What Are Some Types of Jobs at NASA?

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the primary space research and exploration arm of the United States government. It's responsible for some of the greatest innovation in the world, with regular programs and initiatives formulated, and some of those executed. NASA's taken the lead in the space race, moon landings, shuttle program and America's contribution to the International Space Station.

HR overview

NASA is essentially a scientific entity, with a strong emphasis on engineering of all disciplines. Non-science roles are increasingly outsourced, and therefore not subject to NASA hiring practices. Also, NASA is a federal agency, so most hiring takes place through the USAJobs interface, although contacting the administration directly is also advisable. Budget cuts and Congressional scrutiny have limited hiring compared to the heyday of the space race in the 1960s and even 1970s, when the shuttle program was taking off.

Professional, engineering and science jobs

These constitute 60 percent of NASA's total workforce, and include some of the administrative staff, such as accountants, as well as the actual engineers. Particular highlights go to meteorology, computer science, biology and of course aerospace roles. An education in general engineering is also useful, as NASA can train people to specialize as needed.

Administration and management

Some 24 percent of the workforce, these jobs cover most of the administrative needs of the agency. Some positions included in this category are IT roles, budget specialists, general administrators and public affairs officers. They are comparable to duties carried out in other organizations.

Administratrive support

These positions are defined as support, and can be practically described as lower on the paygrade due to easier hiring requirements. They are of a more entry-level nature, including clerks of different kinds, secretaries, procurement and other general office jobs. NASA states this category accounts for 7 percent of employees.

Technicians

Technicians differ from scientific and engineering roles by hiring requirements and level of certification, and are approximately 9 percent of the workforce. The main areas of expertise here are similar to the more professional job grades: engineering, meteorology and electronics.

Tradespersons and laborers

Like any organization, NASA also needs people skilled in trades and workmanship, although outsourcing has taken its toll in this area--it accounts for less than 1 percent of NASA hiring. Jobs in this category may include electricians, model and instrument makers and utility maintenance.

High-end jobs

Everyone wants to be an astronaut, but the fact is they make up a minute fraction of NASA's workforce, and are not considered regular employees. Astronauts are recruited through the Astronaut Candidate Program. Anyone can apply, but obviously acceptance is very rare. Degrees in mathematics, engineering or science are a must. A piloting background is desirable, and candidates must pass grueling physical testing. Jobs on the International Space Station are similar in terms of hiring, and equally rare.

References

• Astronaut program
• Sample USAJobs page
• NASA Careers

Resources

• NASA About page