Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Thorough Learning
• Method 2 of 3: Identifying Different Paths at NASA
• Method 3 of 3: Apply to NASA via USAJOBS

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the US government agency responsible for national aeronautics, astronautics, and space programs. The mission of this organization is as follows: "To reach new heights and discover the unknown, so that what we do and learn will benefit all of humanity." There are many exciting career opportunities at NASA, and you can get there in a variety of ways. A career at NASA can be exciting, creative, and substantial, but it can also be demanding and competitive. If your dream is to work for NASA, then we will give you some helpful tips on how to plan your path to work in this organization, as well as give you some practical advice on how to complete the application process.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Thorough Learning

1. 1 Learn about various career opportunities. When it comes to NASA, you immediately start thinking about astronauts. If space travel isn't all that appealing to you, you can still find the right profession for you at NASA. Here are a few professions that might interest you:
   • Physicians, nurses and mental health professionals.
   • Researchers, engineers, geologists, microbiologists and physicists.
   • Writers, HR and communications specialists.
   • Computer programmers and IT professionals.
2. 2 Identify your academic talents. If you want to get on the road to work at NASA, then it is worth considering what field of science you are good at. This will help you formulate the idea of ​​your position at NASA that will suit you best. Consider the following:
   • What's the best subject for you in school? For example, if everyone wants to partner with you in physics labs, consider a future career in applied physics.
3. 3 Identify your hobbies and interests. Even if you are very good at something (like math or chemistry), a career at NASA will be very stressful. This will also be the course of study that you will have to take. Therefore, you should try to choose a path in which you will not only succeed, but will also be passionate about.
4. 4 Plan your training course. Once you have chosen your ideal career at NASA, you will need to carefully plan the classes you will attend, both in high school and college.Meet regularly with your academic advisor to ensure the correctness and number of courses you have chosen.
   • In particular, if you want to become an astronaut, engineer or scientist, you must choose the directional path of STEM (science, technology, engineering disciplines and mathematics).
   • You should also find out in advance if graduate studies are necessary for your future job at NASA. This can affect where you go to study and what courses you should take at the university.
5. 5 Study hard. At NASA, when people are asked how to get to work, they jokingly say “study hard,” but that's true.
   • You must devote yourself to your studies and not only get good grades, but also really master the material.
6. 6 Choose the right university. If you're still in high school and reading this, then you're right about planning your path to NASA ahead of time. Take the time to study colleges and universities with strong STEM programs and get to the best institution you can.
7. 7 Explore the resumes of NASA employees currently working there. One of the best ways to find out how to get where you want is to find out how others did it. You can go to the NASA website and read the resumes of several successful employees.
   • Pay attention to where they studied for their bachelor's and graduate students, and whether they mentioned an internship.
8. 8 Determine if you can follow a similar path. Can you get into this or that university? If you are already in college but worry that your academic program is not strong enough or prestigious enough, you have the option to transfer to another college for the last year or two.
9. 9 Get a wide range of knowledge. While you will likely be mainly focusing on the subjects of the STIM group, you should not completely forget about the humanities. For example, studying philosophy, history and / or ethics can be beneficial.
   • You will learn to read and analyze complex texts, improve your problem solving and critical thinking skills, and reflect on important deeply moral issues. All of this will prove to be very valuable in your future career at NASA.
10. 10 Be versatile. You should also make it your goal to develop yourself. This means that you should not only work to expand your knowledge, but also watch your body and work on human and leadership qualities. It is also very important to be able to relax and have fun.
    • Try to fit time into your schedule for extracurricular activities that will help you achieve these goals. For example, you can join a science or math club, a debate team, run for a student council, join a volleyball team, play in a school group, etc.

Method 2 of 3: Identifying Different Paths at NASA

1. 1 Learn all about the Pathways Intern Employment program. NASA has a program called the Pathways Program, which offers three different avenues to start collaborating. This program is designed for college students as well as those who are accepted into a special education program.
   • Once accepted into the program, you will be able to do paid work, learn the necessary skills, and gain the necessary experience and connections with which you can progress to your career at NASA.
2. 2 Look for internship programs available. To do this, you can either go to the NASA website or the USAJOBS website and view all current vacancies, including positions in the internship program. On the USAJOBS website, you can also sign up to receive notices for Pathways Program vacancies.
3. 3 Make sure you meet the requirements. To be eligible for an internship at NASA, you must be a US citizen, be over 16 years of age at the time of internship, study in a higher education program, and be admitted to an accredited educational institution.
   • On a four-point scale, your grades should also be at least 2.9.
4. 4 Meet other optional requirements. For some positions, you must meet NASA space, science, and engineering qualifications. They will be mentioned in a specific internship announcement.
5. 5 Apply to participate in the Pathways Internship Program. To apply, you will be redirected to the USAJOBS website for online registration. In the next section, we will provide you with more details on how to complete your application.
6. 6 Consider applying for the NASA Pathways Recent Graduates Program. Don't worry if you didn't find out about the internship program while in college. If you recently completed your studies or are graduating this year, you can join the RGP.
   • If your application is accepted, you will be placed in a career development program (which can be extended for an additional year) for one year, upon completion of which you will have the opportunity to get a permanent job at NASA.
7. 7 Meet the requirements for RGP. To be eligible for the RGP, you must have graduated from a suitable school no more than two years ago.
   • If you were unable to apply due to military service, you have the opportunity to apply within 6 years after graduation or after receiving your education certificate.
8. 8 Apply to RGP. Visit NASA or USAJOBS to find open RGP jobs.
9. 9 Learn all about the NASA Pathways Presidential Management Fellows Program. The latter program is for people who have recently completed their advanced degrees. Those enrolled are placed on an intensive leadership development program that will put them on the path to important government positions.
10. 10 Determine if you are eligible for the PMF program. If you completed your degree no more than two years ago (or will receive this year), then you are eligible for this program.
11. 11 Select the scholarship you want to participate in. There are over 100 government organizations involved in this prestigious and competitive program, and NASA is one of them.
    • You will need to go to the PMF website (www.pmf.gov) to find out the requirements for the application process.
12. 12 Learn all about the Astronaut Candidate Program. If you are interested in becoming an astronaut and working in the international space program, you must apply and become astronaut candidates.
    • If accepted, you will be assigned to the Astronaut Department at the Lyndon Johnson Space Center (Houston, TX), where you will spend approximately two years and intensive training and where it will be assessed whether you are suitable for the role of astronaut.
13. 13 Meet the basic educational requirements for the Astronaut Candidate Program. In order for your application to even be considered, you must have a suitable academic degree:
    • You must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in one of the following fields: mathematics, engineering, biology, or physics.
    • Please note that some degrees that will allow you to work at NASA will not qualify you for the Astronaut Candidate. For example, degrees in nursing, technology and / or aviation are not qualifying degrees.
14. 14 Earn additional experience before applying for the Astronaut Candidate Program. In addition to higher education, you must also have at least three years of professional work experience before applying for this program.
    • If you have completed your postgraduate studies, this time will be counted as part or all of the required professional experience. You can learn more by reviewing the guide on the USAJOBS website.
15. 15 Meet the physical criteria. You will have to go through lengthy physical training. Necessary requirements:
    • Your vision should be corrected by 20/20 and if you have corrected it surgically, it should take at least a year without any complications.
    • Your blood pressure while sitting should be no higher than 140/90.
    • You must be at least 157 cm and no higher than 190 cm.
16. 16 Apply through the USAJOBS website. If you are a civilian, you can apply for the Astronaut Candidate program through the USAJOBS website.
    • You can apply through this website even while serving in the army, but you will also have to go through an additional application procedure for the appropriate military service (for example, if you are in the army, then contact your local army office for more information).

Method 3 of 3: Apply to NASA via USAJOBS

1. 1 Submit your resume to NASA, even if you did not participate in the Pathways Program. There are many different ways to start your career at NASA. While the Pathways Program is ideal for this, you can still apply directly to NASA if you graduated from college or serve in the military.
2. 2 Visit USAJOBS to find open positions at NASA. The best place to start your job search is the NASA website. Learn more about the organization itself, the people they hire, and ongoing projects here. Then you will be redirected to USAJOBS, where you can submit your application for this or that vacancy.
   • You can use the search option to filter the results so that only vacancies from NASA are displayed.
3. 3 Use the notification function. If you are worried about missing a job from NASA, turn on the notification feature on the USAJOBS website to receive an email every time a job appears that matches your qualifications or search criteria.
   • Check your inbox regularly and make sure that the spam filter is not configured in such a way that your notifications will be sent to a different folder or will be blocked altogether.
4. 4 Submit your application only for advertised vacancies. NASA will not consider a resume if there are no job advertisements. As explained earlier, you must search for open positions on the USAJOBS website and / or enable the notification feature to receive emails when new vacancies are posted.
5. 5 Think carefully about whether to send your resume by regular mail. After you find the desired vacancy, you will need to prepare your resume. Although NASA accepts printed resumes sent via regular mail (the address will be listed on the job posting), they prefer that you use the USAJOBS email submission system.
   • It is in your best interest to do whatever suits them best, so send your information in the normal way only as a last resort.
6. 6 Prepare your resume. USAJOBS has the ability to create and save up to five different copies of your resume. You will then be asked to select a copy to send to a particular position. If you are submitting your resume to more than one government position, or more than one job at NASA, then it is advisable to prepare different versions of your resume that reflect your different skills.
   • For example, if you are applying for a job where you will be required to teach or educate, one of your resumes might highlight your teaching experience, while others might emphasize your research experience.
   • Take a close look at the job posting to select the resume that best reflects your skills and qualifications for the position.
   • Be sure to write down which version of your resume you used in which ad. NASA will not retain the title you gave your resume.
7. 7 The resume format should be simple. You should not use dot bullets or non-alphanumeric characters on your resume. NASA's computer program will not be able to translate them correctly, which will make your resume look sloppy.
   • However, you can use dashes instead of dots to emphasize certain points or to list your experiences.
8. 8 Avoid copy-paste. When submitting your resume through USAJOBS, do not write it from scratch, it is better to first compose and bring it to perfection in a word processing program. However, you should not copy and paste text into a form to create a resume from a text document.
   • Programs such as Microsoft Word have special characters and hidden codes in the document that will not be translated correctly.
   • But if you compose your resume in a plain text file, you can easily copy and paste the existing text.
9. 9 Please refer to the vacancy announcement when writing your resume. While polishing your resume to perfection, it is a good idea to highlight the keywords that are mentioned in the job posting. Be sure to include these words and phrases when describing your work experience, skills and competencies.
   • Also, be sure to use technical terms that are appropriate for your industry.
10. 10 You shouldn't write a lot of unnecessary information on your resume. Your resume should be focused on choosing the job you want, and you shouldn't use excessive adjectives when describing your experience. You also shouldn't try to make the work experience section longer by listing experiences that have nothing to do with the job you're interested in.
11. 11 Do not mention work experience that is not relevant to the job. You shouldn't include all of your work experience on your resume at NASA. For example, they don't need to know about the summer you spent planting corn or your bartender job while studying.
    • However, you should mention your current job, even if it is not directly related to your desired NASA position.
12. 12 Please provide full details of the mentioned work experience. After you decide what work experience to include on your resume, be sure to include the date of employment, your salary, the address of the firm where you worked, and the names and phone numbers of your bosses.
13. 13 If you were a government official, be prepared to provide additional information. You will need to list all the work that you have done for the government. Be prepared to include the professional serial number of your position, the exact dates of your employment, dates of promotions, and your highest position held.
14. 14 Please provide complete information about your education. You will also need to provide the full names and addresses of the educational institutions you attended. Indicate your majoring discipline, graduation date, grades (and the scale by which they were calculated) and degree received.
    • Most vacancies at NASA require at least a bachelor's degree and quite often an advanced degree. It is very important that you obtain your degree from an accredited institution recognized by the Ministry of Education and not a "diploma factory".
15. 15 Indicate your achievements. You should also include any awards won, training completed, publications written, where you were an author or co-author, and the like. Be sure to include the exact names and dates.
    • You should also mention the computer programs, tools, and or equipment that you have mastered that may be relevant to this new job.
16. 16 Be brief. USAJOBS has no resume length limit, but NASA does. They will not consider resumes longer than 6 pages (roughly 20,000 characters).
17. 17 Skip writing your cover letter. NASA does not accept a cover letter as part of the application process, nor do other documents such as SF-171, OF-612, DD-214, SF-50, or SF-15
18. 18 Read the job posting to see if supporting documentation is needed. Usually, when you first submit your resume for an open position, NASA does not require you to submit supporting documentation. However, please read the announcement carefully anyway, in case of exceptions to this general rule.
    • You should also keep a close eye on your email for inquiries that may come after you submit your resume.
    • For example, in some jobs, you may be required to submit grades from the university or proper documentation if you request a recommendation. However, these inquiries are usually made closer to the hiring process.
19. 19 Submit your resume. After you finish writing your online resume on the USAJOBS website, it will be submitted to the NASA STARS. The system will extract the information NASA needs from your baseline resume.
20. 20 Review your resume after it has been pulled from the USAJOBS site. Please note that not all resume fields have been extracted. For example, NASA does not pull information from the Languages, Organizations / Affiliations, or References sections.
    • It wouldn't hurt to fill out these sections on your USAJOBS resume, but don't be alarmed when you don't see them on your NASA STARS resume.
21. 21 Answer the interview questions. NASA STARS may ask you to answer a few additional questions as soon as they receive your resume. This is to ensure that you meet the minimum requirements and are motivated to work for the position.
22. 22 Answer preliminary questions. When filling out your resume on the USAJOBS website, you may be asked to answer additional questions. If so, then your replies will be submitted, but you will need to confirm that they have been submitted in full. You can use this to correct or revise your answers.
23. 23 Answer additional questions for specific vacancies. For example, some Senior Executive Service positions require SES Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and SES Executive Technical Qualifications to be answered. NASA recommends answering these questions in a simple text editor after you think it over carefully.
    • These questions are designed to assess whether you have the appropriate managerial and leadership qualities, experience, and required technical knowledge and skills.
24. 24 Watch for notification. Once you have completed your additional questions, you will receive an email from NASA stating that your application has been accepted.
    • If you do not receive this email, go back to your application and see if you missed any item.
25. 25 Follow your application on the Application Status page. You can visit the USAJOBS website at any time and see at what stage of consideration your application is.
    • For example, you will be able to see if your application has been received, whether the review process has begun, whether you have been determined to be eligible for the position, whether you have been selected for an interview, or whether the position has already been filled or canceled.
    • Good luck!