One of the first words that flashes across most people’s minds when they see an astronaut or think of outer space is NASA. Over the past five decades, NASA, which is short for National Aeronautics and Space Administration, has played a leading role in space exploration and the advancement of science and technology in the aerospace industry.

NASA is a government-based civilian agency of the United States that manages the country’s space program. If you’re looking into how to get a job at NASA, this piece will give you all the resources you need.

If you are an enthusiast of space and aeronautics, working at NASA is a dream job. Tech and engineering professionals can get a wealth of hands-on experience working in various STEM fields on their way to achieving career advancement.

Find Your Bootcamp Match

• Career Karma matches you with top tech bootcamps
• Access exclusive scholarships and prep courses

Select your interest
Software Engineering Design Data Science Data Analytics UX Design Cyber Security Digital Marketing First name

Last name

Email

Phone number

By continuing you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, and you consent to receive offers and opportunities from Career Karma by telephone, text message, and email.

As a job at NASA positions you well for the future, you won’t have to break your back advancing in your career field. You will get to enjoy work flexibility and work variety as you work on various types of projects in rotation with other employees. NASA gives you ample time to explore several different career opportunities and life options.

As a world-class space program, NASA also pays its most skilled employees better than the market rate. For example, Glassdoor estimates that the average NASA engineer makes $105,240 per year, which is nearly $20,000 higher than the national average for engineers. Overall, the average annual salary for NASA employees is $93,702, according to PayScale.

As a NASA employee, you will receive several benefits and perks in addition to your high salary. Below are a few of the fantastic benefits you will be entitled to.

First and foremost, NASA’s salary package stands out, even when compared to what other big American companies are offering. In addition to traditional monetary compensation, NASA rewards excellent performance and outstanding achievements with non-monetary recognition, awards, and access to scholarship programs.

In addition to compensation and recognition, NASA employees enjoy health, life, and dental insurance, as well as other insurance programs and flexible spending plans. Through the NASA Employees Benefit Association (NEBA), for example, employees have access to low-cost, high-quality life insurance, which allows them to protect what matters to them most.

Pursuing a career path at NASA comes with all kinds of opportunities for career growth. Employees have plenty of learning opportunities, from extensive on-site training to career counseling to various educational programs. NASA also supports current employees by considering them for job openings before looking outside the agency for new hires.

NASA understands the importance of family and is committed to making it easy for employees to work and raise a family at the same time. To this end, most office locations also provide childcare facilities for staff and their families.

NASA also has a generous annual leave policy, which becomes more generous the longer you work there. Employees with less than three years at NASA are entitled to 13 days off per year, those with three to 14 years get 20 days, and those with 15 years or more get 26 days.

NASA offers employees the flexible option of working on a rotational basis instead of having to keep the same schedule week after week. Full-time employees also accrue four hours of sick leave every two weeks, and all employees get 10 paid federal holidays each year. This provides time for recreational activities, which in turn boosts performance.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an independent federal agency of the United States, which oversees space exploration and the study of the planets. NASA was established in 1958 after absorbing the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), an agency that had been experimenting with rocket-powered aircraft.

NASA is now recognized globally for its contributions to the advancement of space-related technology. It has a track record of groundbreaking programs, such as Project Gemini and Project Apollo, which culminated in men walking on the moon for the first time in human history.

The cultural values that have enabled NASA to break so many barriers are safety, integrity, teamwork, and excellence. Above all, NASA is led by an unwavering passion for exploration and curiosity. Fuelled by the drive for innovation, the organization routinely redefines aeronautics research, science, and space exploration.

This culture has enabled NASA to stand tall as a world-class institution over the past 60 years, launching historic initiatives while adapting to new challenges and an evolving set of expectations regarding what a space program should be.

Since its inception, NASA has successfully launched 200 crewed space flights. Its greatest achievement was Apollo 11, which landed Neil Amstrong on the moon in 1969. The triumph famously came after President John F. Kennedy predicted that the mission would be NASA’s greatest achievement.

In 1972, NASA launched Pioneer 10 and 11, its first mission to the outer planets of the solar system. These spacecraft were the first to fly beyond Mars, eventually crossing the orbit of Neptune. The original mission had a 21-month plan but lasted more than 30 years, and laid the groundwork for future visits to the outer planets.

In 1998, NASA and its international partners began the construction of the International Space Station (ISS). Since its completion in 2011, ISS astronauts have carried out historic research, making it easier for future space missions to follow in their footsteps and explore other planets.

According to employee reviews of NASA on Indeed, both former and current employees highly rate the organizational culture and the work ethic of their colleagues. These workers have praised NASA for recognizing everyone’s opinions and contributions, and for giving everyone a friendly learning environment and experienced managers to work with.

Most employees are satisfied with their salaries and their work-life balance. While some point to a certain amount of on-the-job stress, others point out that NASA’s flexible work schedules keep stress to a minimum. While working at NASA might be a bit boring for a few, this can be attributed to the nature of government work. But if you’re aiming for career growth, NASA leads the pack.

Getting a job at NASA is challenging but not impossible. Due to NASA’s reputation for excellence, it receives tons of applications for most openings. Only the best of the best are offered jobs, so the hiring process is quite rigorous. That being said, you can get one of these highly competitive roles if you have the right skillset.

NASA selects applicants with exceptional skills, career passion, work readiness, and practical experience. To give you an idea of the high standards, NASA once received 18,300 applications and only advanced 12 to the next stage. Many NASA jobs now require applicants to have a master’s degree in a science, technology, math, or engineering field.

There is a wide range of careers at NASA, each with its own education requirements. Besides aeronautics, science, math, and engineering jobs, it has openings for human resource personnel, accountants, physicians, and educators. Most roles require a college degree and a high GPA in whatever field of study you majored in.

For an entry-level technical role at NASA, the minimum requirement is a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in astrophysics, astronomy, physics, space science, geology, engineering, or mathematics. To be eligible for a senior role, you are expected to have an advanced degree.

Yes. Learning to code at a coding bootcamp can increase your chances of landing a job at NASA. This is because tons of jobs at NASA require coding skills. These include roles for data scientists, computer programmers, and systems engineers.

A coding bootcamp refers to intensive short-term training in topics related to computer technology. You can learn Python, JavaScript, artificial intelligence, data science, and many other coding-related tools and technologies at a bootcamp. The training can be carried out either online or on-site, and on a full-time or part-time basis.

The key to landing a job at NASA is to present yourself as everything the agency seeks in a prospective employee. We’ve come up with a few application tips that will improve your chances of success in the interview process.

NASA careers cut across various fields. This is due to the agency’s size and the scope of its operations. What a given job entails significantly depends on the specific functions of the department that hires you. Below are some of the most common positions at NASA.

NASA’s hiring process differs from that of other organizations. While there are multiple ways of applying for job placement in the agency, we have put together the most common method. Below is a step-by-step process of applying for a job at NASA.

Since NASA is a government agency, you’ll need to create an account on USAJOBS. You can either log into your existing account or create a new one. If you have a USAJOBS account but can’t locate your login credentials, you are advised to make a new one.

After creating your account, you will need to build and upload your cover letter and resume. The resume format that you should use can be found on the USAJOBS website. You can create up to five resumes on the platform and apply to several jobs at once. Before uploading your resume, make sure that all the information matches the job description.

Once you complete your resume, locate the submission option and send your materials. Keep in mind that NASA will not accept your application unless your materials clearly demonstrate that you are eligible for the position or positions you’ve applied for.

If your application gets past the initial screening, your resume and cover letter will be sent to the hiring manager, who will invite you for an interview. This could be an in-person panel interview or a phone interview. During the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual interviews have become more common. NASA is also likely to hold several rounds of interviews.

If you ace the interview, you will be contacted for a job offer and onboarding will begin. Due to the large number of candidates that NASA screens, it may take a while before you get the call. But be patient. It is always worth the wait.

Yes, working at NASA is an excellent career move. It is a globally recognized organization with a tremendous track record of leadership and excellence in the aeronautics, technology, and engineering fields. The prestige alone makes NASA a valuable addition to any resume.

NASA is also an attractive place to work because of the exceptional salaries, flexible job schedules, good work-life balance, and opportunities for personal growth. Not everyone is qualified to work there, but if you’ve set your career goals and are determined to get the skills and experience to achieve your ambition, you should definitely seek a job at NASA.