and if you want to apply, here is the link to the actual federal employment job listing :NASA is looking for a Planetary Protection Officer to protect the planet from potential alien contamination. The U.S. government’s official employment site posted the job advert, open to U.S. citizens and nationals for applications until August 14.
The job comes with a six figure salary—$124,406 to $187,000 per year—and security clearance is listed as "secret." The role involves stopping astronauts and robots from getting contaminated with any organic and biological material during space travel.
“NASA maintains policies for planetary protection applicable to all space flight missions that may intentionally or unintentionally carry Earth organisms and organic constituents to the planets or other solar system bodies, and any mission employing spacecraft, which are intended to return to Earth and its biosphere with samples from extraterrestrial targets of exploration” the job advert reads. “This policy is based on federal requirements and international treaties and agreements.”
The job, initially, is a three-year contract that may be extended for a further two years. During this time, NASA will be planning several missions, including one to Jupiter’s icy moon Europa, where it will search for signs of alien life.
USAJOBS - Planetary Protection Officer
