Information Technology: Hiring, Personnel, and the NASA Perspective

1
Information Technology Hiring, Personnel, and
the NASA Perspective

• George J. Roncaglia
• Program Manager, Scientific and Technical
  Information Office
• NASA/Langley Research Center
• November 17, 2003

2
The NASA Scientific and Technical Information
Program

• NASA STI is Program that identifies, collects,
  organizes, and distributes the published
  scientific and technical output of NASA
• To accomplish this goal the NASA STI Program
  maintains a Central Computer operation housed at
  Hanover, MD, with additional operations at each
  NASA Field Center

3
The Composition of STI

• Journal Articles (published in outside journals)
• Technical Reports (NASAs own publications)
• Photographs
• Presentations
• Interim reports
• Contractor Reports
• Videos
• Film

4
Objectives and Goals of the NASA STI Program

• Operational
• Manage the operational systems in the most
  efficient manner possible
• Provide reliable products and service to
  customers
• Development Activities
• Digital library work
• Technology infusion into Program

5
Organizational Components of STI

• Center for Aerospace Information (CASI), located
  in Hanover, Maryland
• Ingestion Systems
• Storage Systems
• Distribution Systems
• Business Systems/Customer Support Systems
• STI Program Office, at NASA/Langley Research
  Center
• Administration of Program

6
Organizational Components, continued

• Storage and distribution systems
• NASA Headquarters, Washington D.C.
• Budget and Review
• Other NASA Field Centers and Installations
• Ames, Dryden, Glenn, Goddard, JPL, Johnson,
  Kennedy, Marshall, Stennis, and others

7
STI Workforce

• NASA
• Full-time permanent Federal Government assigned
  to Program
• Permanent Federal employees detailed to Program
  (part-time and full-time)
• NASA Contractors working for STI
• Subcontractors to NASA Contractors
• Others (Grantees, University partners, Other
  Federal Agencies

8
STI Work Force and Skill Mix

• Who do we have
• Indexers
• Abstracters
• Librarians/Technical Information Specialists
• Programmers
• System Administrators
• Network Administrators and support
• Information Technology Security
• Database Administration

9
Recruitment of Personnel Who is Looking?

• Federal Government/NASA
• Electronic Job Announcements (http//usajobs.opm.g
  ov, and local websites for NASA Field
  Installations
• Government Contractors
• Use variety of recruitment tools depending on the
  individual company, e.g., electronic and paper
  sources, job fairs, recruiting visits, etc.

10
Recruitment of Personnel Who Are We Looking For?

• Right Skills at the right time
• Demonstrated Good technical skills
• Communication Skills (verbal, and written)
• Interpersonal skills
• Flexibility of approach
• Ability to learn and keep learning
• Ability to obtain relevant clearances

11
Recruitment of Personnel What Should You Do?

• Do your homework
• Correctly Identify target
• Are your skills and goals a good organizational
  match?
• Do background study, for both employer and if
  possible interviewer
• Understand the marketplace and your value in it
• Do the necessary bureaucratic steps on time and
  correctly

12
Summary

• Information Technology employment picture within
  the Federal Government is one of both great
  variety and opportunity, as well as complexity.
• Requires effort to understand it and be
  successful in negotiating it
• Rewarding once achieved
• Career Management might be your most important
  subject