NASA wants to protect the Earth from alien harm by hiring a Planetary Protection Officer who would spearhead the avoidance of any contamination during space explorations.
The job also involves keeping samples safe from “extraterrestrial targets” brought back to Earth, Fox News reported. NASA has not yet confirmed or reported any knowledge of alien life in the universe.
The position is part of the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance for Planetary Protection. It is a scientific position and carries a salary of up to $187,000 a year.
The Planetary Protection Officer job listing says the person hired would be “responsible for the leadership of NASA’s planetary protections capability, maintenance of planetary protection policies, and oversight of their implementation by NASA’s space flight missions.”
The job description also says frequent travel is required, but locations aren’t specified. Experience in overseeing major national space programs is needed, and diplomatic skills are also a requirement.
A U.S. citizen or national is the hiring preference for the position, with those from outside the U.S. only being considered if no qualified candidate from the U.S. applies for the job, according to the listing.
Twitter users mostly found the news funny and made jokes about alien movies or who NASA might tap for the job.
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