Lead Aerospace Engineer, AST, Flight Systems

KSC-24-IMP-12427656-CB

Grade: GS-14

John F. Kennedy Space Center

This position of Lead Flight Software Analyst in the Flight Dynamics Branch of the NASA Launch Services Program requires knowledge of software coding practices for commercial launch vehicle providers as well as familiarity with the software lifecycle, and applicable industry and government software standards. You will be responsible for coordinating the tasks of the Flight Software team and providing technical guidance and assistance to other engineers in the group as necessary.

Supervisory General Engineer, AST, Experimental Facilities Techniques

JSC-24-IMP-12429704-JL

Grade: GS-15

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

As the Chief of the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) Office, you will be responsible for providing technical direction and support to the Flight Operations Directorate (FOD), Program Offices, and other JSC organizations on all matters related to the development, management, and operation of the NBL. You will lead the team responsible for defining, developing, procuring, operating, and maintaining mockups, trainers, and operations of the facility.

Research Astrophysicist, AST, Fields and Particles (Direct Hire)

GSFC-24-DE-12401967-CC

Grade: GS-13

Goddard Space Flight Center

As a Research Astrophysicist in the Astroparticle Physics Laboratory in the Astrophysics Division at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), you will contribute to building an instrument of particle detector systems incorporating Cherenkov radiation detectors and silicon-strip detectors. The work will support NASA's Trans-Iron Galactic Element Recorder for the International Space Station (TIGERISS), which will measure the individual element abundances of cosmic-ray nuclei from Boron to Lead.

Aerospace Engineer, AST, Aerospace Flight Systems (Direct Hire)

LaRC-24-DE-12427584-BP

Grade: GS-14

Langley Research Center

As a Senior Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) Engineer within the Aeronautics Systems Engineering Branch you will be leading a team of engineers and technicians to perform state-of-the-art integrated flight testing in support of NASA. Within this role you will plan and execute complex UAS projects, working with several organizations at Langley Research Center to perform flight testing. Advanced autonomous system integration, checkout, flight testing, and documentation are key elements of this work.

Deputy Director, Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate

MSFC-24-ES-12428361

Grade: ES-00

George C. Marshall Space Flight Center

The Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA) Directorate at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) leads the entire Marshall workforce in its commitment to assuring mission success and making the workforce and the work of the Center and the Agency as safe as possible. The SMA Deputy Director assists the SMA Director in planning, establishing, implementing, and directing all SMA programs and processes for the MSFC institution and associated in-house and contracted activities.

Community Planner

HQ-24-IMP-12428684-CWO

Grade: GS-15

Headquarters, NASA

As a Community Planner within the Facilities and Real Estate Division, Office of Strategic Infrastructure (OSI) at NASA Headquarters you will provide support to the agency's facilities and real property management function including facilities planning, design, construction, maintenance, operation, resource and budget, and real estate. You will lead the development of the Agency Master Plan, leading the Master Planning Community of Practice and assisting the Centers with their Master Plans.

Contract Price/Cost Analyst

HQ-24-IMP-12432682-LC

Grade: GS-14

Headquarters, NASA

The NASA Office of Procurement seeks a Subject Matter Expert Senior Contract Price/Cost Analysts to perform comprehensive price, cost, and financial analysis for establishing negotiation objectives. Assignments will involve a variety of unusual procurements requiring a high degree of competence and insight to ensure validity of Government pricing objectives, negotiation positions, administration, and termination positions.

General Engineer, AST, Technical Management (Direct Hire)

MSFC-24-DE-12416139-RW

Grade: GS-15

George C. Marshall Space Flight Center

You will serve as Program/Project Manager in the Human Exploration and Development Operations Office (HP) with responsibility to oversee the management and integration of cost, technical, schedule, and risk in support of programs such as, Artemis, Moon to Mars, International Space Station, and special projects. You will collaborate with technical managers, executives, and stakeholders in integrating projects and programs across the Center, Agency, and external organizations.

Deputy Associate Administrator, Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate

HQ-24-ES-12422847

Grade: ES-00

Headquarters, NASA

Serves as the Deputy Associate Administrator for the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD), sharing responsibility with the Associate Administrator for ESDMD in providing leadership and management of human spaceflight development and operations related to the Moon and Mars campaign.

So, my (30m) gf works at walmart in the receiving section where product gets unloaded from companies to put on the shelves. Multiple different drivers now have touched her and made advances that she made clear were unwelcome. This is a nearly every day situation. Her leadership is either indifferent or actively hostile to her to the point of apparently turning some of the security cameras away from her workstation, shes been trying to find a new job but without luck for some time now, and we arent financially able to just have her quit her job. This has been going on for around 6 months, and I have been putting off actually doing anything at her request because shes been hoping to find a new job soon and it hasnt been worth the hassle.
Some of the touches have been sexual like very clearly "accidentally" full hand on ass and things of that nature, while others are more like really awkward elbow rubs for some reason and the hand on the lower back thing guys do that I fucking despise.
I just don't know what to do or how to approach this. Ive considered driving down there myself and starting shit, but I know thats not a good idea and will only make more trouble and possibly get her fired for me causing a ruckus like that, so I could really use some help. Im tired of hearing about her getting touched by people without her consent. She shouldnt have to deal with this anywhere, much less at her fucking job where she works to make money to survive. Any good advice?

Hi ecommerce - I'm Paul and I follow the e-commerce industry closely for my Shopifreaks E-commerce Newsletter. Each week I post a summary recap of the week's top stories, which I cover in depth with sources in the full edition. Let's dive in...
STAT OF THE WEEK: One-seventh of the $5 trillion worth of retail goods sold in the United States in 2023 were returned, according to the National Retail Federation. Amanda Mull wrote for The Atlantic last year, the standard way of selling things online—with the blanket promise You can always send it back!—has become unsustainable.
PayPal is launching an advertising platform built on the massive troves of customer transaction data it's obtained from its 400M active users, payment processing network, Venmo app, and partner retailers over the past 25 years. The company is pitching the offering as a way to help merchants sell more products and services while acting as a discovery engine for consumers. Central to the offering is PayPal's new Advanced Offers platform, which uses AI to analyze nearly half a trillion dollars of transaction data to generate consumer insights and offer personalized deals. With Advanced Offers, merchants only pay for performance (ie: sales) instead of impressions or clicks like traditional ad networks — which could make it an attractive alternative for merchants.
PayPal's not the only one. Everyone's building an ad network:

• JP Morgan Chase launched a new digital media business called Chase Media Solutions that also serves ads based on consumer spending data. Similar to PayPal's Advanced Offers, advertisers will only pay when a customer makes a purchase.
• Visa is rolling out “data tokens” that allow businesses to request consent from customers to get real-time, personalized offers as they shop. Banks will also receive a token to show where a customer's data has been shared and display it in their mobile app, so that people can decide whether they want to continue sharing data with that merchant or revoke access.
• Expedia launched an ad network called Expedia Group Media Solutions that combines first-party traveler intent and purchase data with on and offsite ad tools.
• Brave launched a CPC ad offering called Search Ads in key markets after 18 months of successful testing and feedback. Brave Search is the default search engine in the Brave Browser, which has over 65M monthly active users.
  TikTok put on hold its plans to launch its e-commerce business across major European markets, with plans to instead focus on growth in the US where it's currently fighting a divest-or-ban law. ByteDance had previously announced that it would be rolling out its shopping platform across Spain, Germany, Italy, France, and Ireland as soon as July, and to Mexico and Brazil shortly after — but now plans to launch in all those countries are on hold, according to Bloomberg sources. Instead, company leadership want to concentrate on its most lucrative market with over 170M monthly users, even though that market could be pulled out from under its feet next year.
  

In a leaked memo, COO Kaz Nejatian informed fellow Shopifolk that Shopify Plus will continue to be sold as a plan, but it will not be considered a brand with designated teams within the company, according to Business Insider. He wrote, “Please remove Plus branding from all decks, all signage, all marketing. We build, market, and sell Shopify.” He added, “Today, Shopify Plus is just a plan. It is not a standalone brand. It is not a product. It is not a team. Shopify Plus will have all the same brand equity as Shopify Advanced or Shopify Basic. I will view any Plus branding in any of our marketing as a bug and will report it as such. We will reach different audiences using different channels. But always with one brand.”
JD.com founder Richard Liu blasted underperforming employees in a company-wide video, where he proclaimed that there is no place for unproductive staff. Liu said that, “For people who underperform and don't work hard, the company will not tolerate them and will weed them out.” The message stands in contrast with past comments by Liu, who has repeatedly highlighted comradeship in the company culture by calling staff “my brothers.” However the video comes at a time when JD.com is actively looking for ways to compete against its newest rival Pinduoduo (whose parent company PDD Holdings also owns Temu).
A number of high ranking senior executives at Taobao and Tmall Group (owned by Alibaba) retired, paving the way for a younger generation of leaders to take the reins of the company's e-commerce unit. Their exits come several months after Alibaba promoted six young executives to lead key departments of the e-commerce websites, as part of a management reshuffle under CEO Eddie Wu Yongming, who took over last December. Last month Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma made calls for current leadership to “believe in” and “give more power” to young people in an internal memo.
AliExpress signed soccer star David Beckham in its biggest global brand ambassador partnership to date. AliExpress did not disclose how much it was paying Beckham to be its global ambassador, but experts have estimated the deal to be worth a “buttload.” AliExpress said that it is investing millions in discounts, deals, and engagement during the games, including promotions that include a chance for app users to win tickets to games.
OpenAI secured a deal with Apple to integrate its chatbot into iOS 18, according to The Information. The companies plan to announce the news at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference next week. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is reportedly concerned about how it could conflict with their partnership and held a meeting with Sam Altman to discuss the deal. Apple previously said that it plans to take a different approach to AI, focusing on tools that ordinary consumers can use in their daily lives, while leaving the more radical features to other companies. The company hopes that it can leverage its huge user base to gain a strong foothold in the AI market.
US officials have escalated a crackdown on the controversial customs exemption that Chinese companies like Temu and Shein use to send cheap items from overseas to American shoppers without paying taffics. The CBP has so far suspended six customs brokers from Entry Type 86, a program that makes it easier and quicker to arrange such shipments, including Seko Logistics, which says that it processes millions of parcels under the rule each month. Seko’s participation in Entry Type 86 was suspended for 90 days, until August 24th. Sources familiar with the matter told The Loadstar that a major seizure had been made by the CBP, and that it was related to shipments from Shein. The next day, after all this went down, it was reported that the CBP began inspecting every single e-commerce shipment coming from mainland China on freighters, leading to airport congestion, delays, and the cancellation or suspension of some flights.
Instagram began testing a new feature called “Ad Breaks,” which are unskippable ads that interrupt the user's browsing and requires them to view an advertisement for at least 3-5 seconds before they can continue scrolling the feed. Instagram and Facebook have always relied on sponsored posts that look like regular content. These “soft ads” are designed to keep users engaged without being too pushy. But these Ad Breaks are completely different and a stark reminder that the platform is littered with unwanted advertisements. The ironic part of unskippable ads is that they give the user just enough time to break out of the cycle of endless scrolling, potentially leading more folks to close the app and continue with their day.
Pinterest is evolving its Creator Inclusion Fund to now be called the Pinterest Inclusion Fund. The platform is teaming up with Shopify's Build Black and Build Native programs to now allow small business owners, independent publishers, and boutique creative agencies from underrepresented backgrounds to apply for the fund, which previously only served content creators. The fund provides a six-week accelerator program that coaches participants on using Pinterest to expand their brands and businesses. Small businesses selected for the program will have access to educational and financial resources, including the ability to connect their Shopify accounts to Pinterest, and training sessions provided by Shopify. Pinterest will also offer mentorship, monetary stipends and paid subscriptions to workplace SaaS.
Walmart is expanding its InHome delivery service to Philadelphia, Boston, Detroit, Minneapolis, and San Bernardino, which brings the service to more than 50 markets nationwide, covering over 45M homes. The service enables associates to use a one-time access code to complete delivery to inside the customer's home, including placing items inside their refrigerators. A wearable camera records the entire delivery, to which customers have access from their phones for up to a week after each delivery.
The European Union designated Temu as a very large online platform under its new Digital Services Act. The platform now has more than 75M users in the EU, a figure that is well above the 45M threshold for being classified as a VLOP. Temu is now the 24th company to face extra obligations under the DSA, including scrutiny over its use of algorithms, AI, content rankings, and recommendation tools, while also having additional requirements in regards to addressing counterfeit, illegal, or unsafe products on its platform.
40% of Facebook's 3.07B monthly active users are active on its Marketplace, according to a report from Capital One Shopping. This technically makes it a larger e-commerce platform by number of users than Amazon, which only reports 310M monthly users. However unlike Amazon, most of the transactions on FB Marketplace happen off-platform, so Facebook doesn't see direct revenue from the sales — but it does benefit from users logging in more often and seeing more ads.
DHL Express Commerce launched a new international returns portal that allows e-commerce companies to set their own returns policies and terms, enabling shoppers to easily initiate returns and generate printing labels. By using the new service, businesses will not be subject to duties and taxes on inbound delivery as they would be if their customers were sending goods independently.
Jeff Bezos sold 1.1M shares of Amazon stock, which equates to around $117M, to fund Day 1 Academies, a tuition-free non-profit chain of Montessori-themed preschools he founded with facilities in Texas, Washington, Florida, and several other states. The preschools offer year-round programming, five days a week, for children 3-5 years old, and admissions prioritizes low income families.
Adani Group, an Indian conglomerate with businesses centered around energy and trading, is moving into digital payments and e-commerce, as it seeks to diversify its portfolio and compete with Reliance, Amazon, Flipkart, and PhonePe. The Financial Times reported that Adani is considering applying for a license to operate on India's Unified Payments Interface and finalizing plans for a co-branded credit card with banks.
Avenue Z, a public relations and digital media company, partnered with SourceMedium, a data analytics and automation platform, to introduce a new visualization platform that enables brands to see performance from all their marketing channels with customizable views for insights into trend analysis, creative performance, customer LTV, profitability, and more. The new dashboard is designed to be a one-stop shop for DTC teams to see holistic business performance and break down barriers that often exist between different teams.
Walmart is rolling out seven days of sales and discounts during its second annual Walmart+ Week, which will run from June 17 to 23 exclusively for Walmart+ members. In additional to traditional deals on gas, travel, delivery, and home products, Walmart is introducing its first-ever mystery offer, set to be revealed on June 20th. (SPOILER: It's a free one-year Amazon Prime subscription. LOL)
Klarna called the CFPB's plan to classify BNPL lenders as credit card providers “confusing.” The company wrote in a blog post, “It is baffling that the CFPB fails to acknowledge the fundamental differences between BNPL and credit cards in their guidance and this announcement does nothing to address the $1.15 trillion in credit card debt.” The company added, “Trying to regulate BNPL like a credit card is like comparing apples with oranges.” I expressed similar sentiment in last week's edition (story #6).
Former OpenAI board member Helen Toner said in a recent interview that the OpenAI board was unaware of the existence of ChatGPT until they saw it on Twitter. She also revealed details about the company's internal dynamics, citing instances of “psychological abuse” and the disbursement of inaccurate information from Altman, with screenshots and documentation to support her claims. Toner said that no-one would speak out against Altman and that employees felt obligated to support his re-hiring in fear of retaliation from the CEO. In response to the interview, current OpenAI board chair Bret Taylor essentially said, “Are you still talking about that?”
Several Amazon execs may be personally liable for tricking users into Prime sign-ups after a US district court refused to dismiss the FTC's lawsuit, which alleges that Amazon forced “consumers intending to cancel to navigate a four-page, six-click, fifteen-option cancellation process.” The judge also denied individual motions to dismiss claims against the individual Amazon executives who oversaw Prime operations at the time. According to the judge, the FTC provided enough evidence that each of the executives knew they were violating consumer protection laws when prioritizing profits over eliminating dark patterns.
Walmart is running a promotional campaign to encourage third-party sellers to add their best-selling items to its catalog. Sellers who list a recommended item from its Assortment Growth Dashboard get up to 50% off referral fees, depending on the shipping speed offered.
Google's experimental cookie-free ad platform suffered a glitch that disabled APIs, which publishing and advertising vendors use to participate in ad auctions. After the glitch, some publishers reported that ad activity and revenue stopped flowing through Privacy Sandbox for hours, prompting questions about the possibility of future breakdowns. The cookie-less platform is only in the testing phase, but if the APIs become widely adopted and account for a larger share of revenue for publishers, an outage would be a big deal.
In other Google troubles… a data leak revealed thousands of pages of internal documents that offer an unprecedented look under the hood of how Google Search works. The documents suggest that Google hasn't been entirely truthful about its algorithm for many years, indicating that Google might prioritize certain ranking factors more than it admits. The documents also touch on topics like what kind of data Google collects, how Google handles small websites, and which sites it elevates for sensitive topics like elections or COVID19.
Walmart ended its agreement with Capital One, which was the exclusive issuer of Walmart consumer credit cards, for being too slow to post transactions to cardholders' accounts and failing to promptly replace lost cards. A federal judge ruled in March that Walmart could end its credit card partnership early because the bank failed to provide the required level of customer service. Although the partnership is dead, cardholders can continue to earn and redeem rewards, and previously accrued rewards will retain their value. Walmart doesn't have another bank lined up to take over the credit card, leading to speculation that the company plans on looking internally to its majority-owned One fintech.
Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski tweeted that the company would save $10M this year due to generative AI allowing them to produce images faster and with a smaller team. He wrote in a since deleted post, “We're spending less on photographers, image banks, and marketing agencies. Our in-house marketing team is HALF the size it was last year but is producing MORE!” His tweet was hit with immediate backlash, with one person replying, “If you still had a bigger marketing team, they probably would've advised you not to post this.”
Navan AI, a Singapore-based generative AI and computer vision solutions company, launched a fashion tech platform called niia.ai, which enables fashion designers to create design variations or entirely new designs by simply describing their ideas. The tool's visualizing feature lets them get a 360-degree view of the product and try out the design on AI-generated models.
A Canadian man was scammed out of hundreds of dollars when he called what he thought was a Facebook customer support number after using Meta AI's search tool to verify the number. Meta AI chatbot replied with, “The phone number 1-844-457-0520 is indeed a legitimate Facebook support number.” (NARRATOR: “It's not.”) After giving access to his phone through an app the hacker had him download, the man's PayPal account was used to buy a $500 Apple gift card, and someone tried to buy Bitcoin with his saved payment info, but luckily his bank stopped that transaction.
Plus 5 seed rounds, IPOs, and acquisitions of interest including Shopify's acquisition of Checkout Blocks, an app that lets merchants customize their checkout by adding AI recommendations, custom content (banners, images, and headlines), custom fields (gift messages or delivery notes), discounts, e-mail address verification, personalized order status, thank you pages, and more. As part of the deal, the company is making its Starter plan, priced at $99/month, free for all merchants on Shopify Plus. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
I hope you found this recap helpful. See you next week!
PAUL Editor of Shopifreaks E-Commerce Newsletter
PS: If I missed any big news this week, please share in the comments.

Hi - I'm Paul and I follow the e-commerce industry closely for my Shopifreaks E-commerce Newsletter. Each week I post a summary recap of the week's top stories, which I cover in depth with sources in the full edition. Let's dive in...
STAT OF THE WEEK: One-seventh of the $5 trillion worth of retail goods sold in the United States in 2023 were returned, according to the National Retail Federation. Amanda Mull wrote for The Atlantic last year, the standard way of selling things online—with the blanket promise You can always send it back!—has become unsustainable.
PayPal is launching an advertising platform built on the massive troves of customer transaction data it's obtained from its 400M active users, payment processing network, Venmo app, and partner retailers over the past 25 years. The company is pitching the offering as a way to help merchants sell more products and services while acting as a discovery engine for consumers. Central to the offering is PayPal's new Advanced Offers platform, which uses AI to analyze nearly half a trillion dollars of transaction data to generate consumer insights and offer personalized deals. With Advanced Offers, merchants only pay for performance (ie: sales) instead of impressions or clicks like traditional ad networks — which could make it an attractive alternative for merchants.
PayPal's not the only one. Everyone's building an ad network:

• JP Morgan Chase launched a new digital media business called Chase Media Solutions that also serves ads based on consumer spending data. Similar to PayPal's Advanced Offers, advertisers will only pay when a customer makes a purchase.
• Visa is rolling out “data tokens” that allow businesses to request consent from customers to get real-time, personalized offers as they shop. Banks will also receive a token to show where a customer's data has been shared and display it in their mobile app, so that people can decide whether they want to continue sharing data with that merchant or revoke access.
• Expedia launched an ad network called Expedia Group Media Solutions that combines first-party traveler intent and purchase data with on and offsite ad tools.
• Brave launched a CPC ad offering called Search Ads in key markets after 18 months of successful testing and feedback. Brave Search is the default search engine in the Brave Browser, which has over 65M monthly active users.
  TikTok put on hold its plans to launch its e-commerce business across major European markets, with plans to instead focus on growth in the US where it's currently fighting a divest-or-ban law. ByteDance had previously announced that it would be rolling out its shopping platform across Spain, Germany, Italy, France, and Ireland as soon as July, and to Mexico and Brazil shortly after — but now plans to launch in all those countries are on hold, according to Bloomberg sources. Instead, company leadership want to concentrate on its most lucrative market with over 170M monthly users, even though that market could be pulled out from under its feet next year.
  

In a leaked memo, COO Kaz Nejatian informed fellow Shopifolk that Shopify Plus will continue to be sold as a plan, but it will not be considered a brand with designated teams within the company, according to Business Insider. He wrote, “Please remove Plus branding from all decks, all signage, all marketing. We build, market, and sell Shopify.” He added, “Today, Shopify Plus is just a plan. It is not a standalone brand. It is not a product. It is not a team. Shopify Plus will have all the same brand equity as Shopify Advanced or Shopify Basic. I will view any Plus branding in any of our marketing as a bug and will report it as such. We will reach different audiences using different channels. But always with one brand.”
JD.com founder Richard Liu blasted underperforming employees in a company-wide video, where he proclaimed that there is no place for unproductive staff. Liu said that, “[For people who] underperform and don't work hard, the company will not tolerate them and will weed them out.” The message stands in contrast with past comments by Liu, who has repeatedly highlighted comradeship in the company culture by calling staff “my brothers.” However the video comes at a time when JD.com is actively looking for ways to compete against its newest rival Pinduoduo (whose parent company PDD Holdings also owns Temu).
A number of high ranking senior executives at Taobao and Tmall Group (owned by Alibaba) retired, paving the way for a younger generation of leaders to take the reins of the company's e-commerce unit. Their exits come several months after Alibaba promoted six young executives to lead key departments of the e-commerce websites, as part of a management reshuffle under CEO Eddie Wu Yongming, who took over last December. Last month Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma made calls for current leadership to “believe in” and “give more power” to young people in an internal memo.
AliExpress signed soccer star David Beckham in its biggest global brand ambassador partnership to date. AliExpress did not disclose how much it was paying Beckham to be its global ambassador, but experts have estimated the deal to be worth a “buttload.” AliExpress said that it is investing millions in discounts, deals, and engagement during the games, including promotions that include a chance for app users to win tickets to games.
OpenAI secured a deal with Apple to integrate its chatbot into iOS 18, according to The Information. The companies plan to announce the news at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference next week. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is reportedly concerned about how it could conflict with their partnership and held a meeting with Sam Altman to discuss the deal. Apple previously said that it plans to take a different approach to AI, focusing on tools that ordinary consumers can use in their daily lives, while leaving the more radical features to other companies. The company hopes that it can leverage its huge user base to gain a strong foothold in the AI market.
US officials have escalated a crackdown on the controversial customs exemption that Chinese companies like Temu and Shein use to send cheap items from overseas to American shoppers without paying taffics. The CBP has so far suspended six customs brokers from Entry Type 86, a program that makes it easier and quicker to arrange such shipments, including Seko Logistics, which says that it processes millions of parcels under the rule each month. Seko’s participation in Entry Type 86 was suspended for 90 days, until August 24th. Sources familiar with the matter told The Loadstar that a major seizure had been made by the CBP, and that it was related to shipments from Shein. The next day, after all this went down, it was reported that the CBP began inspecting every single e-commerce shipment coming from mainland China on freighters, leading to airport congestion, delays, and the cancellation or suspension of some flights.
Instagram began testing a new feature called “Ad Breaks,” which are unskippable ads that interrupt the user's browsing and requires them to view an advertisement for at least 3-5 seconds before they can continue scrolling the feed. Instagram and Facebook have always relied on sponsored posts that look like regular content. These “soft ads” are designed to keep users engaged without being too pushy. But these Ad Breaks are completely different and a stark reminder that the platform is littered with unwanted advertisements. The ironic part of unskippable ads is that they give the user just enough time to break out of the cycle of endless scrolling, potentially leading more folks to close the app and continue with their day.
Pinterest is evolving its Creator Inclusion Fund to now be called the Pinterest Inclusion Fund. The platform is teaming up with Shopify's Build Black and Build Native programs to now allow small business owners, independent publishers, and boutique creative agencies from underrepresented backgrounds to apply for the fund, which previously only served content creators. The fund provides a six-week accelerator program that coaches participants on using Pinterest to expand their brands and businesses. Small businesses selected for the program will have access to educational and financial resources, including the ability to connect their Shopify accounts to Pinterest, and training sessions provided by Shopify. Pinterest will also offer mentorship, monetary stipends and paid subscriptions to workplace SaaS.
Walmart is expanding its InHome delivery service to Philadelphia, Boston, Detroit, Minneapolis, and San Bernardino, which brings the service to more than 50 markets nationwide, covering over 45M homes. The service enables associates to use a one-time access code to complete delivery to inside the customer's home, including placing items inside their refrigerators. A wearable camera records the entire delivery, to which customers have access from their phones for up to a week after each delivery.
The European Union designated Temu as a very large online platform under its new Digital Services Act. The platform now has more than 75M users in the EU, a figure that is well above the 45M threshold for being classified as a VLOP. Temu is now the 24th company to face extra obligations under the DSA, including scrutiny over its use of algorithms, AI, content rankings, and recommendation tools, while also having additional requirements in regards to addressing counterfeit, illegal, or unsafe products on its platform.
40% of Facebook's 3.07B monthly active users are active on its Marketplace, according to a report from Capital One Shopping. This technically makes it a larger e-commerce platform by number of users than Amazon, which only reports 310M monthly users. However unlike Amazon, most of the transactions on FB Marketplace happen off-platform, so Facebook doesn't see direct revenue from the sales — but it does benefit from users logging in more often and seeing more ads.
DHL Express Commerce launched a new international returns portal that allows e-commerce companies to set their own returns policies and terms, enabling shoppers to easily initiate returns and generate printing labels. By using the new service, businesses will not be subject to duties and taxes on inbound delivery as they would be if their customers were sending goods independently.
Jeff Bezos sold 1.1M shares of Amazon stock, which equates to around $117M, to fund Day 1 Academies, a tuition-free non-profit chain of Montessori-themed preschools he founded with facilities in Texas, Washington, Florida, and several other states. The preschools offer year-round programming, five days a week, for children 3-5 years old, and admissions prioritizes low income families.
Adani Group, an Indian conglomerate with businesses centered around energy and trading, is moving into digital payments and e-commerce, as it seeks to diversify its portfolio and compete with Reliance, Amazon, Flipkart, and PhonePe. The Financial Times reported that Adani is considering applying for a license to operate on India's Unified Payments Interface and finalizing plans for a co-branded credit card with banks.
Avenue Z, a public relations and digital media company, partnered with SourceMedium, a data analytics and automation platform, to introduce a new visualization platform that enables brands to see performance from all their marketing channels with customizable views for insights into trend analysis, creative performance, customer LTV, profitability, and more. The new dashboard is designed to be a one-stop shop for DTC teams to see holistic business performance and break down barriers that often exist between different teams.
Walmart is rolling out seven days of sales and discounts during its second annual Walmart+ Week, which will run from June 17 to 23 exclusively for Walmart+ members. In additional to traditional deals on gas, travel, delivery, and home products, Walmart is introducing its first-ever mystery offer, set to be revealed on June 20th. (SPOILER: It's a free one-year Amazon Prime subscription. LOL)
Klarna called the CFPB's plan to classify BNPL lenders as credit card providers “confusing.” The company wrote in a blog post, “It is baffling that the CFPB fails to acknowledge the fundamental differences between BNPL and credit cards in their guidance and this announcement does nothing to address the $1.15 trillion in credit card debt.” The company added, “Trying to regulate BNPL like a credit card is like comparing apples with oranges.” I expressed similar sentiment in last week's edition (story #6).
Former OpenAI board member Helen Toner said in a recent interview that the OpenAI board was unaware of the existence of ChatGPT until they saw it on Twitter. She also revealed details about the company's internal dynamics, citing instances of “psychological abuse” and the disbursement of inaccurate information from Altman, with screenshots and documentation to support her claims. Toner said that no-one would speak out against Altman and that employees felt obligated to support his re-hiring in fear of retaliation from the CEO. In response to the interview, current OpenAI board chair Bret Taylor essentially said, “Are you still talking about that?”
Several Amazon execs may be personally liable for tricking users into Prime sign-ups after a US district court refused to dismiss the FTC's lawsuit, which alleges that Amazon forced “consumers intending to cancel to navigate a four-page, six-click, fifteen-option cancellation process.” The judge also denied individual motions to dismiss claims against the individual Amazon executives who oversaw Prime operations at the time. According to the judge, the FTC provided enough evidence that each of the executives knew they were violating consumer protection laws when prioritizing profits over eliminating dark patterns.
Walmart is running a promotional campaign to encourage third-party sellers to add their best-selling items to its catalog. Sellers who list a recommended item from its Assortment Growth Dashboard get up to 50% off referral fees, depending on the shipping speed offered.
Google's experimental cookie-free ad platform suffered a glitch that disabled APIs, which publishing and advertising vendors use to participate in ad auctions. After the glitch, some publishers reported that ad activity and revenue stopped flowing through Privacy Sandbox for hours, prompting questions about the possibility of future breakdowns. The cookie-less platform is only in the testing phase, but if the APIs become widely adopted and account for a larger share of revenue for publishers, an outage would be a big deal.
In other Google troubles… a data leak revealed thousands of pages of internal documents that offer an unprecedented look under the hood of how Google Search works. The documents suggest that Google hasn't been entirely truthful about its algorithm for many years, indicating that Google might prioritize certain ranking factors more than it admits. The documents also touch on topics like what kind of data Google collects, how Google handles small websites, and which sites it elevates for sensitive topics like elections or COVID19.
Walmart ended its agreement with Capital One, which was the exclusive issuer of Walmart consumer credit cards, for being too slow to post transactions to cardholders' accounts and failing to promptly replace lost cards. A federal judge ruled in March that Walmart could end its credit card partnership early because the bank failed to provide the required level of customer service. Although the partnership is dead, cardholders can continue to earn and redeem rewards, and previously accrued rewards will retain their value. Walmart doesn't have another bank lined up to take over the credit card, leading to speculation that the company plans on looking internally to its majority-owned One fintech.
Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski tweeted that the company would save $10M this year due to generative AI allowing them to produce images faster and with a smaller team. He wrote in a since deleted post, “We're spending less on photographers, image banks, and marketing agencies. Our in-house marketing team is HALF the size it was last year but is producing MORE!” His tweet was hit with immediate backlash, with one person replying, “If you still had a bigger marketing team, they probably would've advised you not to post this.”
Navan AI, a Singapore-based generative AI and computer vision solutions company, launched a fashion tech platform called niia.ai, which enables fashion designers to create design variations or entirely new designs by simply describing their ideas. The tool's visualizing feature lets them get a 360-degree view of the product and try out the design on AI-generated models.
A Canadian man was scammed out of hundreds of dollars when he called what he thought was a Facebook customer support number after using Meta AI's search tool to verify the number. Meta AI chatbot replied with, “The phone number 1-844-457-0520 is indeed a legitimate Facebook support number.” (NARRATOR: “It's not.”) After giving access to his phone through an app the hacker had him download, the man's PayPal account was used to buy a $500 Apple gift card, and someone tried to buy Bitcoin with his saved payment info, but luckily his bank stopped that transaction.
Plus 5 seed rounds, IPOs, and acquisitions of interest including Shopify's acquisition of Checkout Blocks, an app that lets merchants customize their checkout by adding AI recommendations, custom content (banners, images, and headlines), custom fields (gift messages or delivery notes), discounts, e-mail address verification, personalized order status, thank you pages, and more. As part of the deal, the company is making its Starter plan, priced at $99/month, free for all merchants on Shopify Plus. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
I hope you found this recap helpful. See you next week!
For more details on each story and sources, see the full edition:
https://www.shopifreaks.com/paypal-ads-shopify-minus-unskippable-instagram-ads
What else is new in e-commerce?
Share stories of interesting in the comments below (including in your own business) or on shopifreaks.
-PAUL Editor of Shopifreaks E-commerce Newsletter
PS: Want the full editions delivered to your Inbox each week? Join free at www.shopifreaks.com

I am current a supervisory GS-14 in a HCOL area. I have been in my current role since February 2023 so about 15 months in the position. Well I recently viewed an announcement for a supervisory GS-15 position in a LCOL area and have been debating for weeks on if I should apply. The announcement closes soon and I still haven't come to a decision. I spoke with my wife about it and she was not thrilled with the city or state to which I can't blame her. The state is Mississippi and though we are from the south, MS is not that appealing for a myriad of reasons. I, on the other hand, am thinking long term and about the cost of living. Houses where I live currently are SUPER expensive. I am not sure how regular people can actually afford anything of reasonable size and space. We are currently renting because I can't see myself paying these exorbitant prices for such small homes. This is what's drawing me to the MS position. My dollar stretches a lot further there! We just moved to the city we currently reside in and have been here a little shy of a year. If I were to get the MS position it would mean another move for my family in a very short amount of time. Should I apply and see what happens or should I not apply at all? Should I be concerned with potentially burning bridges with current leadership?

If you scored between 20-25 on the Wonderlic Test, congratulations! You're in the above-average range. Here's what that means, how you can leverage your strengths, and tips for further improvement.
1. Understanding Your Score
A score between 20-25 indicates above-average cognitive abilities. This means you have strong problem-solving skills, good verbal reasoning, and solid mathematical capabilities. This range is highly regarded by many employers and opens up various career opportunities.
2. Typical Job Roles
With a score in this range, you are well-suited for roles that require higher cognitive abilities and the ability to handle complex tasks. Some of these roles include:

• Sales and Customer Service: Your problem-solving skills and ability to interact effectively with customers can lead to success in sales and customer service roles.
• Technical and Analytical Positions: Your strong cognitive abilities make you a good fit for technical support, data analysis, and other analytical roles.
• Supervisory and Managerial Roles: Your above-average reasoning skills can help you excel in supervisory positions where decision-making and leadership are crucial.

3. Strengths to Leverage
Focus on these strengths to maximize your potential:

• Problem-Solving: Your ability to tackle complex problems efficiently is a significant asset in many roles.
• Analytical Thinking: Use your analytical skills to identify patterns, make data-driven decisions, and improve processes.
• Communication: Your verbal reasoning skills can help you communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively.

4. Areas for Improvement
To enhance your career prospects, consider working on these areas:

• Advanced Technical Skills: Develop your technical skills further, especially if you're in a field that requires specialized knowledge.
• Leadership Abilities: Work on leadership and management skills to prepare for supervisory or managerial roles.
• Continuous Learning: Engage in continuous learning to stay updated with the latest trends and technologies in your field.

5. Preparation for Future Tests
If you plan to take the Wonderlic Test again or similar cognitive assessments in the future, here are some tips:

• Regular Practice: Take practice tests to improve your speed and accuracy further.
• Focus on Weak Areas: Identify any specific types of questions that challenged you and work on improving in those areas.
• Stay Calm and Focused: Develop techniques to manage test anxiety and stay calm during the test to perform at your best.

6. Career Advancement Tips
To advance your career with a Wonderlic score between 20-25:

• Seek Professional Development: Take courses, attend workshops, and obtain certifications relevant to your field to enhance your skills.
• Gain Experience: Build a strong track record of performance in your current role to demonstrate your capabilities.
• Network Actively: Network with professionals in your industry to learn about new opportunities and best practices.

7. Final Thoughts
Scoring between 20-25 on the Wonderlic Test is an excellent achievement and provides a solid foundation for career growth. By leveraging your strengths and working on areas for improvement, you can enhance your skills and increase your career opportunities. Remember, cognitive abilities are just one aspect of your professional profile, and your dedication, experience, and continuous learning play crucial roles in your success.
If you have any questions or need further advice, feel free to ask in the comments below!

Hypocrisy of the "Christians and the Religious".
The Signs of Political Idolatry
One of the signs that an object is functioning as an idol is that fear becomes one of the chief characteristics of life. When we center our lives on the idol, we become dependent on it. If our counterfeit god is threatened in any way, our response is complete panic. We do not say, ‘What a shame, how difficult,’ but rather ‘This is the end! There’s no hope!’ ⬇️ https://www.monergism.com/signs-political-idolatry
*
SIGNS OF POLITICAL IDOLATRY
People enter into idolatry because they feel the need for safety and security. Life can be hard and even if we are experiencing good times, there is a sense that we do not want them to end.
How am I treating people who disagree with me?
We can also tell if we have moved into political idolatry by how we treat people with different opinions, be they on the left or right of the political spectrum. All human beings, despite their political views or political affiliations, are made in God’s image (Gen. 1:26–28).
Where is my loyalty being placed?
COSTS OF POLITICAL IDOLATRY
Distorted Discipleship
Political idolatry forms in us a different core identity, and from that a very different “likeness” emerges. Discipleship becomes distorted as we say that we are Christians but attitudes, words and behaviors begin resembling the messaging of politicians and pundits on the right or the left more than our risen Lord.
Marred Witness
The distorted discipleship then leads to a marred witness. Rather than seeing Christians who have hope in a God with ultimate power and authority, who is ushering in an eternal kingdom, they see people rallying around political figures and behaving in ways that seem at times to be wholly contradictory to how their Bible, that they say informs and guides their lives, is telling them to live and treat people in the world.
Broken Societies
And out of distorted discipleship and marred witness, horrific things can happen in society. Walk the path of Auschwitz and you will never be the same, wondering how the place that was the hub of Western theology in its day could spawn such unfathomable horror.
How in the world could Christians commit intense violence against innocent people, merely because they were different? It happens when people substitute teachings of Jesus for political ideologies. ⬇️ https://outreachmagazine.com/features/discipleship/58511-how-to-know-when-political-views-have-become-an-idol.html
*
When Politics Becomes Idolatry
Idolatry is most often making good things God things – even God-given things – and trusting in these things more than God. Idolatry can include comfort, security, wealth, success, power, and approval. It can include our spouses, families, jobs; even religion or doctrine can become an idol. ⬇️ https://www.liveforgiven.org/?p=2168
*
The idolization of politics and its impact on America
Sadly, the people of God have had a long history of looking to political power for salvation. We have a long history of crying out the name of insurrectionist “Barabbas!” instead of the name of the Prince of Peace, who alone has the power to make all things new. ⬇️ https://www.amarillo.com/story/opinion/2021/01/17/examination-what-can-happen-when-people-make-politics-their-idol/4173847001/
*
Political Idolatry: Have Your Political Views Become An Idol?
Who Am I Putting My Trust In?
Political idolatry happens when we begin fixating on what a human leader or political party can do for us more than we focus our eyes on our Heavenly Father, our true provider who calls us to trust Him and not worry (Matthew 6:25-34).
People often enter into idolatry because they feel the need for safety and security. Life can be hard and even if we are experiencing good times, there is a sense that we do not want them to end. ⬇️ https://thegodblog.org/2021/01/10/political-idolatry-have-your-political-views-become-an-idol/
*
THE IDOLATRY OF POLITICS AND THE PROMISE OF THE COMMON GOOD
Simply put, we create an idol when we ascribe attributes or place hope in persons or things that should belong only to God. People of faith may be tempted to worship at the altar of politics, but make no mistake: The kingdom of God and the kingdoms of politics are never one and the same.
The purpose of the Religious Right — to identify faith with one political party, the Republicans — was a blatant act of idolatry from its inception. And when the much smaller, less organized so-called “Religious Left” tries to create a mirror image of the Religious Right for the Democrats, it makes the same theological mistake
Politics is anything but a monotheistic enterprise — its idols are legion. There are idols of money over democracy, of celebrity over leadership, of individualism over community, of ideology over civility, and of winning over governing.
When conflict arises in our society, each political side invariably does two things: Make us afraid of the problem, and then blame it on the other side. What they don’t do is work together to solve the problems — they are always running to win, rather than finding (or creating) solutions for the common good. ⬇️ https://sojo.net/articles/idolatry-politics-and-promise-common-good
*
The Seductive Idolatry of Politics
Politics is the idol we bring with us to church just as the Israelites worshiped Baal alongside Jehovah. Israel continued this practice until eventually, altars to Baal were set up in God’s temple supplanting true worship.
Politics provides everything that the darkest parts of humanity’s sinful nature want from a religion.
The State is a flawed deity that is unpredictably beneficent or wrathful. Pagan societies prefer their gods to be flawed.
Politicians and the media (which serves them) provide an ecclesiastically complex structure of priests and prophets. Schisms, conspiracies, and scandals aren’t bugs in the system; they are features.
Worshipers make ordinances of their favorite political shows, podcasts, and news sites. They attend these programs with far more regularity and commitment than they do church worship services.
They make sacrifices of time and money and perform public shows of support. They promulgate their ideology and police their relationships, disassociating with any who would blaspheme their viewpoints.
Unfriending the blasphemers is viewed as a holy, cleansing action that makes the worshiper a more pure follower and condemns the one unfriended.
The deification of country and the sanctification of political parties as a nation’s priesthood, is perhaps the most dangerous idolatry the church has ever faced. It is a serious error to conflate the identity of God’s heavenly kingdom with any earthly government. It is so easy for earnest believers to fall into this trap. ⬇️ https://theparkforum.org/843-acres/the-seductive-idolatry-of-politics/
*
The power of idolatry and the idolatry of power
Think again. Consider the images that we have endowed with power: the apple with a bite taken out of it (Apple Corporation); the golden arches (McDonald’s); five yellow bars, radiating out like sun rays (Walmart); the smirky gold smile (Amazon). These images connote power, even world dominance.
One year out from the U.S. general election, I can think of two other symbols that connote power. The donkey and the elephant. They promise to their respective worshipers the same kind of things that idol worship has always offered: control, comfort and a better life.
In idolatry, a non-divine power subverts human worship for itself and usurps humanity’s God-given authority to exercise dominion over the world. Such dominion - loving, wise and just - remains a human responsibility, but idolatry robs humanity of the authority to fulfill it. The responsibility to rule is outsourced to someone or something else - corporations, media influencers, governments and more. ⬇️ https://www.examiner-enterprise.com/story/lifestyle/columns/2019/11/15/the-power-idolatry-idolatry-powe2287463007/
(I don't believe in politics, Christianity, or Religions anymore as they've proven time and time again that they are all false = Pagan Idol Worship/Hypocrisies. These articles do have some very valid points though that people who "profess" to be "believers" of the True God really must ask themselves: "who do I put my trust in" and, "who do I give dominion over my life/spirit/eternal soul to")

I have been in a supervisory role for longer than I can remember. 1982 may have been when I moved into a role that was officially supervisory.
I always felt that there were pieces missing on what I should know in order to be successful in my roles.
I’m going to share a little bit of my experience and hopefully it will help somebody.
I think the term manager is a disservice to almost everyone involved. When you look back at the history of the world, none of the great people that come to mind where ever described as managers. if they were great, truly great, they were described as leaders.
People don’t like to be managed, they like to be led by a great leader. the term manager is part of the cause of many new supervisors failing because manager is more about command in control. there are things under my purview that can be managed, but those are things, not people.
Looking back on my 40+ years of experience, my opinion is that the two most important things I needed to be successful in any supervisory role was to understand the job and then apply good leadership principles.
Understanding the job is critical, because as a leader, it is up to me to be able to help everyone on my team understand what it is we are trying to achieve and why. That is the foundation of everything.
Then comes leadership. Leadership is not black-and-white. Leadership is always dynamic and fluid, and every day is different. A good leader is always learning.
One of the most inspiring leaders who has lived in my lifetime was coach Vincent Lombardi. His philosophy of leadership was if the team won, they got the credit for it. If the team lost, he took the ownership of the loss. If there was work to be done, it was shared by everyone on the team.
That is a great concept that I have aspired to ever since I learned about it. Putting flesh on it was much more difficult.
The two best books I have ever read on leadership are, Extreme Ownership” and “The Dichotomy of Leadership”, both written by Jocko Willnick and Leif Babin.
I wish someone had handed them both to me in 1980. My career, and the career of the people that I have been responsible to help succeed over these past 40+ years would be remarkably better had those resources been available.
Read those books. Then read them again.
These books were written by men who were very intelligent and had to develop leadership skills under the most trying of circumstances. Their decisions had incredible consequences, and they had to develop their skills under more duress than I will ever experience.

Aerospace Engineer, AST, Aerospace Flight Systems (Direct Hire)

JSC-24-DE-12422831-RD

Grade: GS-13

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

You will serve as a Spacecraft Architecture Engineer, Aerospace Flight Systems Specialist in the Spacecraft Performance and Concept Engineering Mission Planning and Analysis Branch at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC). As a member of the Advanced Concept Engineering Strategy (ACES) team duties includes integrating the technology development/internal research, and development (IRAD). Oversees and conducts airworthiness assessments of vehicles, operations, and processes for flight systems.

Aerospace Engineer, AST, Aerospace Flight Systems (Direct Hire)

JSC-24-DE-12427378-RD

Grade: GS-13/14

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

As the System Engineering Lead within the Applied System Engineering Branch at Johnson Space Center, you will play a pivotal role in providing essential systems engineering leadership for space flight missions, encompassing payloads, vehicles, and government-furnished equipment. You will serve as the lead systems engineer for projects, steering teams towards the creation of development life cycle artifacts and ensuring the delivery of exceptional systems.

Security Specialist (Direct Hire)

HQ-24-DE-12429512-BL

Grade: GS-9

Headquarters, NASA

As a Security Specialist (Personnel Security) with the Office of Protective Services, Personnel Security Division, you will be responsible for reviewing and releasing background investigations to the Investigation Service Provider, processing reciprocity for fitness as well as fitness adjudications for the Agency. In addition, ensuring all requirements are met prior to the authorization of a PIV or Agency specific badge.

General Engineer, AST, Technical Management (Direct Hire)

ARC-24-DE-12430068-SL

Grade: GS-15

Ames Research Center

You will serve as a Technical Management Engineer advising on, coordinating, monitoring, maintaining surveillance over, and/or performing a variety of technical managerial functions of aerospace and aeronautical research, development, design, test, and operations efforts. Work may vary depending on the role and mission responsibilities of the Center to which selected.

Computer Engineer, AST, Data Systems

JSC-24-IMP-12401616-JM

Grade: GS-14

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

As the Flight Operations Directorate (FOD) Information Technology (FIT) Chief Engineer, you will lead the development of the FIT system, support the Mission Systems Division Chief Engineer group with a mandate to help them inject new and innovative technology and practices into their facilities, drive modernization and change across the Mission Systems Division through information technology expertise, and oversee the continued growth of the FOD Software Developer Ecosystem.

Supervisory AST, Technical Management (Direct Hire)

JSC-24-DE-12415312-SF

Grade: GS-14

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

The incumbent serves as the Deputy Chief of the Mission Operations Branch in the Space Medicine Operations Division and is responsible for planning, guiding, coordinating, and managing the work of subordinate, secondary, and matrixed resources engaged in conducting human spaceflight operations for a variety of program customers including International Space Station, Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, Commercial Crew, Gateway, and Human Landing System, and Human Research Program.

Senior Scientist for Mars Exploration

HQ-24-SL-2432868

Grade: SL-00

Headquarters, NASA

The Senior Scientist for Mars Exploration reports directly to the Planetary Science Division (PSD) Director on all matters pertaining to the science of Mars and Mars Exploration. The incumbent provides recommendations, advice, and consultation on all science-related aspects of NASA's Mars Exploration Program (MEP) and Mars Sample Return Campaign. Recommends the scientific strategy for the exploration of Mars and ensures the implementation of the science content of the program is optimized.

Supervisory Management Analyst (Direct Hire)

HQ-24-DE-12419953-CWO

Grade: GS-15

Headquarters, NASA

As a Supervisory Management Analyst (Branch Chief) in the Science Mission Directorate's (SMD's) Engagement Branch, you will be responsible for developing policies, procedures, schedules, resources, funding, and personnel requirements for the branch. You will lead a team of highly skilled science engagement professionals in supporting SMD's strategy to actively engage with audiences and learners of all ages and to share the story of NASA's integrated science program.

Aerospace Engineer, AST, Aerospace Flight Systems (Direct Hire)

LaRC-24-DE-12419263-JL

Grade: GS-13

Langley Research Center

The incumbent will serve as a subject matter expert on UAS systems and serve as the UAS Chief of Training for the Uninhabited Aircraft Systems (UAS) Operations Office, at NASA Langley. This position involves oversite of all UAS systems, both on and off the UAS, and their integration into a system of systems. As the Chief of Training, duties will include training, evaluating, and tracking UAS crewmembers, their currencies, qualifications, and initial/recurring training.

Mechanical Engineer, AST, Mechanical Experimental Equipment (Direct Hire)

LaRC-24-DE-12415168-RD

Grade: GS-12/13

Langley Research Center

You will serve as a Pressure Systems Project Manager with the Projects and Engineering Branch. You will serve as the Deputy Pressure Systems Manager with responsibilities in pneumatic, hydraulic, high-pressure gas/fluid systems and pressure vessels and piping systems for institutional and aerospace research facilities. You will also serve as a Project Manager responsible for managing all phases of facility projects including planning, design, and construction.

Aerospace Engineer, AST, Aerospace Flight Systems (Direct Hire)

KSC-24-DE-12426546-ST

Grade: GS-11/13

John F. Kennedy Space Center

You will serve as an Aerospace Flight Systems Engineer supporting commercial crewed spacecraft or launch vehicle design, development, testing, mission operations, and certification. Seeking various backgrounds to include structural/mechanical; environmental control/life support; electrical; propulsion; fluid delivery/pressurized systems; avionics; command/data handling; flight software; crew systems; parachute systems; materials; and/or guidance, navigation, and control.

Administrative Specialist (Direct Hire)

GRC-24-DE-12418687-SF

Grade: GS-9

John Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field

You will serve as an Administrative Specialist, providing executive level administrative and logistical support to the Center Director.

Aerospace Engineer, AST, Aerospace Flight Systems (Direct Hire)

JSC-24-DE-12422831-RD

Grade: GS-13

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

You will serve as a Spacecraft Architecture Engineer, Aerospace Flight Systems Specialist in the Spacecraft Performance and Concept Engineering Mission Planning and Analysis Branch at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC). As a member of the Advanced Concept Engineering Strategy (ACES) team duties includes integrating the technology development/internal research, and development (IRAD). Oversees and conducts airworthiness assessments of vehicles, operations, and processes for flight systems.

Security Specialist (Direct Hire)

HQ-24-DE-12425191-BL

Grade: GS-12

Headquarters, NASA

As a Security Specialist with the Office of Protective Services, you will serve as the point of contact for coordinating, consolidating and submitting sensitive compartmented information packages to the authorizing agency. You will provide direction and implement security guidelines while developing and processing visit authorization requests. You will identify and propose solutions to problems significant to program planning.

Aerospace Engineer, AST, Aerospace Flight Systems (Direct Hire)

JSC-24-DE-12427378-RD

Grade: GS-13/14

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

As the System Engineering Lead within the Applied System Engineering Branch at Johnson Space Center, you will play a pivotal role in providing essential systems engineering leadership for space flight missions, encompassing payloads, vehicles, and government-furnished equipment. You will serve as the lead systems engineer for projects, steering teams towards the creation of development life cycle artifacts and ensuring the delivery of exceptional systems.

Supervisory Management Analyst

NASA OIG-12424065-DE-24

Grade: GS-14

Headquarters, NASA

The Office of Audits (OA) conducts independent and objective audits and reviews to improve economy, efficiency, and effectiveness and to identify waste and mismanagement in NASA programs, projects, operations, and contractor activities. In addition, OA oversees the work of the independent public accountant in its audit of NASA's financial statements.

Supervisory Auditor

NASA OIG-12426664-DE-24

Grade: GS-14

Headquarters, NASA

The Office of Audits (OA) conducts independent and objective audits and reviews to improve economy, efficiency, and effectiveness and to identify waste and mismanagement in NASA programs, projects, operations, and contractor activities. In addition, OA oversees the work of the independent public accountant in its audit of NASA's financial statements.

Aerospace Engineer, AST, Aerospace Flight Systems (Direct Hire)

GRC-24-DE-12373296-LC

Grade: GS-13/14

John Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field

As Systems Security Engineering Lead within one of the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) centers, you will be responsible for providing systems security engineering technical discipline leadership to a range of aeronautics research and ground-based programs and projects. You will lead a team of highly skilled engineers and experts to develop, guide, and evaluate systems security architectures for future aviation systems.

Security Specialist (Direct Hire)

HQ-24-DE-12429512-BL

Grade: GS-9

Headquarters, NASA

As a Security Specialist (Personnel Security) with the Office of Protective Services, Personnel Security Division, you will be responsible for reviewing and releasing background investigations to the Investigation Service Provider, processing reciprocity for fitness as well as fitness adjudications for the Agency. In addition, ensuring all requirements are met prior to the authorization of a PIV or Agency specific badge.

General Engineer, AST, Technical Management (Direct Hire)

ARC-24-DE-12430068-SL

Grade: GS-15

Ames Research Center

You will serve as a Technical Management Engineer advising on, coordinating, monitoring, maintaining surveillance over, and/or performing a variety of technical managerial functions of aerospace and aeronautical research, development, design, test, and operations efforts. Work may vary depending on the role and mission responsibilities of the Center to which selected.

Computer Engineer, AST, Data Systems

JSC-24-IMP-12401616-JM

Grade: GS-14

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

As the Flight Operations Directorate (FOD) Information Technology (FIT) Chief Engineer, you will lead the development of the FIT system, support the Mission Systems Division Chief Engineer group with a mandate to help them inject new and innovative technology and practices into their facilities, drive modernization and change across the Mission Systems Division through information technology expertise, and oversee the continued growth of the FOD Software Developer Ecosystem.

Supervisory AST, Technical Management (Direct Hire)

JSC-24-DE-12415312-SF

Grade: GS-14

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

The incumbent serves as the Deputy Chief of the Mission Operations Branch in the Space Medicine Operations Division and is responsible for planning, guiding, coordinating, and managing the work of subordinate, secondary, and matrixed resources engaged in conducting human spaceflight operations for a variety of program customers including International Space Station, Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, Commercial Crew, Gateway, and Human Landing System, and Human Research Program.

I have started to revamp my old and very bad resume and have a few questions, and would love some advice.
I have been helping my spouse build her sole proprietorship for years now, and am able to get back into the field to do my own work now in TN. I'm trying to figure out what i should add to my resume.
I am also wondering if the description i wrote of my position helping my spouse is overdone, or if i should write all of my previous jobs like that.
And should i get rid of uber eats on my resume?
Any help is appreciated!!!

Supervisory Aerospace Engineer, AST, Aerospace Flight Systems

KSC-24-IMP-12416749-AS

Grade: GS-15

John F. Kennedy Space Center

As the Mission Integration Branch Chief with the Launch Services Program, you will be responsible for policies, procedures, operations, resources, strategic vision, and leadership of the branch. You will lead a team of highly skilled systems engineers in the technical oversight and insight of satellite to launch vehicle integration to ensure mission success.

Supervisory Management Analyst (Direct Hire)

HQ-24-DE-12419953-CWO

Grade: GS-15

Headquarters, NASA

As a Supervisory Management Analyst (Branch Chief) in the Science Mission Directorate's (SMD's) Engagement Branch, you will be responsible for developing policies, procedures, schedules, resources, funding, and personnel requirements for the branch. You will lead a team of highly skilled science engagement professionals in supporting SMD's strategy to actively engage with audiences and learners of all ages and to share the story of NASA's integrated science program.

Aerospace Engineer, AST, Aerospace Flight Systems (Direct Hire)

LaRC-24-DE-12419263-JL

Grade: GS-13

Langley Research Center

The incumbent will serve as a subject matter expert on UAS systems and serve as the UAS Chief of Training for the Uninhabited Aircraft Systems (UAS) Operations Office, at NASA Langley. This position involves oversite of all UAS systems, both on and off the UAS, and their integration into a system of systems. As the Chief of Training, duties will include training, evaluating, and tracking UAS crewmembers, their currencies, qualifications, and initial/recurring training.

Mechanical Engineer, AST, Mechanical Experimental Equipment (Direct Hire)

LaRC-24-DE-12415168-RD

Grade: GS-12/13

Langley Research Center

You will serve as a Pressure Systems Project Manager with the Projects and Engineering Branch. You will serve as the Deputy Pressure Systems Manager with responsibilities in pneumatic, hydraulic, high-pressure gas/fluid systems and pressure vessels and piping systems for institutional and aerospace research facilities. You will also serve as a Project Manager responsible for managing all phases of facility projects including planning, design, and construction.

Aerospace Engineer, AST, Aerospace Flight Systems (Direct Hire)

KSC-24-DE-12426546-ST

Grade: GS-11/13

John F. Kennedy Space Center

You will serve as an Aerospace Flight Systems Engineer supporting commercial crewed spacecraft or launch vehicle design, development, testing, mission operations, and certification. Seeking various backgrounds to include structural/mechanical; environmental control/life support; electrical; propulsion; fluid delivery/pressurized systems; avionics; command/data handling; flight software; crew systems; parachute systems; materials; and/or guidance, navigation, and control.

Budget Analyst

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Grade: GS-13

Goddard Space Flight Center

As a Budget Analyst in the Engineering Business Branch within the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Institutional Resources Management Office you will be responsible for providing technical expertise and guidance on budget planning and funds execution for large support service contracts that provide engineering support to all programs and projects at the Center.

Administrative Specialist (Direct Hire)

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Grade: GS-9

John Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field

You will serve as an Administrative Specialist, providing executive level administrative and logistical support to the Center Director.

Security Specialist (Direct Hire)

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Grade: GS-12

Headquarters, NASA

As a Security Specialist with the Office of Protective Services, you will serve as the point of contact for coordinating, consolidating and submitting sensitive compartmented information packages to the authorizing agency. You will provide direction and implement security guidelines while developing and processing visit authorization requests. You will identify and propose solutions to problems significant to program planning.

Job Title: Barista Manager
Location: London, UK
Job Type: Full-Time
About Us: At Valiant, we are passionate about delivering an exceptional coffee experience to our customers. Located in the heart of London, our shop is known for its high-quality coffee, cozy atmosphere, and outstanding customer service. We are seeking an experienced and enthusiastic Barista Manager to join our team and lead our baristas in creating memorable moments for our customers.
Job Summary: As a Barista Manager, you will be responsible for overseeing the daily operations of our coffee shop, ensuring the highest standards of customer service, product quality, and cleanliness. You will lead, train, and motivate our team of baristas, manage inventory, and contribute to the overall success and growth of our business.
Key Responsibilities:
Team Leadership and Development:
Recruit, train, and supervise baristas to ensure they provide excellent customer service and maintain coffee-making standards. Foster a positive and collaborative team environment, encouraging continuous learning and development. Conduct regular performance evaluations and provide constructive feedback.
Customer Service:
Ensure all customers receive prompt and friendly service. Address and resolve customer complaints and issues promptly and professionally.
Develop and implement strategies to enhance the customer experience. Operations Management:
Oversee daily operations, including opening and closing procedures. Maintain a clean, organized, and inviting environment for customers and staff.
Ensure all equipment is properly maintained and in good working condition. Inventory and Supply Management:
Monitor and manage inventory levels to prevent shortages and overstock. Order coffee, supplies, and equipment as needed. Maintain relationships with suppliers and negotiate prices and contracts. Financial Management:
Assist in budgeting and financial planning. Track sales and expenses to ensure profitability. Implement cost control measures without compromising quality or service.
Marketing and Community Engagement:
Develop and execute marketing strategies to attract new customers and retain existing ones. Engage with the local community through events and promotions. Manage social media accounts and online presence to enhance brand visibility.
Qualifications:
Proven experience as a barista and in a supervisory or managerial role. Exceptional customer service and interpersonal skills. Strong leadership and team management abilities. Excellent organizational and multitasking skills. Knowledge of coffee brewing techniques and equipment. Basic understanding of financial management and budgeting. Proficiency in using point-of-sale (POS) systems and other relevant software.
Preferred Qualifications:
Certification in hospitality management or related field. Experience in marketing and social media management. Familiarity with health and safety regulations in the food and beverage industry.
Benefits:
Competitive salary and performance-based bonuses. Opportunities for professional development and career advancement. Employee discounts on coffee and merchandise. A dynamic and supportive work environment.
How to Apply:
Interested candidates are invited to submit their resume and a cover letter detailing their relevant experience and why they are passionate about coffee
Valiant & Company is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
We look forward to welcoming a dedicated and energetic Barista Manager to our team in London. If you are passionate about coffee and have a knack for leadership, we encourage you to apply!
Apply here
Via needabarista.co.uk

Supervisory Aerospace Engineer, AST, Aerospace Flight Systems

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Grade: GS-15

John F. Kennedy Space Center

As the Mission Integration Branch Chief with the Launch Services Program, you will be responsible for policies, procedures, operations, resources, strategic vision, and leadership of the branch. You will lead a team of highly skilled systems engineers in the technical oversight and insight of satellite to launch vehicle integration to ensure mission success.

Information Technology Specialist (Direct Hire)

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Grade: GS-13

John F. Kennedy Space Center

As an Information Technology Specialist with the Exploration Research & Technologies Programs Directorate you will be the focal point for all information technology (IT) requirements, including IT security compliance and technical consultation with management and contractors on IT management issues. You will support contractor implementation and reporting of new Federal and Agency IT mandates.

Civil Engineer

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Grade: GS-14

Ames Research Center

Ames Research Center seeks qualified applicants to serve as a Civil Engineer. You will apply knowledge of broad operating programs to advise agency colleagues and senior officials and to recommend resolutions to novel problems, conditions, and issues. You will be responsible for carrying out assigned duties in a manner consistent with safety policies and regulations and report safety hazards, hazardous situations, and close calls. You will assist in identifying and eliminating unsafe conditions.

General Engineer, AST, Experimental Facility Development (Direct Hire)

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Grade: GS-13

John F. Kennedy Space Center

As an AST Experimental Facilities Development, you will serve as a Kennedy Complex Control System (KCCS) and Controls engineer in the Center Services Division of the Spaceport Integration and Services Directorate at Kennedy Space Center. You will provide technical oversight, analysis, surveillance, and operational readiness of assigned systems, which include KCCS, software, hardware and all facets of controls operations and development for systems.

International Program Specialist

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Grade: GS-13

Headquarters, NASA

This position serves as an International Program Specialist in the NASA Headquarters, Office of International and Interagency Relations, Science Division responsible for drafting and negotiating agreements, planning, preparation, operation, and coordination of actions, communications and reports concerning the international aspects of the Science Mission Directorate.

Equipment Facilities and Services Specialist

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Grade: GS-13

John Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field

You will serve as an Equipment, Facilities, and Services Specialist. You will perform duties to manage and oversee day-to-day operations of test equipment and facilities; ensuring that relevant maintenance, replacement, repairs, upgrades, and modifications occur to assure a state of operational readiness. Capturing and maintaining the critical core technical and operational knowledge to support core competencies in the wind tunnel technologies for NASA, other government agencies, and industry.

Aerospace Engineer, AST, Aerospace Flight Systems

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Grade: GS-15

John F. Kennedy Space Center

The Senior Aerospace Engineer and Project Manager at NASA is responsible for managing spaceflight systems, and/or payloads, including design and operational requirements definition, hardware and/or software development, testing, verification, integration, certification, and operations. Serves as a subject matter expert in aerospace engineering and pursues new technology development opportunities through advocacy and outreach within the technology, scientific, and stakeholder community.

Budget Analyst

GSFC-24-IMP-12414247-BP

Grade: GS-13

Goddard Space Flight Center

As a Budget Analyst in the Engineering Business Branch within the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Institutional Resources Management Office you will be responsible for providing technical expertise and guidance on budget planning and funds execution for large support service contracts that provide engineering support to all programs and projects at the Center.

So I injured myself at work, went to the work doctor.
They put me on door to avoid injury. I received a call from Walmart corporate, but it was while I was on door, my store is strict so I didn't answer it. My issue is I've now been perscribed physical therapy which can't start until I talk to the corporate claims adjuster. When I call back there is no one to answer the phone, only input for extensions.
My leadership told me there's nothing they can do to help and I'll have to wait for a call back but it's been like 5 days. Any extensions to help me get through to them? Suggestions?

Santa Clara, Calif., May 15, 2024 – Aviatrix®, the cloud networking expert, today introduced key new members of its executive leadership team, including former leaders from Cisco, Microsoft, Paxos, Venafi, Walmart and more. The company also shared its direction for the business under the guidance of CEO Doug Merritt.

Merritt joined Aviatrix in June 2023 following a six-year tenure as CEO and President of Splunk. During that time, his shifts in the company’s technology roadmap, financial model, and go-to-market approach dramatically increased Splunk’s market capitalization, and revenues grew from the equivalent of $100 million in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) to nearly $3 billion in ARR. At Aviatrix, Merritt is leveraging his unique skills and experience to focus on strategic initiatives including GTM strategy and execution, friction-free pricing and packaging, a compelling product roadmap, an unparalleled employee experience, and building operational efficiency leveraging tools including AI.

To help execute this vision, Merritt most recently brought on two key leaders:

• Sandeep Singh Kohli, formerly at Venafi, will take the helm as Chief Marketing Officer at Aviatrix. An accomplished CMO leader with over 25 years of experience in building high-performing teams, he has strategically positioned companies such as Kong, MuleSoft, Brocade, and Cisco Systems to rapidly increase revenues and brand equity.
• Varsha Vig, formerly at Paxos, brings her unique talents to the role of Chief Human Resources Officer at Aviatrix. Varsha has designed and implemented strategic HR programs at organizations including Blink Health, Compass, Lyft, and McDonald’s to enhance employees’ value proposition at the organization, while helping to drive business results.

These two leaders join a growing and impressive bench of talent that has recently joined Aviatrix.
Read More: https://aviatrix.com/blog/aviatrix-building-an-iconic-business-with-new-leadership-and-vision/

My (29M) GF (23F) emily and I have been dating for four years and have lived together since last October. She graduated from college last year and was able to get a job that paid an okay salary for an entry-level position. She didn't like the job too much, but she mentioned that it had good opportunities for promotions and would look good on her resume, so she hoped to move on to more interesting work that she is more passionate about soon. This January, my GF became pregnant with a girl by accident. It was unplanned, and we considered abortion but decided to keep the baby. We have since been preparing for the birth. We have good relationships with both my and her parents, and both sets of parents have said they would be willing to babysit our daughter for free. Recently, my GF told me that she would like to quit her job after the baby is born to be a stay-at-home mom (SAHM). Her reasons for doing so were:

1. She is getting very attached to our baby even though it’s not born yet, and the idea of dropping her off with a babysitter, even if that babysitter is one of our parents who we know will take good care of it, makes her want to cry.
2. Her mom was a SAHM, which allowed her to have home-cooked meals every day and do lots of fun stuff that she couldn’t do with a babysitter. She wants to provide the same experience for our daughter.
3. She no longer likes her job and is unsure if she even wants to continue down the same career path. She regrets her major in accounting and wishes she had majored in something she is passionate about instead of something that just makes good money.
4. I recently got a promotion to a supervisory position in my company that came with a pay raise of nearly forty thousand dollars, so I can afford to support her and our daughter.
5. She didn’t say it, but one of her friends recently gave birth and became a SAHM, so I’m sure that influenced her decision.

She also tried to convince me by saying I would get more sex and blowjobs every day now that she would have more free time and energy for sex which I admit was tempting, and that she could cook all my favorite meals and do all the chores.
I said no for a few reasons:

1. We were planning to buy a house in the next couple of years, and with me being the only one working, that would set us back by years in getting one.
2. I grew up poor. During my entire childhood, I only went to the movie theater a couple of times because my parents could not afford to take me out to do fun stuff like that often for example . I got a new pair of shoes once a year and bought my clothes from Walmart. With both our incomes, we have been able to enjoy a very nice lifestyle. We both drive nice new cars, go shopping, or to nice restaurants or the movies regularly, and have also been on some nice trips and vacations. With only one income, we would have to curtail our spending by a lot. My GF brought this up, but I don’t really want to. With both of us working we can keep are current lifestyle even after the baby. There are many things I still want to do and places I want to go to. And we would have to put all our life plans on hold for several years since my income alone would not be enough. So we would have to wait until I got even more raises,or saved for a long time.
3. I just don’t want the pressure of being the only person to provide for my family
4. Most people don't like there jobs from what she told me she mainly just does not like her boss and finds the work boring. My mom had to work a physically difficult job well I was a baby. So compared to her and many other women my gf has it easy. Sometimes you just have to suck up having a job you dont like.

Also well telling her no, I might have said that the reason why she was feeling so attached to the baby was pregnancy hormones and they would soon pass.. So yeah, not my best choice of words. I mentioned this to my friends and my family. I've been told by some people that a true man provides for his family. And that I'm evil for wanting to seperate a mother from her baby when I could afford to let her stay home. So aita?

Bearded Brothers Espresso About Us Bearded Brothers Espresso is a vibrant and bustling hole in the wall style coffee shop nestled in the heart of Melbourne, renowned for our commitment to quality coffee and exceptional customer service. We pride ourselves on creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere where both locals and tourists alike can relax and enjoy a delicious cup of coffee crafted with care.
Position Overview We are seeking a passionate and experienced Coffee Shop Supervisor and Barista to join our dynamic team. As a supervisor, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring the smooth operation of our coffee shop, maintaining high standards of service, and fostering a positive work environment for our team members.
Responsibilities ● Supervise day-to-day operations of the coffee shop, including opening and closing procedures. ● Lead by example, providing exceptional customer service and ensuring that all team members uphold our service standards. ● Train, mentor, and motivate team members to excel in their roles and deliver memorable experiences to our customers. ● Oversee inventory management, including ordering and stock control, to ensure optimal levels of supplies at all times. ● Ensure compliance with health and safety regulations and maintain cleanliness and hygiene standards throughout the coffee shop. ● Handle customer inquiries, feedback, and complaints in a professional and timely manner, striving to resolve issues to the satisfaction of the customer. ● Collaborate with the management team to implement strategies for business growth and customer retention.
Requirements ● Previous experience in a supervisory role within the hospitality industry, preferably in a coffee shop or café environment. ● A genuine passion for coffee and commitment to delivering an outstanding customer experience. ● Strong leadership and communication skills, with the ability to motivate and inspire a diverse team. ● Excellent organizational and time management abilities, with a keen attention to detail. ● Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and remain calm under pressure. ● Knowledge of coffee brewing techniques and familiarity with espresso machines is desirable. ● Availability to work flexible hours as required.
Benefits ● Competitive salary commensurate with experience. ● Opportunities for career advancement and professional development. ● Staff discounts on food and beverages. ● A supportive and collaborative work environment within a close-knit team. ● The chance to be part of a thriving coffee culture in one of Melbourne's most vibrant neighbourhoods. ● Structured roster (Monday to Friday only) giving you work-life balance. No weekends, no public holidays.
If you are passionate about coffee and customer service and thrive in a fast-paced environment, we would love to hear from you! Please submit your resume and a cover letter outlining why you would be the perfect fit for this role to beardedbrothersespresso@gmail.com
Bearded Brothers Espresso welcomes applications from all qualified individuals. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
Apply here
Via needabarista.com.au

Loblaw’s last day for their second quarter will be on June 15, 2024 which means the next 21 days are SUPER important for the boycott. Loblaw will try really hard to win back customers, but if history repeats itself as it always does, Loblaw leadership will raise retails to close the quarter and margin up which means more customers will say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. Check produce, bakery, meat and grocery pricing - lazy Loblaw leadership will be increasing retails to close the quarter.
There’s been a lot of discussion in order for the boycott to have meaningful impact, the stock price has to come down. The only way the stock price will come down is if shareholders continue to get nervous and start to sell off their shares in panic. Loblaw has enough money to continue to buy back shares which will bring the share price back up, but there’s a limit to how many shares they can buy back.
Shareholders continue to see news about the boycott and insiders are saying that Loblaw is surprised on just how many Canadians know about the boycott. The last two weeks Loblaw is starting to see less customers in their stores and some banners like Loblaw and Zehrs are seeing double digit sales declines! Market share from Nielsen is showing that Loblaw is hurting! Shoppers Drug Mart is hurting because discretionary spending is down which means beauty sales, high margin categories for Loblaw is significantly down.
Given Loblaw’s strong hold in Ontario, Ontario is seeing the biggest impact. However Loblaw has Real Canadian Superstore in the West and Maxi in Quebec, and both are key banners for the company. On top of boycotting Loblaws, Zehrs, No Frills and Shoppers Drug Mart in Ontario, CALL TO ACTION is we need to spread the news in Quebec, Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan! We need to spread the word to boycott Maxi, No Frills AND Real Canadian Superstore in order to get their customer count down and hence, their sales down.
First priority, shop at your local store. And if that’s not feasible then choose any other retailer other than Loblaw owned banners. Support retailers that have the lowest price. I know there’s been some discussion on supporting Walmart, Costco, FreshCo, Food Basics or Super C is still supporting big corporations. However they ALL provide significantly better value than Loblaw on an everyday basis. Let’s continue to put our efforts on one company to show the government and corporations what Canadians can do when they mobilize. Let’s continue to put our efforts on Loblaw to show the power of the people!
Loblaw’s leadership has been lazy for over a decade and it’s time that WE the customers say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH with our wallets.
Boycott On!

Supervisory Environmental Protection Specialist (Direct Hire)

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Grade: GS-15

Goddard Space Flight Center

Serve as NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Medical and Environmental Management Division Deputy Division Chief. GSFC encompasses facilities in Greenbelt, Maryland, Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, and numerous sites across the country and internationally. The Medical and Environmental Management Division administers GSFC's environmental compliance and protection programs, and occupational medicine, health, and wellness programs.

General Engineer, AST, Experimental Facilities Techniques

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Grade: GS-14

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

This position serves as the Mission Control Center Systems (MCCS) Engineering and Development Group Lead. Major responsibilities include the development, operations, and sustainment of the MCCS at NASA's Johnson Space Center. The Mission Control Center supports the International Space Station (ISS), Artemis, and other human spaceflight programs.

Administrative Specialist (Direct Hire)

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Grade: GS-11/12

Armstrong Flight Research Center

As the Agreement Administrator (Administrative Specialist) with the Research Engineering Directorate, Engineering Operations Branch, in the Agreement and Partnership Office, you will assist the Center Agreement Manager in coordinating with stakeholders in the agreement and partnership process. You will coordinate activities with the customer to determine the best agreement mechanism, review all draft agreements, and process agreements in accordance with Center and Agency requirements.

Legislative Affairs Specialist (Direct Hire)

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Grade: GS-11/13

Headquarters, NASA

This position is in the Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs (OLIA). As a Legislative Affairs Specialist, you will be responsible for coordinating with internal and external partners of OLIA, in support of the legislative agenda for the Agency.

General Engineer, AST, Facility Systems Safety (Direct Hire)

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Grade: GS-11

John Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field

As a Safety Engineer, you will be evaluating, monitoring, & performing safety risk assessments for facilities, systems, equipment, & operations at Glenn Research Center. You will work with the testing and institutional communities to ensure that regulations, policies, and standards as they relate to safety are implemented into designs, refurbishment/modification, maintenance, and operations. You will be responsible for advising management and other support organization on safety requirements.

Physical Scientist, AST, Life Support Studies

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Grade: GS-14

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

The Senior Space Food Scientist serves as a system manager for space food systems and integration lead providing expertise in overall management of the food system provisioning, production, and delivery to support crew. This includes working with other government agencies, commercial, and international partners to ensure safe and reliable food systems. Additionally, the incumbent provides leadership of advanced space food technology development for future exploration missions.

Budget Analyst

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Grade: GS-13

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

As a Senior Budget Analyst, you will serve as a subject-matter expert and a point-of-contact assigned to the Office of the Chief Financial Officer. You will interface and integrate across the Center with responsibility for budget formulation, execution, and integration of multiple program and/or project elements (e.g. engineering directorate, mission support, project support).

Accountant

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Grade: GS-13

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

You will serve as a Center Accountant and subject matter expert assigned to the Office of the Chief Financial Officer. You will prepare and examine financial records using analytical skills while applying accounting theories, concepts, principles, and standards to address financial activities of the Center.

A couple years ago a qualified but self-important and not terribly clever nor self-aware person joined my small state government workplace team during a time of leadership uncertainty.
Drama ensued and now I don’t speak to them unless spoken to, but I also don’t go out of my way to speak to anyone on the team and we all mostly work remotely.
I am genuinely scared of this person; I consider their behavior more of a liability than an asset to my team and don’t want to associate with someone who treats people the way they treated me — someone out for only themselves. I am lowkey worried about retaliation and being reported to the administration. I feel safer largely avoiding this person and not giving them any fodder for their arsenal. I do not speak of them to others and there is nothing they can do to help me with my work. I, on the other hand, I’m in a position to give them lots of help if and when they need it, and do so when asked. But that’s it.
To make a long and complicated story short, our 8/10-ish person team grew rapidly then was without a direct supervisor due to some traumatizing legal and medical issues. After a couple years of limbo, the administration decided we needed an interim leader. Due to a seniority clause, only 2 people on my team could apply. I wasn’t interested, but my team was scared of the alternate person (a professional but also a known micromanager and meek person) being in charge. So management had the 2 of us share the role for about 8-10 months. It was challenging but we all worked toward our goals fairly harmoniously.
Then the new person decided to volunteer our team to compile a donation of alcohol for a big annual fundraiser. I immediately offered to contribute, but in a reply all reminded them and the team we can’t store alcohol in our workplace and said we need to look into the rules before we start storing alcohol in our office. I work in a very risk-averse industry and thought that this was common sense.
However, this absolutely set off the new person who pissily replied to the entire team that they were rescinding the offer to compile the gift basket, and instead were going to make a donation in their name only, and then went behind my and my co-supervisor’s back to secure administrative approval to get a paid day off to volunteer at said fundraiser.
Their email made my blood run cold. I was shocked by what they wrote, never replied and have barely interacted with them since. It confirmed to me immediately that this person is a troublemaker and will never be happy. I would’ve never dreamed speaking like this to anyone and afterward finished out my supervisory duties almost completely from home.
In the ensuing 2 years a third colleague has been made our supervisor, to my complete relief, and is doing a great job. Things are finally peaceful with a grownup in charge. Our new boss seems to share my wariness of the problematic coworker, and has never brought up anything about it.
TLDR; AITAH for giving the coworker basically the silent treatment? I have deep anxiety about being around them and we live in a small rural area with not many job prospects. I’m trying to keep my head down and not go out of my way to interact with this person because I think it will cause me more trouble than good. I just want peace.