NASA wants a 'Planetary Protection Officer' to protect Earth from microbes
NASA is seeking a new 'Planetary Protection Officer,' according to a recent job listing, and whomever gets the position will be tasked with protecting our planet from alien life (though likely not in the way you're thinking). The position was recently listed on the USA Jobs government website, where it reveals that this well-paying position falls under the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance for Planetary Protection.
It's fun to imagine that this job seeks someone who will work to prevent something like Independence Day, but that's not the case (not yet, anyway). Think instead of this job as being intended to prevent contamination that goes both directions: from outer space to Earth and from Earth into other planetary regions. It doesn't take much of the wrong bacteria to cause a big issue, after all.
Per the job listing, the entire purpose of 'planetary protection' is 'the avoidance of organic-constituent and biological contamination in human and robotic space exploration.' It's a vital element of meeting various international agreements and treaties, as well as some federal requirements, and relates to both sending things like spacecraft out into space as well as bringing things back to Earth from elsewhere.
The Planetary Protection Officer in particular will lead the space agency's own planetary protection efforts, including offering oversight into and maintenance of these protection policies as they relate to space missions. This person will also be a principal advisory to select others, as well as working to support the Safety and Mission Assurance Technical Authority.
The job is open for the public to apply to, and it comes with a salary falling somewhere between $124k and $187k a year. This isn't the first time NASA has hired someone for this role, which itself is limited to a duration of three years with a possible extension of another two. If you meet the requirements and want to apply, you can do so via the link below.
SOURCE: USA Jobs