Veterans
& Military Spouses
NASA values the commitment and service of military veterans and their families.
We remain steadfast in our efforts to hire veterans and military spouses by offering meaningful employment, career development, and workplace flexibilities.
NASA Recognizes Veterans’ Preference and Special Hiring Authorities
Many of the iconic figures at the agency–our astronauts–were former members of the armed services, including Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, John Glenn, Alan Shepard, Jim Lovell, Jr and Guion Bluford.
However, veterans are not only found in the astronaut corps.
Across the agency, veterans deliver subject matter expertise, years of on-the-job training, and advanced skills in everything from information technology to transportation logistics and from supply-chain management to public relations. In addition, there are many opportunities for veterans and military spouses available such as in:
- Aerospace and Aviation
- Electronics Engineering
- Program Management
- Cyber Security
- Security Administration
If you’re a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces and were separated under honorable conditions, you may be eligible for special hiring authorities for veterans’ preference, as well as other veteran specific hiring options.
Veterans Preference
This term refers to individuals, who, as a result of military service or as a result of their connection to someone with military service, are entitled to special preference in the Federal Hiring process. This includes disabled veterans, spouses of disabled veterans, widows/widowers of deceased veterans, and parents of deceased veterans. If you are 10-point preference eligible, you may apply for employment consideration event if there are currently no open announcements for positions in which you are interested.
To check for eligibility or learn more about veterans’ preference visit USAJOBS page on veterans or the veterans’ preference page on fedshirevets.org. View this one-pager for more information on 10 Point Preference Eligibles.
FedsHireVets.gov provides detailed information to veterans, transitioning service members and their families, including veterans’ preference eligibility, special veteran appointing authorities, and other veteran related topics. For more information on special hiring authorities for military spouses please go to USAJOBS – Military Spouses.
Veterans’ Hiring Authorities
If you’re a veteran, you may also be eligible for one of these special hiring authorities:
30% or More Disabled Veteran: An authority that allows a veteran with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more (by way of notice from the Veterans Administration) to be non-competitively appointed. Eligible disabled veterans can receive a noncompetitive, temporary appointment of more than 60 days or a term appointment. Then they may be converted to a career or career-conditional appointment at any time during the temporary or term appointment based on successful performance. Applicants must meet the basic qualifications for the position.
Supporting Documentation: Upon request, you will be required to submit proof of veterans preference to include DD-214 with Character of Service Honorable noted (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), Standard Form (SF-15) and proof required by SF-15. You can upload and save documents to your USAJOBS account.
How do I exercise this option? If you are interested in a vacancy announcement this is currently open, we encourage you to apply directly to the announcement on USAJOBS. If you are a 10-point veteran, where applicable, you will be given preference in hiring in according with applicable federal policies.
If you are a 10-point veteran and wish to submit a late or unsolicited application, please submit an online inquiry to the NASA Shared Service Center Customer Contact Center. Please specify the Category as “Human Resources”, the Area as “Inquiry” and in the Description include that you are requesting to apply as a 10-point later filer and list the specific vacancy announcement for which you would like to be considered, if applicable.
For more information, visit https://www.fedshirevets.gov/job-seekers/veterans/veterans-preference.
Standing Register: NASA accepts and manages a Standing Register for 30% or more Disabled Veterans. As vacancies occur, this register can be used as a means of an alternate recruitment source using a non-competitive hiring authority. Apply here: https://nasa.usajobs.gov/job/813550000
Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA): VRA allows agencies to make non-competitive appointments of eligible veterans up to the GS-11 or equivalent grade level. Veterans are hired under excepted appointments to positions that are otherwise in the competitive service. After the individual satisfactorily completes two years of service, the veteran must be converted noncompetitively to a career or career-conditional appointment. VRA eligibles may apply to merit promotion job announcements (those open to federal employees), if the job announcement is open to individuals outside that agency.
Standing Register: NASA accepts and manages a Standing Register for the Veterans Recruitment Authority. As vacancies occur, this register can be used as a means of an alternate recruitment source using a non-competitive hiring authority. Apply here: https://nasa.usajobs.gov/job/813551300
Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA): A competitive appointing authority that allows eligible individuals to apply to merit promotion job announcements (those open to federal employees), if the job announcement is open to individuals outside that agency.
For more information, visit https://www.fedshirevets.gov/job-seekers/veterans/special-hiring-authorities.
Certain Military Spouses
A non-competitive appointment of certain military spouses to a competitive service position.
Eligibility
- Active Duty Spouse: Spouse of a member of the armed forces on active duty.
- Spouse of a 100% Disabled Veteran: Spouse of a military member who was retired under Chapter 61 of title 10 U.S.C. with a 100% disability rating from the military; or was released from active duty with a disability rating of 100% from the Department of Veterans Affairs or a military branch.
- Widow/Widower: Un-remarried widow/widower of a service member deceased while on active duty (does not have to combat-related).
Supporting Documentation
Marriage certificate and your spouse’s military documentation that shows you meet one of the above criteria.
FAQs
NASA SkillBridge
If you’re a military member nearing the end of your time in uniform and are interested in human space flight, technological advancement, and scientific exploration, NASA SkillBridge is a great way for you to gain invaluable experience!
Visit our SkillBridge Fellowship page to learn more!
Employee Resource Groups for Veterans and Military Spouses
NASA employees can join one of many Employee Resource Groups which support development activities and positive team dynamics. These groups are an excellent resource for information sharing, professional development, and networking.
The Veterans Employment Resource Group connects military veteran employees and their families along with allies together, creating a support network to help each other through the unique challenge’s veterans face. Veteran mentorship also focuses on introducing NASA values and organizational structure.
Other Benefits
There are many benefit entitlements for veterans, military spouses, and their families. NASA offers benefits like retirement plans, health insurance and life insurance as well as financial wellness education and training to make the most of these benefits. Learn more here.
Join our Veterans & Military Spouses Talent Community
Sign up here to receive quarterly communications about job opportunities, career tips, and guidance from NASA employees on how to position yourself to join our team: https://go.nasa.gov/3PAEJKP.
Still Serving: Honoring Marshall, Michoud Veterans
Meet members of our workforce at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and Michoud Assembly Facility who served in the U.S. Armed Forces before beginning their NASA careers!
Read More
Veterans Employee Spotlights
Check out some of our NASA veterans and military spouses who are out of this world:
Watch our #NationalHireAVeteranDay Q&A with NASA Veterans!
Our NASA Veterans answered questions on what it’s like to work at NASA and discuss helpful career and resume tips on how to better position yourself for a career with the agency. Watch the recording!
Career Transitioning:
Meet Tyrone Dillard, a quality assurance engineer at NASA. He talks about his experience in the Marines and his transition to a career at NASA.
Military Spouses:
Meet Latasha Ferguson is a Lead Human Resource Specialist at NASA’s Shared Services Center (NSSC). She discusses her career journey to NASA as a military spouse.
Deborah Lockhart, Public Engagement Specialist
Deborah Lockhart is a military veteran who now works as a Public Engagement Specialist at NASA Glenn Research Center. When asked her how her military experience helps in her role at NASA: “I draw from my military experiences and training every day. From leadership to followership, diversity and resilience, teamwork, structure, planning…. everything I learned during my service can apply to my current position.”
Read More
