Research NASA Careers and Employment Opportunities

Have you considered a career as an engineer, scientist, technician, or astronaut with NASA?

Join us on May 4th at 12 noon Eastern Time for a live chat on this topic at http://quest.nasa.gov/qchats/special/cotf. We invite you to explore your personal interests regarding careers in aerospace industries and space exploration by completing the research activities listed below.

Ask career questions during the Space Day chat, or you can email them to us in advance at issteam@cet.edu. The chat will be archived at the Space Station Challenge^TM Web site (http://www.cotf.edu/iss/).

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Objectives

Use library, Internet, and email resources to investigate career options associated with the International Space Station and NASA.

Introductory Questions

First think about and discuss some of these questions with your friends.

1. What types of technical (e.g., engineering) and non-technical careers (e.g., publicity) do you associate with NASA and the International Space Station?
2. What aspects of the International Space Station project interest you?
3. How could you begin to learn about job opportunities with NASA?
4. What are the technical and educational requirements necessary to enter into various NASA careers?
5. NASA employs many subcontractors. Who are they? What qualifications do you think are necessary to work for them?
6. What opportunities are available for students to work at NASA centers as interns?
7. What barriers might YOU need to overcome to obtain one of these careers?

Procedure

1. Divide into teams to brainstorm NASA careers. See which teams can come up with the longest lists of careers and career clusters.
2. Explore current NASA projects and the careers associated with them.
3. Determine the role of subcontractors in space exploration and research.
4. See the books, Learning for Earning (chapter 17: Types of Careers), and Technology,to begin researching career qualifications. Perform online searches for additional information, starting with the web sites given below.
5. Choose ONE career and determine the skills and educational background required to qualify for that career.
6. 6. Obtain email addresses and correspond with individuals employed in the career field you have selected.
7. 7. Create a report which may be written individually or in teams of two. Plan on presenting the report to your class. Each report should include, but is not limited to:

   Career objectives	Subcontractor companies researched
   Educational and skill requirements	Individuals contacted
   Conclusions	Internet sites used

Resources

Sackoff, S. & L. David (1998). The Space Publications Guide to Space Careers. Bethesda, MD: Space Publications.

Wanat, J. A., E. W. Pfeiffer, E. Weston & R. Van Gulik (1999). Learning for Earning: Your Route to Success (textbook). Tinley Park, Ill: Goodheart-Willcox.

Wright, R. T. (2000). Technology (textbook). Tinley Park, Ill: Goodheart-Willcox.

Web Links

The K-8 Aeronautics Internet Textbook located at http://wings.ucdavis.edu/ [accessed 3/28/2000]. This site provides information on careers in aerodynamics, biographies of individuals in each career field, and lesson plans.

NASA Johnson Space Center web site located at http://www.jsc.nasa.gov [accessed 3/28/2000]. This site provides career and additional NASA links, including job applications.

NASA Student Opportunities web site located at
http://www.nasajobs.nasa.gov/jobs/student_opportunities/student_opportu nities.htm [accessed 3/29/2000]. This NASA headquarters site is a good starting place for finding the full spectrum of NASA student opportunities.

Space Careers web site located at http://www.spacelinks. com/SpaceCareers/index.shtml [accessed 4/13/2000]. This web site lists over 500 companies offering jobs in the space industry.