From coordinating research and design to managing finances, NASA has career opportunities for people with diverse skills. In the US space agency there are Peruvian scientists who are part of notable missions. Discover their advice and follow these steps to apply.
The first thing you should know is that not only science and technology professionals are needed for NASA. And there is no single way to integrate your work team. Job opportunities at NASA are aimed worldwide, at people with solid academic background and interest in the space program.
Positions in aerospace technology at NASA, as in the fields of engineering and science, cross traditional academic disciplines because the demands of the space agency go beyond the limit of exploration.
Many positions may require a combination of talents in specific areas, such as automation and robotics, fluid and flight mechanics, materials and structures, propulsion and energy systems, flight systems, measurement and instrumentation systems, among others.
On the other hand, other positions include space sciences and biological sciences and systems. Within these include specializations such as meteorology, study of fairy ions, lunar and planetary studies, radiation fields and studies of particles and meteorites, among others. In the case of the biological sciences, a master’s and/or doctorate degree is highly desirable.
But Not all jobs have to do with scienceNASA also needs administrative support and in the areas of human resources, financial management, public information, and everything.
The official NASA page, Careers at NASA, makes it clear that beyond a career, it seeks for people to have the passion to continue learning and learn more topics that may be outside your area of expertise but that can still help your growth. And the majority of positions offered at NASA are not for people who have only a degree, without any type of extra knowledge.
In some cases, applicants can even obtain various degrees and titlesas is the case of the Peruvian Aracely Quispe, who before even starting at NASA already had seven academic degrees focused on science, engineering, astronautics and geospatial intelligence.
How to apply for a job at NASA?
Careers at NASA shows the type of opportunities that the space agency offers you, then the internships and post-employment opportunities. Follow these steps to apply for the job at the space agency:
1. Create an account on USAJOBS.
2. After completing your profile, you must assemble and upload your resume. The agency recommends that the same format presented by USAJOBS be used to prepare the resume. You can click here to see the advice they give you.
3. Start the job search. You can click here to see the jobs that are open to the general public. Once there you can use Hiring Paths or other filters to refine your search.
4. Once you find an opportunity that attracts you, it is necessary to read the vacancy announcement carefully to make sure that you meet the necessary requirements. Then, click on ‘Apply’ and attach your CV; From there you will enter the NASA application system.
5. After the application system, you are asked to read the instructions carefully. Once the user successfully completes this procedure, they will be redirected to USAJOBS.
After this, NASA will be in charge of review applicant profiles. If the summary is sent to recruiting staff, the applicant will be contacted to schedule an interview. This may be in person, by telephone or video call and there may be more than one round of interviews. If the applicant was selected, they will be contacted to begin the contract signing process.
On the USAJOBS platform you may find open vacancies for internship programs, so this is also a good place to start. These internships are extremely important, since If you do the job correctly during this period, they may ask you to continue as a complete worker, as happened to the Peruvian engineer Rosa Ávalos-Warren, who supervised the first stage of the Artemis mission and has led more than 20 missions since he started working at the space agency.
However, it is important to emphasize that to work directly for NASA you need to be a citizen of the United States. NASA points out that there have been rare exceptions, but it is an almost immutable requirement.
With this in mind, don’t lose hope because there are also opportunities for researchers and other professionals. These can join NASA teams to complete their research and/or work for a NASA research center or partner company, which can hire foreigners.
At only 22 years old, the Peruvian engineer Thalía Leyton is already working at NASA as a research associate. The young woman from Piura went through a series of rigorous evaluations, from reviewing her CV to multiple interviews with laboratory staff.
There are also opportunities for teachers, and they are a fundamental part of the program since they are in charge of training new minds and instilling in them this love for science and STEM areas. Minds that, as the years go by, will find themselves walking the corridors of this space agency.
On the other hand, there are also volunteer opportunities to receive training from NASA experts and, at the same time, integrate STEM programs for science dissemination.
The scientific Aracely Quispe He said that, on one occasion, he spent Christmas in the laboratory, as he had to finish preparing everything for the historic mission of which he would be a part: the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope. NASA has congratulated the Peruvian engineer multiple times for her contribution to science.
Finally, NASA has paid a lot of attention to the development of artificial intelligence and its use in everyday life. That is why it has prohibited those interested in jobs from using this technology in their applications.
“While NASA encourages creating narratives with great care, including proper use of grammar and style, you are prohibited from using any artificial intelligence (AI) or AI-assisted tools, including but not limited to ChatGPT. Any information that you provide during the application process is subject to verification,” he warned. NASA will suspend the application if it discovers that it has violated this prohibition on the use of artificial intelligence tools in the application process.
Published: 6/6/2024
