviews of test products to ensure quality results (Quality assurance)
37Perform script creation and maintenance, as well as process improvement/automation
37Possess strong team-building skills across multi-functional areas that establish a collaborative operational structure including active listening, prompt service and follow-up
37Exhibit proven track record of working under tight deadlines
37Have a high degree of self-motivation and the ability to work independently
37Have a keen attention to detail/be detail-oriented
37Have excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
37Exhibit professional behavior that promotes teamwork, fosters cooperation, and enhances productivity in the workplace.
37Be well organized with the ability to coordinate, prioritize and execute multiple tasks simultaneously in a high-pressure environment.
Job Requirements
Must have one of the following combinations of education and experience: Bachelor's/Master's degree and 2 to 5 years of general experience.
37Preferred candidates will hold a bachelor's or master's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Astronautics, or other related fields, Physics, Math or equivalent experience with 0 - 2 years of direct experience in orbital mechanics software testing
37Must have previous experience with scripting and/or automation
37Must have previous experience with the SDLC
37Strong coordination and communication skills, both oral and written
37Capability to support schedules and meet deadlines
37Ability to work as part of a team or as an individual contributor
37Excellent interpersonal skills
37Be able to work a flexible and dynamic work schedule 37Test events frequently require 8+ hours
37Test events occasionally scheduled for night and weekend shifts due to availability of MCCS and/or lab resources
37Strong initiative, teamwork and problem-solving skills
37Ability to plan, maintain schedules, and push to meet deadlines
37Good understanding of Linux, JAVA, C#, Windows and Windows applications
37Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and professionally represent the program
37Highly motivated individual willing to learn and apply new concepts, tools, and software
37Good problem solving and analytical skills; detail-oriented
37Must be able to obtain a NASA Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Badge for NASA credentials
The individual should possess strong initiative, be a team player (teamwork), be flexible to changing program needs, and possess strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills. The job requires close communication and collaboration with other engineers, the software development community and members of the user community to successfully perform analysis and test preparation. The successful candidate will be a self-learner, curious and familiar with SW engineering; will be detail oriented and have clear concise communication (able to explain technical concepts and test status up and out). To be successful, the candidate shall have the ability to work towards deadlines and deliver quality products.
Desired Requirements
37Experience with Office 365 Tools
37Understanding of orbital mechanics is a plus
37Test documentation experience
37Previous experience with automation, Git, and Python
37Familiarity with scripting languages and tools
37Operational experience with software testing
37Familiarity with Requirements verification methodologies
37Familiarity with Service Now
37Leadership skills
Final compensation is determined through a comprehensive evaluation of several key factors, including the candidate's educational background, specialized technical expertise, and relevant professional experience. We also consider internal equity, prevailing market data, and specific contractual or funding requirements to ensure competitive and equitable offer alignment.