Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Job Opportunity: A New Life Awaits You in the Off-World Colonies


You still have a few days to apply for a job hauling freight into orbit or perhaps the Moon. The deadline for applications to join NASA's 2009 Astronaut Candidate Class is Tuesday, July 1. The new group of space travelers will be announced early next year after a six-month selection process.

A news release from the space agency details the qualifications: a bachelor's degree in engineering, science or math and three years of relevant professional experience. Most successful applicants "have significant qualifications in engineering or science, or extensive experience flying high-performance jet aircraft." Educators, including teachers at the K-12 level, also can apply.

Rats. Nothing about overweight, out-of-shape journalists. Wonder if my undergraduate degree in Russian studies would help? Perhaps if I'd actually learned to speak the language.

The full job description on USAJobs.gov notes that applicants must be U.S. citizens. Other qualifications: "Creativity. Ambition. Teamwork. A sense of daring. And a probing mind."

The salary is not bad -- $59,493 to $130,257. But be warned: "Frequent travel may be required."

(Image of Astronaut Mike Fossum from NASA's Image of the Day Gallery.)

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