Also called: Mission Operations Scientist, Science Planner
Schedules and checks the observations made by space telescopes like Hubble and JWST.
At the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, you turn astronomers' requests into exact command plans for the telescope and check the data that comes back.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in astronomy, physics, or a related field.
Ways in: 4-year college. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Astronomy, Physics, Aerospace Engineering.
Growing about average. BLS does not project this specialty separately; rating estimated from related occupations.
Medium risk in 5 years, high in 10. Scheduling software and AI now plan and check observations; fewer specialists needed per telescope.
Classes: AP Physics, AP Computer Science, Statistics.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-4099.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.