Group Manager, Sample Science

Are you passionate about human space exploration, understanding the origins of the universe, and working with a passionate and diverse team to make a difference? If you are, we need you!     

We need your talent, teamwork, and energy to help us achieve great things that inspire people all over the globe. We need you to bring creative ideas and diverse backgrounds to help us envision, shape, and deliver systems that will enable the exploration of space while benefiting people here on Earth. We are excited about what we do, and we need you on our team as we take on exciting challenges for NASA’s pursuits in deep space exploration. As NASA’s largest engineering solutions provider working together with NASA at centers across the United States.

Amentum is seeking a Manager for the Sample Science Group to lead and develop a multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers supporting NASA Astromaterials Research, Curation Science, and Curation Collections. Collections curated include the NASA Lunar Sample Collection, Meteorite, Stardust, Cosmic Dust, OSIRIS-REx, Hayabusa, and other astromaterial samples.  Research conducted includes academic scientific research in the origin and evolution of the solar system.  The Group Manager is accountable for operational excellence, people leadership, compliance, and contract/task order performance. This role ensures timekeeping integrity for the group, conducts annual performance reviews, assists with Task Order (TOs) management, engages with customers, and drives the consistent flow-down and adherence to Amentum policies and procedures. The Group Manager interfaces regularly with the Department Manager, Department Technical Monitor (DTM), and Section Managers to facilitate and align program objectives, technical priorities, staffing, schedule, and budget.

Key Responsibilities:
 
Leadership 

• Assist department leadership in the vision for the department and guide, coach, and instruct department personnel in achieving the vision.
• Foster an environment that promotes innovative thinking and solutions.
• Promote an environment that emphasizes strong communication and relationships with customers.
• Cultivate a culture of safety, inclusion, integrity, and continuous improvement.
• Provide a framework or continuous process improvement, including analysis of process performance, streamlining of processes, and automation of processes.
• Confirm full flow-down and adherence of Amentum policies/procedures, including ethics, safety, security, and quality.
• Coordinate with internal stakeholders (Department Director, DTM, HR, Finance, QA/ES&H) to ensure mission success and compliance.
• Represent the Group in reviews, readiness assessments, and status briefings.

Supervision

• Directly supervise Section Managers across Astromaterials Research, Curation Science, and Curation Collections; provide coaching, mentorship, and performance feedback.
• Conduct annual performance reviews, including goal setting, development plans, and merit recommendations.
• Ensure timely approval of all timecards across the group. 
• Interface with the customers to address technical topics, schedules, risks, resources, and performance updates.
• Optimize resource allocation across sections to meet program milestones and deliverables.
• Provide regular status reports to the Department Director and DTM: staffing, schedule/budget highlights, risk, technical and employee issues, corrective actions

Requisition Qualifications:

This position has been posted at multiple levels. Depending on the candidate's experience, requirements, and business needs, we reserve the right to consider candidates at any level for which this position has been advertised.

• ​A BS degree and a minimum of 5-10 years experience are typically required.
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, e.g., Physical Sciences, Geosciences, Materials Science, or a related field or equivalent experience.
• 5–8+ years of relevant experience in scientific research, science operations, curation of collections, or related technical programs.
• 3+ years of people leadership managing supervisors and/or technical teams.
• Ability to review and understand Task Orders (TOs) or similar contractual work scopes (scope, schedule, cost, risk).
• Strong communication skills with the ability to interface effectively with customers and cross-functional stakeholders.

Requisition Preferences:

• ​Advanced degree (MS/MBA/PhD) in a relevant discipline.
• Experience working laboratory operations, or space mission support environments
• Prior responsibility for multi-person leadership, technical reviews, and customer engagement.
• Experience