NASA’s Ames Research Center Science Directorate conducts basic and applied research, and technology development, in support of NASA astrobiology, astrophysics, planetary sciences, biological sciences and Earth sciences. We are home to NASA’s Mars Climate Modeling Center and the NASA Earth Exchange. Students may apply to work in any of our 3 core research divisions: Earth Sciences, Space Biosciences, and Space Sciences and Astrobiology
Earth Sciences: Monitoring our planet and ecosystem from land, air and space.
More information on each area is below. HELP YOURSELF SECURE THE BEST MATCH by indicating your area(s) of interest and your availability for full time (40 hours per week,) part time (20 hours per week,) onsite and/or remote work in your resume or cover letter. Students enrolled in concurrent classes will need to provide a course schedule to demonstrate they have available time during core business hours in the Pacific time zone to complete an internship.
Earth’s ecosystem is changing and we need to be prepared for future challenges. Environmental Monitoring missions remotely view and study the Earth’s atmospheric compositions, climate variability, precipitation around the world, cloud and aerosol interactions and provide crucial information to tackle several big questions. For example, how is the climate changing? How can we better observe and predict natural hazards? Ultimately, by developing better climate prediction models and continuing scientific studies of Earth as a living ecosystem, we are protecting our future and saving lives.
At the Earth Sciences Division at NASA’s Ames Research Center, we are developing tools that monitor the health of Earth from air and space, with fleets of satellites and airborne science related missions. Combined, we are responsible for creating robust technologies and computational models, collecting and disseminating research results, and applying these applications to benefit society, looking at Earth science as a changing collective system.
Space Biosciences: Bringing Life into Space
Life is challenged by the extreme environments of spaceflight. The lower gravity levels in space and on the moon and Mars have a wide range of harmful effects on humans and other living organisms. Away from Earth, there is no air, food, and water apart from what we bring with us. Radiation levels are much higher in deep space than on Earth, posing significant health risks. These challenges must be faced if we are to explore the moon, Mars, and beyond.
In the Space Biosciences Division at NASA’s Ames Research Center, we perform the biological research and technology development necessary to tackle these challenges and enable NASA’s long-term human exploration mission. In addition to designing and conducting ground and spaceflight experiments, we develop advanced research platforms for the International Space Station and other space vehicles to enable the broader scientific community to conduct life science experiments in space.
Space Science and Astrobiology: Searching for worlds and life beyond Earth
At the Space Science & Astrobiology Division at NASA’s Ames Research Center, we conduct research and mission-related activities structured around the study of the origins and evolution of stars, planetary systems, and life. Our activities examine the origin of life and our place in the universe, and questions that lie at the heart of Astrobiology.
Our interdisciplinary scientific workforce is comprised of astronomers, astrophysicists, chemists, microbiologists, physicists, and planetary scientists, organized into three core science areas:
Astrophysics: Researchers study the physical and chemical properties of astronomical phenomena by observing their radiation at optical, infrared and ultraviolet wavelengths.
Planetary Systems: Researchers study new, fundamental knowledge about the origins of stars and planetary systems, their evolution and formation, and astrobiology.
Exobiology: Researchers study the history, distribution, and chemistry of biogenic elements in the solar system; prebiotic chemical evolution and the origin of life; and the history of Earth’s early biosphere as recorded in microorganisms and ancient rocks.
