What’s your dream job? Maybe, it includes a big fat check while you work in a corporate skyscraper, contributing towards the economy of your company while you enjoy your black coffee.
But talk about NASA, they have other plans which go beyond the earth, corporate world, and the people. There is a job opening at NASA called Planetary Protection Officer. The job came into existence after the US government signed the Outer Space Treaty of 1967.
The job is as a fancy as its name. It involves protecting earth from alien contamination and also making sure the humans don’t contaminate other extraterrestrial bodies and aliens (if they exist) during their space exploration.
According to Business Insider, there are only two full-time planetary protection officers on the planet, one with NASA and one with the European Space Agency. Currently, Catherine A. Conley is working as the Planetary Protection Officer at NASA.
A planetary protection officer has to keep an eye on planet-bound robots and vehicles to see that if they are hygienic enough. This includes visiting the space centers across the world and keep things in collaboration.
The officer and their team have to take care of such things, prepare required apparatus and procedures for the testing of foreign samples. Because outer space trips aren’t cheap, and also, no one would want some incurable disease coming to the earth.
Who can become a Planetary Protection Officer?
It’s quite understandable that getting appointed for such a rare job with an annual pay check between $124,406 and $187,000 isn’t an easy task. You can surely apply if you have an “advanced knowledge of Planetary Protection, its requirements and mission categories.”
And you have “demonstrated experience planning, executing, or overseeing elements of space programs of national significance.” This goes along with the person’s ability to make diplomatic decisions that result in a “win-win solutions during extremely difficult and complex multilateral discussions.”
Having an advanced degree in engineering, physical science, or mathematics is another requirement. A 3-year work term would be offered initally which may extend for another two years. Also, there is a secret security check involved, and the applicant should be a citizen of United States.
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