Deputy Section Manager, Mechanical Design Space Exploration

Are you passionate about human space exploration, understanding the origins of the universe, and working with a passionate and diverse team to make a difference? If you are, we need you!

We need your talent, teamwork, and energy to help us achieve great things that inspire people all over the globe. We need you to bring creative ideas and diverse backgrounds to help us envision, shape, and deliver systems that will enable the exploration of space while benefiting people here on Earth. We are excited about what we do, and we need you on our team as we take on exciting challenges for NASA’s pursuits in deep space exploration.

As NASA’s largest engineering solutions provider working together with NASA at centers across the United States.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Deputy Section Manager, Mechanical Design for Space Exploration Applications to join the JETSII Contract!

The Deputy Mechanical Design Section Manager supports the Mechanical Design Section Manager in overseeing approximately 40 personnel involved in Mechanical System Development across several NASA Engineering Divisions. The Deputy allocates 10–20 hours per week to management duties and reports directly to the Mechanical Design Section Manager. The remainder of their time is dedicated to design-related tasking, including design execution, modeling, drawing generation, leadership on mechanical design tasks, cost estimate generation, and participation in quick-response efforts to assist design leads, resolve anomalies, or conduct complex design work.

• Management support for approximately 10-20 hrs./week and remaining hours are design focus.
• Support the Section Manager in ensuring employees follow established procedures and deliver work products aligned with schedule, budget, and quality expectations.
• Assist in maintaining adequate mechanical design personnel coverage for Project Managers.
• Join or conduct selected meetings with Project Managers to provide updates and gather feedback.
• Support routine mechanical design reviews focused on cost, schedule, risk, and deliverable adherence.
• Provide oversight, mentorship, and guidance to individual mechanical design task leads as assigned.
• Assist task leads with tracking and maintaining efficient task performance.
• Maintain and contribute to the section’s lessons learned repository.
• Participate in mechanical system failure investigations as required.
• Support active risk management activities for technical, cost, and schedule elements of mechanical tasks.
• Communicate relevant design status, risks, and needs upward to the Section Manager and senior management.
• Support periodic section meetings, especially those related to personnel safety.
• Conduct periodic one‑on‑one employee check‑ins when delegated.
• Review and approve time cards, overtime requests, and travel when delegated.
• Assist with resource requests, interviewing, and hiring processes.
• Document and support personnel evaluation reviews as requested.
• Generate award nominations for personnel when appropriate.
• Help establish, monitor, and track personnel training plans.
• Coordinate with colleagues to resolve cross‑organizational issues involving technical challenges, process gaps, or resource limitations.
• Support establishment and oversight of technical correctness across section work.
• Contribute to updates or development of Mechanical Design and Development processes.
• Execute mechanical design, modeling, drawing creation, and development activities.
• Serve as a Mechanical Design Lead on assigned projects.
• Generate ROMs and BOEs for projects and tasks.
• Participate as a member of the Mechanical Design Quick Response Team to support other leads, conduct complex design efforts, or resolve anomalies.
• Create comprehensive design concepts from given requirements.
• Support hardware development tasks across NASA programs as assigned.
• Perform other delegated duties.

This position has been posted at multiple levels. Depending on the candidate's experience, requirements, and business needs, we reserve the right to consider candidates at any level for which this position has been advertised.

• Typically requires a minimum of a…