The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is a United States government agency specializing in the country's aviation, aerospace and space programs. NASA's motto is: To reach new heights and reveal the unknown so that what we do and learn benefits all of humanity. There are many fantastic career opportunities in NASA, and there are many different avenues to get there. A career in NASA can be exciting, creative, and important, but it can also require a lot of effort and be competitive. If your dream is to work for NASA, here are some useful tips on how to plan your path for a possible career with them, as well as offering some practical advice on how to manage the selection process. You might also consider joining the Italian Space Agency.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Study a lot
Step 1. Learn about the various opportunities in NASA
When you think of NASA, you probably think of astronauts first. If you're not interested in going into space, you may still find a satisfying career at NASA. Here are some of the professionals employed at NASA:
- Doctors, nurses and psychologists.
- Researchers, engineers, geologists, microbiologists and physicists.
- Writers, human resources specialists and communication professionals.
- Computer programmers and IT specialists.
Step 2. Identify your academic talents
If you want to get started on the path to working with NASA, it will help you think about what you are good at as soon as possible. This will help you get an idea of the career that would suit you at NASA. Think about it:
Which subjects do you do best in school? For example, if everyone chooses you as a lab mate in physics classes, you might be thinking about a future career in applied physics at NASA
Step 3. Also identify your passions and interests
Even if you are very good at something - like math or chemistry, for example - working at NASA will be intense, as will the course of study you will have to take to qualify. You should pick an area where you not only excel, but are also passionate about.
Step 4. Plan your course of study
Once you have a plan for your ideal career at NASA in mind, it's a good idea to choose your courses carefully, both in high school and college.
- In particular, if you want to be an astronaut, engineer or scientist, you should choose a scientific study course related to your area.
- You should also determine as soon as possible whether a college degree is required for your ideal job at NASA. This will determine which high school you will choose.
Step 5. Study hard
It seems almost ridiculous for NASA to respond to requests to work with them with "study hard", but that's really the key.
You will have to devote yourself almost completely to the study, and not only must have good grades, but also have a real command of the subjects
Step 6. Choose the right school
If you are still in high school as you read this article, you are doing the right thing by planning your course of study in advance. Take some time to look for universities that have very good science courses, and try to get into the best.
Step 7. Look for resumes of current NASA employees
One of the best ways to know how to get where you want to go is to see how those before you did. You can go to the NASA website to read biographies of some of their successful members.
Pay attention to what schools and universities they attended, see if they did any masters or internships, etc
Step 8. Determine if you can take a similar route
Can you be admitted to the same schools? If you are already at university but do not think that your academic program is strong or prestigious enough, you may be thinking about moving for the last years of your studies.
Step 9. Do extensive studies
While you will mostly focus on science subjects, don't forget the humanities. For example, studying philosophy, history and / or ethics could be helpful.
You will learn to read and analyze complicated texts, hone your problem-solving and critical thinking skills, and to consider moral issues thoroughly. All of this will be invaluable in your future NASA career
Step 10. Become a well-rounded person
Developing your personality should become your priority - this doesn't just mean expanding your knowledge, but also taking care of your body and developing your relationship and leadership skills. It is also important that you find ways to relax and enjoy yourself.
Find time for extracurricular activities to help you achieve these goals. For example, you could join a science club, debate group, run for student representative, play volleyball, play in the school band, etc
Part 2 of 3: Identifying the different routes to NASA
Step 1. Learn about the NASA Pathways Intern Employment Program (IEP) internship program
NASA has a program called the Pathways Program, which offers three ways to start working with them. The NASA Pathways Program is for undergraduate students or anyone who has been accepted into a qualifying educational program.
If they accept you into the program, you will be able to work paid, learn the necessary skills, and gain relevant experience and connections that could facilitate your entry into NASA as a full-time worker
Step 2. Search through the internships available with the Pathway Program
You can go to the NASA website for internship opportunities, including IEPs. You can also request a notification for new opportunities on the USAJOBS site.
Step 3. Make sure you meet the requirements
In order to participate in an internship with NASA, you must be a United States citizen, be at least 16 years old when you start the internship, study at a university, and have been accepted into an accredited university.
You must also have a high grade point average, at least 2.9 out of 4.0
Step 4. Meet additional requirements
For some jobs, you may need to achieve Aeronautical, Scientific and Technical (AST) qualification standards. They may be requested in certain internship announcements.
Step 5. Apply for the Pathways Internship Program
To register, you will be redirected to the USAJOBS site for online registration. In the next method you will be guided step by step.
Step 6. Consider enrolling in the NASA Pathways Recent Graduates Program (RGP)
Don't worry if you didn't know about the internship program when you were at university. If you have just graduated, or are about to graduate, you may be eligible for the RGP.
If you are selected, you will be placed in a fixed-term work program for the duration of one year (in some houses it will be renewed for another year) after which you could be hired on an indefinite basis
Step 7. Satisfy the requirements for admission to the RGP
To be admitted you must have graduated from an accredited university within the past two years, unless you qualify as a War Veteran.
If you were unable to enroll for military obligations, you can enroll within 6 years of graduation or graduation
Step 8. Sign up for the RGP
You can go to the NASA site or the USAJOBS site to search and sign up for available RGP places.
Step 9. Learn about the NASA Pathways Presidential Management Fellows Program (PMF)
The latest NASA Pathways Program is for individuals who have recently completed a graduate, doctoral, or postgraduate degree program. Those who are accepted are immersed in an intensive leadership development program that can put them on the shortest path to important careers in government.
Step 10. Determine if you qualify for the PMF program
If you have taken a doctorate in the last two years (or if you are finishing it this year) you can enroll in the program.
Step 11. Choose the scholarship to compete for
There are many government organizations participating in this prestigious and competitive program (more than 100), and NASA is one of them.
Visit the PMF website to find out what the requirements are and how to register
Step 12. Discover the Astronaut Candidate Program
If you want to become an astronaut and work on the International Space Program, sign up as an Astronaut Candidate.
If they accept you, you will be assigned to the Astronaut Office at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, where you will spend approximately two years training intensively and your suitability as an astronaut will be assessed
Step 13. Meet the basic educational requirements to be able to enroll in the Astronaut Candidate Program
To be even taken into consideration you must have the right degree:
- You must have one or more of the following degrees from an accredited institution: mathematics, engineering, biological or physical sciences.
- Keep in mind that some degrees that are good for other NASA jobs do not qualify you to participate in the astronaut program. For example, degrees in nursing, technology or aviation are not considered eligible.
Step 14. Gain more experience before applying to the Astronaut Candidate Program
You must have at least three years of additional relevant professional experience in addition to higher education to qualify for the program.
If you graduated, it could be used as part or all of the required professional experience. You can learn more by studying the USAJOBS guidelines
Step 15. Meet the physical requirements to participate in the Astronaut Candidate
You must be able to pass the long-term flight test. Among the requirements:
- Your vision must be perfect (10/10), and if you have surgically corrected your vision you must wait at least a year without complications arising.
- Blood pressure should be between 140 and 90.
- You must not be shorter than 1.52m or taller than 1.90m.
Step 16. Sign up through USAJOBS
If you are a civilian you will need to apply as an astronaut on the USAJOBS website.
You must register through USAJOBS even if you are a military man, but you should make a further selection through your military service (for example, if you are part of the army contact personnel management for more information)
Part 3 of 3: Apply to NASA via USAJOBS
Step 1. Apply to NASA even if you have not participated in the Pathways Program
There are many different paths you can take for an eventual NASA career. While the Pathways Program provides excellent opportunities, you can apply directly if you are a college graduate or military.
Step 2. Visit USAJOBS to find NASA job opportunities
While it's a good idea to start looking for work on the NASA website - you can learn more about the organization, the people they hire, and the projects they carry out - you will be redirected to the USAJOBS site to find and apply for a specific job.
You can use the USAJOBS search field to filter NASA job postings
Step 3. Use the USAJOBS notification service
If you are afraid of missing NASA job postings, you can sign up for the new jobs newsletter with your preferred requirements and criteria.
Make sure you check your emails regularly, and make sure your spam filters are set up so that notifications aren't sent to the wrong mailbox or even blocked
Step 4. Apply online for advertised jobs
NASA does not consider unsolicited applications. As explained above, you should search for open positions on USAJOBS, and / or subscribe to email notifications for new announcements.
Step 5. Think carefully about applying by email
Once you have found the position you want to apply for, you need to prepare your CV. Although NASA accepts hard copies of the CV (the address is shown on the job posting), it strongly recommends submitting it digitally via USAJOBS.
It is in your best interest to apply as requested and to avoid sending unsolicited material
Step 6. Adapt your resume on USAJOBS
On the USAJOBS website you can create and edit up to 5 resumes. You will then be prompted to select the one you want to use to apply for a particular job. If you are applying for more than one government job posting, or more than one NASA job, you may need to create different versions of the CV to emphasize different skills.
- For example, one of your resumes might place more emphasis on your teaching experience if you are applying for a job that requires you to teach, just as another resume might highlight your experiences as a researcher.
- Read the job advertisement carefully to choose the resume that best shows your skills and qualifications that you will need for that job.
- Note which CV you used for each application; NASA does not keep the name of the curriculum.
Step 7. Use a simple format for the CV
You shouldn't use bulleted lists or other non-alphanumeric characters. NASA computers do not read these characters correctly, and it will be difficult to read the CV correctly, which will seem approximate.
Instead, you could use a hyphen instead of a period to emphasize points on your experience list
Step 8. Avoid copying and pasting your CV
It is a good idea to first make a draft and clean it up in a word processing program instead of creating it from scratch during the application. In any case it is better if you do not copy and paste from the Word document to the site.
- Programs such as Microsoft Word include special characters and hidden code that are not translated correctly.
- If you compose your resume using a simple TXT text file you will be able to copy and paste without problems.
Step 9. Refer to the job advertisement often while creating your CV
It is a good idea to highlight the keywords in the ad you are applying to while adjusting your resume. Make sure you include those words or phrases in the part where you highlight your work experience and present your skills and competences.
Also be sure to use technical terms specific to your area of expertise
Step 10. Avoid bloating your resume
NASA recommends that you focus your CV on the job you want, and avoid using too many adjectives to describe your experience. You should also avoid entering work experience that does not concern the scope.
Step 11. Omit irrelevant work experience
There is no need to include your full work history on the CV you send to NASA. For example, you don't have to include work in the countryside or as a bartender.
Instead, you should include your current job, even if it doesn't directly affect your application
Step 12. Provide complete information for the work experience you include
Once you have decided what to put on your CV, make sure you have information on dates, salary, employer address and the name and telephone number of your boss.
Step 13. Prepare additional information if you are or have been a federal employee
You will have to declare any work done for the government. Be ready to list your card number, the exact dates of employment, the dates of your promotions and the highest rank you have obtained.
Step 14. Include complete information about your educational history
You will also need to provide the full names and addresses of the schools you attended. It also lists high school, graduation and diploma dates, grade point average (and the scale on which it is calculated), and graduate degrees.
Most jobs at NASA require a bachelor's degree in a course of at least 4 years, and often a master's degree. It is important to have graduated from a university recognized by the Department of Education, not from a "diploma factory"
Step 15. List your achievements
You should also include a list of awards and honors you have earned, training completed, articles posted by you or with someone else, etc. Include specific titles and dates.
You should also describe the computer programs, tools, and equipment you have used or are familiar with that could be used for this new job
Step 16. Be brief
USAJOBS has no limit to the length of the resume created with their system, but NASA does. They do not take into account more than 6 pages (about 20,000 characters).
Step 17. Leave the cover letter alone
NASA does not accept cover letters for applications, and does not accept other documents.
Step 18. Read the job posting to find out if you need additional documentation
NASA does not usually require other documents for the first application. Read the announcement carefully, however, in case there is an exception to the rule.
- Keep an eye on the e-mails carefully for further requests that may come to you after you have sent your application.
- For some jobs, for example, they may ask you to submit your college record, or you should submit other documentation if you have applied as a veteran. However, these requests usually come close to closing applications.
Step 19. Submit your resume from USAJOBS
Once you have completed your CV on USAJOBS, it will be transferred to the NASA Staffing System (NASA STARS). This system extracts the information NASA seeks from the USAJOBS resume.
Step 20. Double-check the resume extracted from the USAJOBS site
Note that not all fields are extracted. For example, NASA does not extract information from the Languages, Organizations or References sections.
It doesn't hurt to fill in these sections on the USAJOBS resume, but don't be scared when you don't see them on the NASA STARS resume
Step 21. Answer the questions
NASA STARS may ask you additional questions once your CV has been drawn. They are used to check if you meet the requirements and if you are really interested in the job.
Step 22. Answer additional questions
They may ask you for additional information as you complete your CV on USAJOBS. If so, the replies will be sent, but you will need to verify that the submission was successful. Here you can edit or review the answers.
Step 23. Answer additional questions for the specific job
For example, for some Senior Executive Service jobs, you need to complete applications for SES Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and SES Executive Technical Qualifications. NASA recommends completing them offline using a simple text program and then entering the answer when you are able to think carefully.
These questions are designed to understand if you have the right managerial and leadership skills and experience, as well as the required technical skills and knowledge
Step 24. Wait for the notification of receipt
Once you have answered all additional questions, a notification email will be sent to you from NASA verifying that your application has been received.
If you do not receive it, go back to the application and check if you have skipped any steps
Step 25. Track your application using the “Application Status” page on USAJOBS
You can log back into USAJOBS whenever you want to see where your application is in the selection process.
- For example, you can see if the application has been received, if you have started the selection process, if it has been decided if you are eligible, if you have been chosen for the interview, or if you have been rejected.
- Good luck!
