For 'Direct Hire' positions, how long is the standard?
Position Title: Computer Scientist, AST, Computer Research and Development (Direct Hire)
Agency: Headquarters, NASA
Announcement Number: HQ-26-DE-12902579-CWO
Open Period: Friday, March 6, 2026 to Friday, March 13, 2026
---
Howdy all, I applied to the above role on March 9th as one of my first USAJobs applications.
I'm aware that federal jobs routinely take some time to complete its process, but I also saw (in this thread) that NASA is rebuilding/ramping back up on hiring. I assumed that Direct Hire would mean an expedited hiring process, but I have not heard anything since March 16th. The announcement shows that they are still reviewing applications, so is ~two months standard for NASA direct hires?
FWIW, on March 16th, I did receive a letter saying that I was eligible + referred for GS14 at the locations that I indicated interest in. My main concern is that I have received a separate offer that is interesting, but not nearly as interesting as I believe working for NASA may be. I do not want to run into a scenario where I accept this offer (which is OCONUS) and then hear back from NASA shortly thereafter.
Thank you in advance for any advice/guidance you all can provide!