WASHINGTON (WSVN) — Think of it as a real-life “Man in Black”: NASA is currently looking to hire someone to protect the planet from aliens.
Sadly, it has little to do with working with little green men or the X-Files.
The proper title for the position is Planetary Protection Officer (PPO), and according to the job posting, it belongs to the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance for Planetary Protection.
According to the job listing, the PPO will be in charge of preventing alien microbes from contaminating the Earth. In other words, the role involves stopping astronauts and robots from getting contaminated with any organic and biological material during space travel, according to Newsweek.
“Planetary protection is concerned with the avoidance of organic-constituent and biological contamination in human and robotic space exploration,” NASA wrote in the job posting on its website.
The position pays pretty well, with a salary between $124,406 and $187,000 a year. NASA said it is looking for applicants with “broad engineering experience” and a willingness to travel (to where? No one knows!).
CNBC reports that the lucky person will be one of only two PPOs in the world; the other works for the European Space Agency.
The job only lasts three years, with the possibility of extending the position another two years.
If you are feeling qualified, you can apply at USA jobs. Applications will be accepted until August 14.
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