NASA has a job opening that sounds straight out of science-fiction. The "planetary protection officer" position will ensure that Earth is not contaminated by matter brought back from space, and that humans do not contaminate planets and moons during exploration.
The Independent reports that the job oversees "the avoidance of organic-constituent and biological contamination in human and robotic space exploration.” This is part of an ongoing policy of planetary protection, applying to any space mission that could carry Earth organisms into space, or vice-versa.
This policy has been on the books for some time, as the United States signed the Outer Space Treaty of 1967. That treaty agreed to avoid "harmful contamination and also adverse changes in the environment from the introduction of extraterrestrial matter." That treaty also limits humans to a less than one in 10,000 chance of contaminating other planets, including through the use of robots and probes.
NASA's current planetary protection officer, Catharine Conley, has held the post since 2014. The contracts last for three years, and Conley is leaving for another post at the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance. Whoever takes the job will be in a very exclusive club, as the only other similar full-time role is at the European Space Agency.
Qualifications include one year of experience as a top-level civilian employee, and an advanced degree in physical science, engineering, or mathematics. The listing also requires knowledge of planetary protection, and diplomatic skills.
Steve Watts is a freelance writer living in the DC-Baltimore area. You can follow his keen insights on Twitter @sporkyreeve.
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