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

  • Students in red shirts looking down at a model on a table

    What Courses or Clubs Should I Enroll In?  →

    Middle school and high school students can start preparing now if they are interested in science and engineering degrees.

  • Pictures of three people set over images of planets

    What Are Scientists and Engineers Like?  →

    People who grow up to be scientists and engineers usually are curious about how things work, whether mechanical objects or processes they see in nature.

  • A person wearing a white protective suit stands next to equipment in a lab

    What Kinds of Jobs Do People Have at JPL?  →

    A wide range of skills, knowledge and experience are required to explore planets, study galaxies and monitor Earth from space.

  • Screenshot from the Climate Kids: Green Careers website

    Green Careers  →

    Learn about jobs that help the planet.

  • 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

  • Don Smolenski (left), Chris Ferguson and Joe Banner

    Philadelphia Eagles Honor Astronaut Chris Ferguson

    NASA astronaut Chris Ferguson was honored on Nov. 7 in his hometown by the Philadelphia Eagles. Ferguson was named Honorary Captain during the NFL's "Monday Night Football" game. The Eagles hosted the Chicago Bears at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

  • Astronaut Chris Ferguson throws out first pitch

    Phillies Honor Commander Chris Ferguson

    STS-135 Commander Chris Ferguson threw out the first pitch Sunday night for the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

  • JSC2010-E-013948 -- Shannon Walker

    Houston, We Have an Astronaut

    Houston. It was the first word from the moon, and the city has served as the home of Mission Control and the nation’s human spaceflight program for more than 40 years. But even though Houston has been the home of NASA's astronaut corps for decades, the city has never had a hometown astronaut -- until now.

  • John Grunsfeld

    Former Chief Scientist and Hubble Astronaut to Retire

    Astronaut John Grunsfeld, who flew three times to service Hubble, is leaving NASA to become the deputy director of the Space Telescope Science Institute.

  • Astronaut & Terrible Towel Return to Pittsburgh

    Astronaut & Terrible Towel Return to Pittsburgh

    Astronaut and U.S. Air Force Colonel Mike Fincke has taken the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers to new heights! During his command of Expedition 18 onboard the International Space Station, Fincke flew the iconic “Terrible Towel” for his favorite team and sent a message to them for their 2009 Super Bowl game.

  • 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.

Career Profiles

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