Nasa, Goddard Space Flight Center Work Values

Daily Duties at Nasa, Goddard Space Flight Center:

The Solar Terrestrial Probes (STP) Deputy Program Manager reports to the Sun Earth Connection Program Office. I managed an office of seven individuals, including five project managers. Project managers each had a staff of individuals assigned to the project from other GSFC organizations. This matrix-staff included engineers, scientists, and budget analysts. STP projects included Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory, Solar-B, Magnetospheric MultiScale, Geospace Electrodynamic Connections, and Magnetospheric Constellation. When I first arrived at STP, I found that cost and schedule progress of design and development were well behind established implementation plans and at risk of cancellation. I took immediate action to understand the source of issues and took corrective action. I held formal weekly meetings with each of my project managers to coordinate technical, cost, and schedule status, issues, and risks that may affect project outcome. I prepared a monthly status report which was presented at the Program Status Review, chaired by the Deputy Center Director. Another duty of the Deputy Program Manager is to act as the Contract Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR) of the general aerospace contract with the JHU/Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). This included tasks for STEREO, TDRSS Analysis, Messenger, MEMS, and Cassini MO&DA. Monthly meetings were held with each contract task managers to understand status and issues which affect contract provisions. I met with the contracting officer bi-monthly to brief my status. In addition to the above STP responsibilities, I accepted a voluntary assignment to develop a proposal for Microlensing Planet Finder (MPF), in response to a Discovery AO. The proposal was submitted to the Office of Space Science at NASA Headquarters in July 2004.

What they like about Nasa, Goddard Space Flight Center:

Working in an organization that is technologically advanced, creative, and innovative is critical in your assessment of hiring companies. Less important to you are stability of the organization, the length of time an organization has been in business, and the business' plans for the future. You prefer a fast-moving company that will take risks to achieve its goals and objectives. The length of time the company has been in business is irrelevant. Maintaining status quo is unnecessary. You thrive on change, uncertainty and the upside of potential business risks, especially those associated with innovation. Stability for the long haul is not nearly as important as is working in an atmosphere that is charged with a sense of urgency and constant change.

Tags

Project Management, Microsoft Office, Project Planning and Development, Budget and Schedule Development, Project Management Professional, PMP, Program Management, Program Management Office, Project Management Office, Contract Technical Management, Earned Value Management, EVM, Project Engineering, Risk Management, Concurrent Engineering, Verification, Test, Consultant, PMO

Skills

Project Planning and Development, Budget and Schedule Development, Resource Acquisition and Management, Contract Technical Management, Risk Management, Verification & Test, Written and Oral Presentations, Earned Value Management (EVM), Microsoft Office, Audits, Cost Accounting, Cost / Benefit Analysis, Internal Controls, Reporting, Change Management, Consulting, Project Management, Team Leadership / Motivation, Problem Solving, Process Improvement, Training / Development, Policy Development, Program Management, Technical Writing, Business Development, Negotiations, Needs Assessment, Logistics, Gap Analysis, Procurement / Purchasing, Vendor Relations

These are some of the questions we asked our climbers about their experiences with Nasa, Goddard Space Flight Center: