How to Work With NASA (Even If You’re Not a NASA Employee)

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Did you know that you don’t need to work directly for NASA to work with NASA? 

In fact, you have many more options to support NASA missions if you open your job search to all the partnerships NASA has with private companies, academia, etc. 

My goal with this article is to introduce you to the world of NASA contracts, NASA research, and other amazing opportunities that will allow you to engage with NASA and the aerospace industry.

While I loved my 16-year career as a NASA employee, if I were starting my aerospace career over today, I’d take time to research all my options. The space industry is booming. So, while the job market is competitive, there are also more opportunities than ever to get involved! This page will give you some insight into the options you have. After that, do your own research and decide what career path is right for you.

Related pages:

Obligatory disclaimer: While I am a former NASA employee, the views in this article are my own and do not officially represent NASA. My research on this topic has been conducted using public information as referenced throughout this article, and my advice is based on personal experiences (both my own and those of my colleagues).

Table Of Contents
  1. Phrases & Contract Terminology 
  2. NASA Contractors 
  3. NASA Research
  4. Small Business Partnerships 
  5. NASA Engagement Programs 
  6. Don’t pass up on other opportunities 

Phrases & Contract Terminology 

First, let’s define some basic phrases and contract terminology that may help in your job search. If you’re new to the world of government contracts, the language can get confusing. It doesn’t help that there are official terms used in federal acquisitions, as well as colloquial words used around the office. 

For more on how NASA funding works, check out my NASA guide here. 

Colloquialisms

These are common phrases you’ll hear across the NASA community. Similar words are also used in other U.S. government agencies. 

  1. NASA Civil Servants (also called federal employees or just NASA employees) – These are people who work directly for the U.S. government at a NASA center. I’ve written about this in detail here: How to Work Directly for NASA.
  2. NASA Contractors – This is a blanket term for anyone working on a NASA-funded project who is employed by a commercial company. Companies include Lockheed Martin, Boeing, SpaceX, Blue Origin, Axiom Space, Collins Aerospace, Aerospace Corporation, Booz Allen Hamilton, KBR, Raytheon… just to name a few!
  3. NASA Support Contractors – This phrase is commonly used to talk about those hired by a commercial company but who are also embedded directly on a NASA team. They typically receive tasks directly from a NASA manager and often work on-site at a NASA center (depending on office space availability and remote work options). For example, some of the NASA support contractors I’ve worked alongside or led as a NASA manager were employed by Aerospace Corporation, Booz Allen Hamilton, KBR, Amentum, and Barrios.
  4. NASA Providers (also called NASA Vendors or NASA Partners) – These are companies that deliver a specific product or service to NASA. For example, SpaceX provides a rocket service to deliver cargo and crew to the ISS, and Axiom Space is developing the next-generation spacesuit for NASA’s Artemis III mission. Most NASA providers have their own facilities, though they may use NASA facilities for specific tasks, like NASA’s human-rated thermal vacuum chambers. 
  5. NASA Researchers – These are people working on NASA-funded research. They are often professors, PhD candidates, graduate students, or other research professionals who have received a NASA grant to study a scientific topic or research new technology. More on NASA researchers here. 

NASA also has International Partnerships with other countries. Every space agency has its own system for hiring contractors or acquiring products/services. If you are not a U.S. citizen, check out How To Work With NASA as an International Student. 

Terminology used in U.S. Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)

There are also official terms used by the U.S. government when it comes to acquisition (i.e., anything that the government funds). Here are a few that may aid in your job search that I’ve defined using plain English. You can reference the official FAR definitions here. 

  1. Prime Contractor – This is the company responsible for upholding the awarded government contract. 
  2. Subcontractors – A prime contractor often partners with other companies to get the job done. These “subcontracted” companies support the prime contractor by supplying agreed-upon labor, services, and/or specific deliverables. 

Note: In the aerospace industry, many companies end up working together. This means that most companies will end up being both a prime contractor and subcontractor. For example, KBR is a prime contractor on several NASA contracts, including the Human Health and Performance Contract (HHPC). KBR is also a subcontractor on other NASA contracts. This also means you can have a team of people working together who are all employed by different companies. 

  1. Suppliers / Vendors – NASA and contractors create a purchase order when they need raw materials or parts that they don’t build in-house. That purchase order will go a company (the supplier) that can build and deliver that specific item. This could range from a small family company that specializes in welding to huge corporations that deliver all sorts of products. Many suppliers support multiple industries. For example, a company that builds pressure transducers may supply those transducers to companies across many industries. 
  2. Customer – The entity receiving a part or service. For NASA contracts, NASA is considered the customer (NASA contractors are delivering an item or service to their NASA customer). And any company is also considered a customer when working with their suppliers/vendors. 

Types of NASA contracts

If you really want to dig into how government acquisition works, it can also be helpful to learn about the different types of U.S. government contracts.

Most people don’t need to know these terms unless you plan on working directly with a procurement team or planning to start your own business that partners with NASA. That said, they’re useful to be aware of—you’ll sometimes see them referenced on nasa.gov, in press releases, or even in the news.

Most of these contract types are defined in FAR Part 16 (Federal Acquisition Regulation), except for Space Act Agreements, which are unique to NASA. Those interested in browsing real government contract opportunities can find most of the solicitations on SAM.gov.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the most common contract types used by NASA:

  1. Indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contracts – These are flexible contracts used when NASA knows the type of work required but not the exact quantity or timeline. They’re commonly used for many of NASA’s support contracts.
  2. Fixed-price contracts – Contracts set a specific price for the deliverable, which may include a specific product or a specific service. Today, this includes services that deliver NASA astronauts to the International Space Station via the Commercial Crew Program (SpaceX and Boeing) or to the lunar surface via the Human Landing System Program (SpaceX and Blue Origin). 
  3. Cost-plus contracts – NASA traditionally uses these for research and development (R&D) or complex projects with uncertain costs. For example, Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor via a cost-plus contract to develop the Orion spacecraft for NASA’s Artemis program.

Note: NASA has been actively transitioning from traditional cost-plus contracts to fixed-price contracts, particularly for projects involving mature technologies or commercial services. This shift attempts to increase cost efficiency, reduce overruns, and foster innovation through competitive partnerships. Think of it like using a rideshare service when needed (fixed-price commercial service) versus buying and maintaining your own vehicle (traditional cost-plus contract). 

  1. Space Act Agreements – these are collaborative agreements rather than procurement contracts. They’re used to form partnerships with industry, academia, and international organizations with mutually beneficial goals.
  2. Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) –  This is a U.S. government initiative that provides funding to small businesses for early-stage R&D with commercial potential. 

One more useful term to learn is Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), defined in FAR Part 35. These are public-private partnerships conducting long-term R&D for the federal government. They’re typically run by universities or nonprofit institutions. FFRDCs that work with NASA include the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the Aerospace Corporation, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, and Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL).

NASA Contractors 

Did you know that most people working onsite at a NASA center are not NASA employees? It’s true!

Take NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) as an example. In 2024, more than 11,000 people worked at JSC, but only about 3,000 were federal civil servants employed directly by NASA. The rest were NASA support contractors. If you really want to work at a NASA center, consider opening your job search to companies that have NASA support contracts.

You’ll have even more opportunities if you also consider working for a NASA Provider. You’ll still support NASA missions, but you’ll likely be located at the provider’s facility versus a NASA center. 

So… how do you become a NASA contractor? If you’re a U.S. citizen (or, in some cases, a lawful permanent resident), there are many paths into the NASA ecosystem through contractor roles. Let’s walk through some ways to find and network with companies that work with NASA. 

Start your NASA contractor search online

If you’re just starting to learn about all the commercial companies that support NASA missions, here are some simple online search prompts and websites:

  1. If you have a specific NASA center in mind, Google “support contractors at [NASA center]” (e.g., “support contractors at JSC” leads to this helpful NASA.gov page) 
  2. Check NASA’s partnership list for companies involved in programs like Artemis. 
  3. Look at where NASA’s money goes, such as this list of NASA’s top 20 contractors in 2023
  4. Search for awarded companies by geographical location using the NASA Acquisition Internet Service. For example, say you really want to work in Colorado. There’s no NASA center in Colorado, but plenty of commercial companies in Colorado support NASA missions. A Google search for “NASA contractors in Colorado” also provides a list of companies. 
  5. You can even use ChatGPT prompts like these:
    1. Give me a list of NASA’s top 50 contract companies
    2. Which NASA contractors employ [your degree or subject matter]?
    3. Which NASA contractors support [your field of interest]? 

Continue your NASA contractor search (in-person events & networking)

Take your search a step further by connecting with companies. Attend job fairs, expos, and conferences. Connect on social media. Or join informative webinars. When talking to a company, ask how they support NASA missions or other aerospace projects/research you’re interested in. 

How do you find these events and networking opportunities? Here are some options:

  1. Check your university (or nearby schools) for job fairs/expos, especially schools with strong aerospace relationships. 
  2. Many professional organizations, like AIAA or SWE, offer job fairs and other recruiting services. 
  3. Many large aerospace companies also host their own recruiting events. Follow your favorite companies on LinkedIn (or other social media sites) to learn about new events as they pop up. 
  4. There are many large aerospace-focused conferences across the country (and across the world!). In the US, this includes SpaceCom (Orlando, FL) and the Space Symposium (Colorado Springs, CO). 
  5. You can also use ChatGPT to get more ideas. Here are some prompts to try:
    1. What are the best job fairs to attend for aerospace professionals? 
    2. Aerospace job fairs in [your city or state] in 2025.
    3. List upcoming virtual recruiting events hosted by aerospace companies. 
    4. What aerospace companies recruit at [your school]? 

You can even create your own opportunities! Join a local chapter of a professional organization like AIAA or SWE and offer to organize a local event. Ask some thoughtful questions to aerospace professionals you admire on LinkedIn. I’ve even met students and young professionals who have created their own organizations and events. There’s no limit on what’s possible! 

You can also check out my tips for conquering in-person job fairs and virtual jobs fairs. 

NASA Research

Another great way to contribute to NASA missions is through academia or research laboratories. This is especially true for:

  • Graduate students, PhD candidates, and those with careers in academia. 
  • Engineers who are focused on R&D 
  • Scientists 

2025 special note: Unfortunately for my researcher friends, federal grants are another area hit hard by DOGE initiatives in 2025. Many grants are being terminated, especially those in astrophysics, earth science, and heliophysics. This story is constantly changing, so work closely with your university advisors or research leads before making a big career decision that’s dependent on government funding. 

Getting involved with NASA research can happen in several ways, depending on your background, citizenship status, and career stage. Here’s a breakdown of the most accessible paths:

Students: You can apply for NASA fellowships, which support research aligned with NASA’s mission. Or, ask your advisors/professors if they have research teams that are funded via NASA grants, such as programs like ROSES or EPSCoR. 

Principal investigators: Apply for new NASA research opportunities via NSPIRES. Or considering joining research teams via academia, science initiutues or FFRDCs as mentioned above.

Everyone: NASA also supports multiple citizen science initiatives that let the public contribute to real research. These opportunities are open to space enthusiasts across the globe, no degree or citizenship required! Projects include exoplanet hunting, weather monitoring, and tracking auroras.

Small Business Partnerships 

For those of you with an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for developing new technology, considering applying to the NASA Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) program. 

This program encourages U.S. small businesses to:

  • Conduct R&D with commercial potential
  • Develop cutting-edge technology for government and civilian use
  • Support national goals (like space exploration)

There are three phrases for this program: 

  • Phase I: Feasibility study of a concept (~6 months, $150K) 
  • Phase II: Develop and prototype the technology (~2 years, $750K-1M) 
  • Phase III: Commercialization → Successful technology is funded through private companies or a traditional government contract

For more business opportunities beyond SBIR/STTR…

NASA Engagement Programs 

If you are a student or educator, NASA offers many engagement opportunities. These programs are a fantastic way to start connecting with NASA. 

One of my favorite programs for undergraduate students is Micro-g NExT (though I’m totally biased since I was a mentor for this program). Students design and build a tool that astronauts could use to solve a real NASA engineering problem. Students then travel to the Johnson Space Center to test their tool with a NASA team. 

Student Opportunities

Resources for educators or STEM event planners

You can also learn more about NASA at nasa.gov/live or sign up for the latest NASA info via the weekly NASA EXPRESS newsletter. 

Don’t pass up on other opportunities 

You don’t need to work directly for NASA to have a fulfilling aerospace career. Take some time to really think about what kind of career you want. What kind of career will support the life you want to build? Feeling a bit lost or indecisive about your career? Jump over to my recommendations for career planning exercises here.

While this page focused on ways to support NASA missions without working directly for NASA. 

There are so many other ways to get involved in aerospace through other government agencies (Space Force, FAA, etc.) and even more opportunities through private aerospace companies (the commercial aerospace industry is booming!). 

You may even decide to take your aerospace skills to another industry entirely! This is exactly what I’m transitioning into now. After 16 years at NASA, I’m now working in the maritime industry – its been fanasinating to learn how much maritime vessels, like submarines, have in common with spacecraft! 

Think outside the box. Ignore all the external pressures telling you what you “should” do. Take time to evaluate what kind of life you want for yourself. Take opportunities to test out what jobs you like and which ones you don’t (this is where internships really shine). And remember, its never too late to change your mind later. 

You got this!