Astronaut Candidate

Duties
Major duties of the astronaut position include, but are not limited to:

Conduct operations in space, including on the International Space Station (ISS) and in the development and testing of future spacecraft.
Perform extravehicular activities (EVA) around spacecraft, space stations, and on planetary surfaces, use the robotic remote manipulator system, and participate in the development and testing of future extravehicular and robotic activities.
Conduct research experiments (including those on animals), operate as a safe member of an aircraft/spacecraft crew (including flight planning and communications), and perform spacecraft maintenance activities.
Conduct ground support tasks for astronaut training spaceflight missions, such as CapCom (capsule communicator) in the Mission Control Center.
Participate in and be evaluated during mission simulations that prepare yourself and other astronauts to work as a well-coordinated team with the flight controllers in the Mission Control Center to conduct operations in the dynamic environment of space.
Support development and operation of human spaceflight programs or other agency efforts as directed.
Advocate for the interests and safety of all astronauts as part of decision-making teams considering current and future spacecraft designs, tests, and operations.
Serve as the public face of NASA, providing appearances across the country and internationally, and sharing NASA’s discoveries and goals.

Requirements
Conditions of Employment
U.S. Citizenship Required
Frequent travel required
Financial disclosure statement required
Must meet all qualification/education and experience requirements by the closing date of the announcement. See announcement for more details on Test Pilot School completion
Applicants may only select ONE discipline group to apply under (See “Qualifications” section below)
Selectees will be designated Astronaut Candidates and will undergo a training and evaluation period lasting approximately two years
Applicants must submit ALL STEM related transcripts
See announcement for additional information on employment conditions
Qualifications
In order to meet minimum qualifications for this position, all applicants must meet BOTH the Basic Education and Specialized Experience requirements:

BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT
All applicants must meet at least ONE of the Basic Education requirements to be considered for this position. Qualifying international Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education is allowed as long as you submit proof of appropriate foreign education equivalency (see below for foreign education details).

To verify the education requirement, you must submit copies of official or non-official transcripts with your application showing a related STEM major field and date conferred, or Test Pilot School certification/enrollment from a nationally or internationally recognized program. While a bachelor’s degree (or less) is not qualifying alone, you must submit ALL STEM related transcripts with your application.

The following degree fields, while related to engineering and the sciences, are NOT considered qualifying:Degrees in Technology (Engineering Technology, Aviation Technology, Medical Technology, etc.)
Degrees in Psychology (except for Clinical Psychology, Physiological Psychology, or Experimental Psychology, which are qualifying)
Degrees in Nursing
Degrees in Exercise Physiology or similar fields
Degrees in Social Sciences (Geography, Anthropology, Archaeology, etc.)
Degrees in Aviation, Aviation Management, or similar fields
You must meet the Basic Education Requirement through one of the methods described below:

A. You must have completed a master’s degree (or foreign equivalent) in an accredited college or university with major study in an appropriate technical field of engineering, biological science, physical science, computer science, or mathematics. (You must submit copies of official or non-official transcripts with your application showing major field and date degree was conferred.)

OR

B. You must have completed at least two years (36 semester hours or 54 quarter hours) in an accredited Ph.D. or related doctoral degree program (or foreign equivalent) with major study in an appropriate technical field of engineering, biological science, physical science, computer science, or mathematics. (You must submit copies of official or non-official transcripts with your application showing major field of study and completed credit hours.)

OR

C. You must have completed an M.D., D.O. or related medical degree (or foreign equivalent) in an accredited college or university. (You must submit copies of official or non-official transcripts with your application showing date degree conferred.)

OR

D. You must have completed or be currently enrolled in a Test Pilot School program (nationally or internationally recognized) and will have completed this program by June 2025 (Must submit proof of completion or enrollment). If TPS is your only advanced technical degree, you must have also completed a bachelor’s degree or higher (or foreign equivalent) at an accredited college or university with major study in an appropriate technical field of engineering, biological science, physical science, computer science, or mathematics. (You must submit copies of official or non-official transcripts with your application showing major field and date degree conferred)

SUB-DISCIPLINE SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT
In addition to the Basic Education requirement, all applicants must meet the Sub-Discipline Specialized Experience requirements below under one of the designated sub-disciplines: Pilots, Flight Test, Medical Doctors, Biological and Medical Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Engineering and Operations. You should select the discipline you best qualify for based on the majority of your work experience.

For each discipline, applicants must have a minimum of 3 years (or 1,000 Pilot-in-Command hours with at least 850 hours in high performance jet aircraft for Pilots) of progressively responsible, professional experience after the completion of appropriate technical field degree(s). Experience could have been gained after the completion of a qualifying bachelor’s degree, though this does not negate the requirement to still possess a higher-level degree.

While you may qualify for multiple disciplines, only one selection below is permitted. Teaching experience, including experience at the K-12 levels, is acceptable if it was in a related technical field and you also meet the initial education requirement.

Specialized Experience

A. Pilot Discipline – to qualify, you must:Have at least 1,000 hours of Pilot-In-Command time:A minimum of 850 hours must be in a high-performance jet aircraft. The remaining hours may be accumulated in aircraft other than high-performance jet aircraft. (Please annotate total hours of high-performance jet aircraft demonstrated in resume)
Complete the Pilot Qualifications Form using the following link and attach as a supporting document to your application – Pilot Qualifications Form
OR

B. Flight Test Discipline – to qualify, you must:Have completed or be currently enrolled in a Test Pilot School program (nationally or internationally recognized) and will have completed this program by June 2025 (Must submit proof of completion or enrollment).
Have at least 3 years of professional experience after degree completion in a field related to Flight Test. You must certify that this experience was gained in a field related to this sub-discipline and be able to provide additional certification upon request. (Must be demonstrated in resume)Note: Flight Test includes other military experience outside Pilot-in-Command experience or aircraft experience that does not qualify for the Pilot discipline. For example, flight test engineers; helicopter pilots; pilots of non-high performance jet aircraft; navigators, weapons systems officers/operators, back-seat qualified fliers, or other aircraft-related positions that may have led to the completion of Test Pilot School. Applicants with test experience but who have not enrolled in or completed Test Pilot School should select the Engineering and Operations sub-discipline.
Complete the Pilot Qualifications Form using the following link and attach as a supporting document to your application – Pilot Qualifications Form
OR

C. Medical Doctor Discipline – to qualify, you must:Have at least 3 years of professional experience after degree completion in a professional medical field of study. Time in residency can count towards experience and must be completed by June 2025. You must certify that this experience was gained in a field related to this sub-discipline and be able to provide additional certification upon request. (Must be demonstrated in resume)
OR

D. Biological and Medical Science Discipline – to qualify, you must:Have at least 3 years of professional experience after degree completion in a field related to Biological and Medical Sciences. You must certify that this experience was gained in a field related to this sub-discipline and be able to provide additional certification upon request. (Must be demonstrated in resume)
OR

E. Physical Science Discipline – to qualify, you must:Have at least 3 years of professional experience after degree completion in a field related to Physical Science. You must certify that this experience was gained in a field related to this sub-discipline and be able to provide additional certification upon request. (Must be demonstrated in resume)
OR

F. Engineering and Operations Discipline – to qualify, you must:Have at least 3 years of professional experience after degree completion in a field related to Engineering and Operations. You must certify that this experience was gained in a field related to this sub-discipline and be able to provide additional certification upon request. (Must be demonstrated in resume)

To learn more & apply click HERE