NASA seeks next flight directors at Johnson Space Center

NASA is hiring the next class of flight directors at Johnson Space Center (JSC), and the application window closes Monday, Oct. 12.

The new flight directors will lead missions to the International Space Station, Artemis lunar missions and future crewed flights to Mars, NASA announced Friday. The positions are based at JSC, 2101 NASA Parkway, and classified at the GS-14 or GS-15 federal pay grade for senior professionals.

Flight directors sit at the front of Mission Control and make the final calls during spaceflight operations. They lead teams of flight controllers, astronauts and international partners through real-time mission execution and risk management.

Emily Nelson, chief flight director at JSC, said the agency needs leaders who can pull together diverse teams as NASA pushes deeper into space. "Accomplishing these ambitious goals requires flight directors who are expert integrators, bringing together a broad range of teams and disciplines into a clear, unified mission effort," Nelson said in the announcement.

Nelson was selected as a flight director in 2007. As of NASA's 2022 class, the agency had named 108 flight directors since Christopher C. Kraft Jr. became the first in 1958.

The hiring comes months after JSC's flight-control team supported the Artemis II splashdown and recovery on April 10. JSC employees gathered on the center's lawn in May to celebrate the mission's success.

Who can apply

Candidates must be U.S. citizens with a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in engineering, biological science, physical science, computer science or mathematics. NASA also requires substantial professional experience that includes time-critical decision-making in high-stress, high-risk environments.

Prior experience as a flight controller is not required.

Applicants must submit a complete package, including a resume of no more than two pages and a college transcript, through USAJobs.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time Oct. 12. Resumes longer than two pages will be rejected. Selectees must also pass a flight controller physical examination.

The position requires working nights, weekends and holidays during mission operations. The listing is being filled through the Office of Personnel Management's Direct Hire Authority, meaning category rating and veterans' preference will not apply.

NASA plans to announce selections by the end of 2026. New flight directors will then begin extensive training in flight control, spacecraft systems and operational leadership.