This position (two vacancies) is located in the Planetary Science Division in the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. The Science Mission Directorate (SMD) engages the Nation’s science community, sponsors scientific research, and develops and deploys satellites, spacecraft, and probes in collaboration with NASA’s domestic partners and partners around the world to answer fundamental questions about the Sun, the Earth, the Solar System and the Universe.
The Planetary Science Division is responsible for disciplines that studies geology and geophysics, cosmochemistry, planetary astronomy and atmospheres, Mars exploration, astrobiology, planetary instrument technology development, and planetary data investigations. This position serves as a senior NASA scientist responsible for overseeing execution of a major planetary robotic exploration mission and may have an emphasis on the exploration of and the search for life on ocean worlds or managing NASA’s Discovery Program.