Description
Investigate space environments and planetary systems by analyzing data from spacecraft, satellites, and ground observatories; develop models and forecasts, including space weather, to support scientific discovery, missions, and operational users.
- • Communicate space weather conditions, mission impacts, or alerts to stakeholders and the public through briefings or digital channels.
- • Acquire and process data from spacecraft instruments, satellites, space telescopes, ground-based observatories, and space weather networks.
- • Prepare space environment forecasts or mission briefings for satellite operators, launch providers, aviation, utilities, or government agencies.
- • Measure ionospheric, thermospheric, or magnetospheric properties using in situ and remote-sensing instruments, including sounding rockets and satellites.
- • Lead space environment monitoring and forecasting operations at research centers or mission control facilities.
- • Collect in situ particle, plasma, or dust measurements using spacecraft, high-altitude balloons, or suborbital platforms.
- • Run numerical simulations of the heliosphere, magnetospheres, ionospheres, or planetary atmospheres to understand and predict space environment dynamics.
- • Design, calibrate, or develop space instruments, sensors, or remote-sensing methods for planetary and heliophysics observations.
- • Analyze space and planetary data sets using plasma physics, radiative transfer, data assimilation, and numerical modeling techniques.
- • Perform instrument integration, cross-calibration, and validation for spacecraft payloads and ground systems.
- • Create visualizations and dashboards to illustrate historical and forecasted space environment conditions or planetary changes.
- • Estimate impacts of solar storms, radiation belts, and geomagnetic activity on spacecraft, communications, navigation, and power grids.
- • Formulate predictions by interpreting solar, heliospheric, magnetospheric, and ionospheric observations and models.
- • Perform managerial duties such as scheduling operations, training staff, aligning expertise to missions, and evaluating team performance.
- • Consult with agencies, mission teams, and researchers on interpreting space environment and planetary data for planning and hazard mitigation.
- • Teach college-level courses on space physics, planetary science, or remote sensing.
- • Analyze historical solar cycle, geomagnetic, and mission data to assess trends and inform future forecasts or designs.
- • Prepare space weather reports, synoptic maps, and mission briefs using scientific visualization tools.
- • Apply space science expertise to issues such as radiation safety, satellite drag, orbit prediction, and planetary environmental processes.
- • Develop or apply physics-based and machine-learning models for space weather and planetary environment forecasting.
- • Interpret imagery and spectroscopic data from spacecraft and telescopes to infer surface composition, atmospheric structure, and space plasma conditions.
- • Conduct research on the processes governing solar activity, space plasmas, planetary atmospheres, rings, and magnetospheres.
- • Prepare scientific papers, technical reports, and mission documentation.
- • Assess the impact of space environment events on technology performance and reliability and evaluate mitigation strategies.
- • Engage in public outreach to explain space science topics and answer questions.
- • Develop software and pipelines for spacecraft data acquisition, processing, and distribution.
- • Develop and deliver training on space weather awareness, mission operations, or instrument use.
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O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
