Career Information

    Have you ever thought that one day you might work for NASA?


    Many students have written, asking "What do I need to study to work for NASA?" The fact is NASA needs workers that have a wide variety of knowledge and skills.

    NASA isn't just astronauts and scientists. NASA has engineers, mathematicians, technicians, accountants, historians, writers, computer support people, project managers, artists, educators, human resource personnel, public relations managers, physicians, lawyers -- and more.

    The most important thing for preparing to find a job at NASA is that you study what you like and work hard to achieve your goals.

Career Information From NASA

  • Portraits of women engineers

    Engineer Girl!  →

    Learn more about women in the engineering field and how engineers make a difference in society and everyday life. The site also has college-prep suggestions and homework tips to help students choose coursework that will prepare them for an engineering education.

  • The Dawn spacecraft

    Dawn Project: Careers  →

    A lot of people have worked on the Dawn project. The spacecraft is headed toward the asteroid belt. This site explains many types of careers that support the work of any NASA mission.

  • Cartoon host named Astro Ferret standing behind the word Astro-Venture

    Career Fact Sheets and Trading Cards  →

    Check out Astro-Venture's resources on careers that include job titles and descriptions, areas of expertise, interests and abilities, suggested school subjects and courses, education needed, and more.

  • Future Flight Design billboard with NASA logo on top, planted in a green field

    Future Flight Design: Career Resources  →

    Biographies and trading cards in the More Resources section highlight careers in aeronautics and aerospace engineering.

  • Female astronaut looking out the window of the space station at Earth

    NASA Careers From NASA Glenn  →

    NASA's Glenn Research Center has information available on many careers and how to prepare for them. While geared towards Girl Scouts, the information is good for every student interested in working at NASA.

  • Experimental airplane

    NASA Aerospace Careers  →

    NASA Aerospace Careers Information Summaries from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center describe many jobs, from research pilots to machine shop technicians.

  • Map showing snow and ice amounts on Earth

    Careers in Earth Science  →

    Learn about Earth science professions to see how they relate to your skills, abilities and interests.

Profiles

  • Astronaut Bill McArthur

    West Point Welcomes Home One of Their Heroes

    Almost four decades after graduating from West Point, astronaut Bill McArthur was invited to return to his alma mater as part of the Army’s annual homecoming celebration and NASA’s Hometown Heroes campaign.

  • Mike Massimino

    Astro Mike Rockets to a Million on Twitter

    Astronaut Mike Massimino, the first human to tweet from space, recently became the first astronaut to reach one million followers on Twitter.

  • JSC2002-E-16084 -- Astronaut Sandra H. Magnus

    St. Louis Cardinals Honor Sandra Magnus

    In late August, the St. Louis Cardinals took NASA Astronaut Sandra Magnus to the ball game to throw out the first pitch. Magnus isn’t part of the Cardinals’ starting line-up, but she is a hometown hero.

  • NASA Astronaut Brings Some Heat to San Diego

    NASA Astronaut Brings Some Heat to San Diego

    Astronaut Tracy Caldwell cannot tell you where she was when man first stepped on the moon, since she was born after Apollo 11 landed, but she can tell you where she was on the 40th anniversary. She threw out the first pitch at a San Diego Padres baseball game.

  • Greg H. Johson

    Tradition Continues for Ohio Aviation Heroes

    NASA Astronaut Greg H. Johnson returned to his home state of Ohio on a mission to increase awareness and excitement for two major space exploration milestones.

  • Grunsfeld Takes the Windy City by Storm

    Grunsfeld Takes the Windy City by Storm

    NASA astronaut John Grunsfeld spent a whirlwind two days in Chicago talking to kids and the public about the importance of space exploration.

  • Astronaut Shane Kimbrough and Braves General Manager Frank Wren

    Robert Shane Kimbrough Visits the Atlanta Braves

    NASA astronaut Robert Shane Kimbrough had two dreams growing up as a child; to be an astronaut and to play baseball.

  • Astronaut Ellen Ochoa

    Ochoa Honored as Hispanic 2008 Engineer of the Year

    Johnson Space Center Deputy Director Ellen Ochoa has been chosen as the first woman to receive the Engineer of the Year award by the Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards Conference.

Career Profiles

  • Arin Morfopoulos and two robots

    Robotics: Career Corner

    What's the best way to become a robotics expert? Scientists and engineers at NASA reveal how their career paths led to the world of robotics.

  • Front of NASA: Your Future and Ours poster

    NASA: Your Future and Ours Poster

    Several members of NASA's family have shared their stories on this poster.

    › English Version
    › Spanish Version
  • A young lady standing next to a graphic of Earth with lines crossing it

    NASA People

    Read feature articles about the people who work for NASA, and learn about the contributions they are making. You may also access links to videos, interactive features and more.

  • A patch showing a pair of wings with the words Career Astronauts underneath

    Astronaut Biographies  →

    Explore the interests and educational backgrounds of current and former astronauts.

  • Hubble Stars poster

    Hubble Stars

    An interactive poster and mini interviews feature the broad diversity and talents of individuals who help design, build, operate, maintain or tell the story of Hubble.

  • The words NASA Profiles set on a starry space background

    Careers in Spaceflight  →

    Read profiles of people who work for NASA in the fields of science, math, computers and engineering.

  • Matt Abbott sits at his console in Mission Control

    STS-118 Career Profiles

    Learn about the people who make shuttle missions happen.

  • Picture of a hand pouring water from a glass container into a tray of plants

    Meet an Earth Explorer

    Read about NASA's Earth Explorers and learn more about what they do.

  • Angela Beaman

    NASA Engineering Design Challenge: Career Corner

    Read about what it's like to do plant research at NASA.

  • NASA Space Place logo

    Space Place Live!  →

    Watch these cartoon videos of scientists and engineers who work on space and Earth missions. Learn what it's like to work at NASA, how they got started and what they like to do for fun.

  • A picture of Albert Einstein is shown in front of a cosmic background

    Meet a Space Science Explorer

    Read about NASA's Space Science Explorers and learn about what they do.

  • Astronauts in training with words Behind the Scenes above their heads

    Behind the Scenes: Meet the People  →

    Thousands of people make up the U.S. space program. They come from different backgrounds and had different dreams. At this site, meet some of the best and brightest people helping NASA achieve its goals.

  • Female scientist holding a model of a molecule

    Women of NASA  →

    Read profiles of women participating in the Women of NASA project from NASA Quest. They are making a difference in what young women see as opportunities and career paths.

  • Imagine the Universe logo

    Imagine the Universe: Scientist Profiles  →

    Have you ever wondered how scientists work to understand the skies around us? Or wondered what rocket scientists do at NASA? Learn more at this site.

  • Female Frontiers

    Female Frontiers  →

    This archived series of chats and webcasts shares the unique experiences of women who have had an impact on spaceflight.

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