C 1.0 NASA Internal & External Environments
C 1.0 NASA Internal and External Environments
Understanding the three main components of NASA’s Internal and External Environments—agency structure, mission, and internal goals; understanding NASA project management/systems engineering procedures and guidelines; and understanding NASA’s external relationships.
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Categories and Competencies
Common Competencies
C 1.1 Agency Structure, Mission, and Internal Goals
Understanding and successfully adapting work approach and style to NASA’s functional, social, cultural, and political structure and interrelationships to achieve Agency, Mission, Directorate, Center, program, and project goals. Includes aligning activities with the agency’s vision, mission, objectives, goals, and plans.
Underlying Skills
- Leadership
- Strategic thinking
- Win-win negotiations
- Working in teams
Fundamental Knowledge of:
- Agency and project mission, goals, and objectives
- Political, economic, and other factors that influence agency goals
Explore proficiencies for each role.
Team Practitioner / Discipline EngineerParticipates as a project team member to gain an overall understanding of the agency structure, mission, and internal goals and to gain initial experience in the competency.
Team Practitioners/Discipline Engineers should be able to describe, identify, or define:
- The agency’s structure, goals, mission, plans, and objectives.
- How to align technical activities and metrics with vision, missions, plans, and objectives for both the agency and the center(s) involved.
Team Lead / Subsystem Lead
Proficiency Level
Leads teams intact and at a subsystem level in the execution of the agency structure, mission, and internal goals.
Team Leads/Subsystem Leads should be able to:
- Perform project management and/or systems engineering activities within the agency structure and across programs, centers, and NASA to achieve project subsystem goals.
Project Manager / Project Systems Engineer
Proficiency Level
- Leads teams at the project level in the execution of the agency structure, mission, and internal goals.
- Provides guidance and expertise at the project level to resolve issues.
Project Managers/Project Systems Engineers should be able to:
- Lead and manage project management and/or systems engineering activities to achieve goals within the agency structure and across programs, centers, and NASA.
- Understand the impact of legal, government, and jurisprudence requirements.
Program Manager / Chief Engineer
Proficiency Level
Leads overall effort, reviews and approves products, resolves issues, and maintains relationships with the highest level internal, external, and international contacts.
Program Managers/Chief Engineers should be able to:
- Establish program/project and/or systems engineering requirements needed to achieve goals and mission success within the agency structure.
- Establish the center’s program/technical requirements and infrastructure to be aligned with the agency structure.
C 1.2 NASA Project Management/Systems Engineering Procedures and Guidelines
Structuring activities to comply with relevant agency and center processes and guidelines including NASA Procedural Requirements (NPR) 7120.5 and NPR 7123.1.
Underlying Skills
- Leadership
- Strategic thinking
- Win-win negotiations
- Working in teams
Fundamental Knowledge of:
- Agency mission, goals, and objectives
- Legal, government, and jurisprudence
- Project management procedures and requirements
- Systems engineering procedures and requirements
Explore proficiencies for each role.
Team Practitioner / Discipline EngineerParticipates as a project team member to gain an overall understanding of the NASA project management and/or systems engineering procedures and to gain initial experience in the competency.
Team Practitioners/Discipline Engineers should be able to describe, identify, or define:
- NASA’s project management and systems engineering policies and guidelines as outlined in NASA procedures and guideline documents.
- Center project management and systems engineering policies and guidelines as outlined in center procedures and guideline documents.
Team Lead / Subsystem Lead
Proficiency Level
- Leads teams (intact and at a subsystem level) in the execution of the project management and/or systems engineering processes.
- Provides guidance and expertise to team members, assisting in resolving issues.
Team Leads/Subsystem Leads should be able to:
- Structure and manage subsystem activities to comply with NASA and center project management and/or systems engineering guidelines.
Project Manager / Project Systems Engineer
Proficiency Level
- Leads teams at the project level in the execution of the project management and/or systems engineering processes.
- Provides guidance and expertise to resolve project issues.
Project Managers/Project Systems Engineers should be able to:
- Structure and manage project activities to comply with NASA and center project management and systems engineering guidelines.
Program Manager / Chief Engineer
Proficiency Level
Leads overall effort, reviews and approves products, resolves issues, and maintains relationships with the highest level of internal, external, and international contacts.
Program Managers/Chief Engineers should be able to:
- Establish the requirements for activities that comply with the project management and systems engineering policies and guidelines for the agency and center(s) involved.
- Lead the review and development of program/project management and systems, engineering policies, and guidelines to ensure mission success.
- Support policies as they pertain to the agency and center(s) involved.
C 1.3 External Relationships
Maintaining cognizance of the policies and procedures of other organizations by participating in professional societies/ organizations, contributing to professional development activities, researching best practices from external sources such as industry standards, procedures, and regulations and universities, and developing international partnerships and agreements, where applicable, complying with ITAR and as well as international agreements and standards.
Underlying Skills
- Leadership
- Strategic thinking
- Win-win negotiations
- Working in teams
Fundamental Knowledge of:
- Agency mission, goals, and objectives
- Federal ITAR regulations
- Legal, government, and jurisprudence
Explore proficiencies for each role.
Team Practitioner / Discipline EngineerParticipates as a project team member to gain an overall understanding of external relationships and to gain initial experience in the competency.
Team Practitioners/Discipline Engineers should be able to describe, identify, or define:
- International partnerships, agreements, standards, and ITAR as they relate to the team’s activities.
Team Lead / Subsystem Lead
Proficiency Level
- Leads teams (intact and at a subsystem level) in developing and maintaining external relationships.
- Provides guidance and expertise to team members, assisting in resolving issues.
Team Leads/Subsystem Leads should be able to:
- Contribute to the activities of professional societies and/or organizations.
- Maintain current knowledge of state-of-the-field research and key individuals.
- Manage subsystem activities in compliance with ITAR and international agreements and standards.
Project Manager / Project Systems Engineer
Proficiency Level
- Leads teams at the project level in developing and maintaining external relationships.
- Provides guidance and expertise at the project level, resolving project issues.
Project Managers/Project Systems Engineers should be able to:
- Demonstrate complete compliance with ITAR and international agreements and standards as they relate to the project.
- Participate in leadership roles within professional societies and/or organizations.
Program Manager / Chief Engineer
Proficiency Level
Leads overall effort, reviews and approves products, resolves issues, and maintains relationships with the highest level of internal, external, and international contacts.
Program Managers/Chief Engineers should be able to:
- Contribute knowledge and up-to-date research in their discipline.
- Comply with ITAR and international agreements and standards as they relate to the program.
- Establish program requirements that conform to industry and professional standards, procedures, and regulations.