+ View all Success Stories

Complete electronic application packages (PDFs) are due by 5 pm on Friday, August 1, 2008 and must be routed through candidates’ respective Directorates to the Goddard IPP Office, Code 504.

[Links followed by * open new browser windows.]

Qualified NASA Goddard employees are invited to apply to be an Innovation Ambassador under a new program sponsored by NASA’s Innovative Partnerships Program (IPP) Office.

The Innovation Ambassador opportunity will provide a temporary developmental assignment for select members of NASA's technical workforce. These employees will be assigned to work with a host external organization for up to 1 year.   Shorter assignments (6 months or 9 months) will also be considered. The host organization will have the benefit of the expertise of the NASA employee at no cost. The NASA employee will focus on improving their technical and management skills while learning, on a day-to-day basis, about the innovative technologies and processes used by the host organization. The Innovation Ambassador can also share ideas and approaches from their NASA experience. On a routine basis, during and then following the assignment, the NASA employee will be expected to disseminate their new knowledge within NASA and lead efforts to implement new technologies and process improvements based on their experience. An additional benefit for NASA and the host organization is the potential for the Innovation Ambassadors activity to lead to future business partnerships and other interactions.

Goddard’s specific requirements that supersede the HQ requirements are below: 
 

• Goddard is seeking applicants for projects covering the following scientific/technical disciplines:
• Instruments or Detectors
• Composites/Materials
• Communications
• Software
• Guidance & Navigation

• Goddard is looking for truly innovative partnerships. Applications for the “usual suspects” will not be considered. Thinking outside the box is a key element to being selected as Goddard’s submission to HQ for consideration. This Innovation Ambassador Program is an opportunity to engage non-traditional NASA partners in industries that may not normally interact with NASA. NASA can benefit from seeing how other industries apply innovation and can potentially identify areas where non-NASA developed technology may be infused into NASA for modification/development for NASA uses.
• Examples of some “unusual suspects” to consider (not limited to) for assignment are:
• Companies making small instruments (e.g., Boston Microsystems, Nano-C, Siemens, etc.) or radiation detection devices (e.g., International Radiation Detectors, Innovative American Technology, etc.) for Instruments or Detectors
• Bicycle or automobile manufacturers (e.g., Trek, Felt, Honda, etc.) for Composites/Materials
• Fiber optic and communications companies (LSA, AEI Wireless Communications, Foxcom, etc.) for Communications
• Medical imaging companies (TeraRecon, Siemens, GE, etc.) for Software

• Candidates must be a civil servant engineers, scientists, project managers or program managers at the GS-13 to GS-15 level.

• The NASA Headquarters IPP Office will fund the travel expenses for the Innovation Ambassador and the salary is the responsibility of Goddard. Therefore, concurrence from first-line supervisor, Branch, Division, and Directorate management is required. 

For more information about the application requirements and forms, please go to the following links:

• Innovation Ambassador Developmental Assignment Guide*
• Individual Development Plan (IDP)*
• Innovation Ambassador FAQs*

Application Forms: go to http://nef.nasa.gov* in the Quick Form Search field select 1780. Two forms will be listed. Both are required: NF1780 NASA Innovation Ambassadors Developmental Assignment Application and NF1780A NASA Innovation Ambassadors Developmental Assignment Application (Supplemental Attachment). 

Complete application packages are due by 5pm on Friday, August 1, 2008 and must be routed through candidates respective Directorates to the Goddard IPP Office, Code 504. Only electronic files (PDFs) will be accepted. Files should be e-mailed to Dale Hithon at Dale.L.Hithon@nasa.gov. Additional screening and evaluation will be conducted by representatives of Goddard’s technology management community prior to submitting to NASA HQ for final review and selections. For more information regarding this activity, please contact Ms. Dale Hithon Clarke at 301-286-2691 or Dale.L.Hithon@nasa.gov.