National Academies Press: OpenBook

Building a Better NASA Workforce: Meeting the Workforce Needs for the National Vision for Space Exploration (2007)

Chapter: C NASA List of Competencies and Current Agency Workforce

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Suggested Citation:"C NASA List of Competencies and Current Agency Workforce." National Research Council. 2007. Building a Better NASA Workforce: Meeting the Workforce Needs for the National Vision for Space Exploration. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11916.
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C
NASA List of Competencies and Current Agency Workforce

TABLE C.1 Current Number of NASA Employees with Competency Specified

Competency

Count

Business Operations

1,439

Financial Operations

1,564

Institutional Operations and Support

660

Workforce Operations

298

Administrative Operations

1,243

Engineering and Science Support

976

Process Engineering

26

Systems Engineering

572

Test Engineering

187

Advanced Missions/Systems Concepts

151

Mission Analysis, Planning, and Design

129

Acoustics

51

Aerodynamics

113

Aeroelasticity

18

Aerothermodynamics

38

Air Traffic Systems

36

Flight Dynamics

16

Simulation/Flight Research Systems

74

Aerospace Medicine

26

Bioengineering

8

Crew Systems and Aviation Operations

64

Extravehicular Activity Systems

68

Environmental Control and Life Support Systems

42

Habitability and Environmental Factors

25

Human Factors Research and Engineering

59

Chemistry/Chemical Engineering

37

Pyrotechnics

10

Computer Systems and Engineering

141

Suggested Citation:"C NASA List of Competencies and Current Agency Workforce." National Research Council. 2007. Building a Better NASA Workforce: Meeting the Workforce Needs for the National Vision for Space Exploration. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11916.
×

Competency

Count

Data Systems and Technology

20

Intelligent/Adaptive Systems

78

Network Systems and Technology

224

Neural Networks and Systems

3

Robotics

44

Software Engineering

297

Imaging Analysis

6

Avionics

77

Electro-Mechanical Systems

49

Electrical and Electronic Systems

201

Flight and Ground Data Systems

194

Control Systems, Guidance and Navigation

146

Micro-Electromechanical Systems

13

Metrology and Calibration Competency

0

Advanced In-Space Propulsion

25

Airbreathing Propulsion

30

Combustion Science

29

Hypergolic Systems

3

Nuclear Engineering/Propulsion

3

Propulsion Systems and Testing

120

Power Systems

127

Rocket Propulsion

109

Sensors and Data Acquisition—Aeronautics

48

Electron Device Technology

19

Electromagnetics

57

Laser Technology

20

Management

2,078

Microwave Systems

14

Optical Systems

74

Remote Sensing Technologies

71

Analytical and Computational Structural Methods

36

Materials Science and Engineering

209

Mechanics and Durability

30

Mechanical Systems

181

Non-destructive Evaluation Sciences

37

Structural Dynamics

64

Thermal Structures

15

Cryogenics Engineering

49

Fluid Physics Systems

60

Thermal Systems

108

Advanced Analysis and Design Method Development

48

Advanced Measurement, Diagnostics, and Instrumentation

71

Advanced Experimentation and Testing Technologies

125

Mathematical Modeling and Analysis

104

Nanoscience and Technology

13

Space Environments Science and Engineering

22

Advanced Technical Training Design

48

Mission Assurance

93

Mission Execution

490

Payload Integration

12

Suggested Citation:"C NASA List of Competencies and Current Agency Workforce." National Research Council. 2007. Building a Better NASA Workforce: Meeting the Workforce Needs for the National Vision for Space Exploration. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11916.
×

Competency

Count

Weather Observation and Forecasting

6

Integrated Logistics Support

31

Program/Project Analysis

331

Technical Management

108

Quality Engineering and Assurance

230

Reliability and Maintainability Engineering and Assurance

37

Risk Management

15

Safety Engineering and Assurance

180

Software Assurance Engineering

19

Configuration Management

17

Program/Project Management

1,080

Astromaterials, Collections, Curation, and Analysis

5

Astrobiology

22

Astronomy and Astrophysics

106

Earth Atmosphere

123

Planetary Atmospheres

1

Planetary Science

67

Space Physics

74

Terrestrial and Planetary Environmental Science/Engineering

8

Biology and Biogeochemistry of Ecosystems

15

Earth Science Applications Research

37

Earth System Modeling

18

Geophysical/Geologic Science

10

Geospatial Science and Technologies

10

Hydrological Science

8

Oceanographic Science

12

Climate Change and Variability

4

Fundamental Physics

21

Icing Physics

9

Bioethics

1

Biomedical Research and Engineering

39

Biology

14

Suggested Citation:"C NASA List of Competencies and Current Agency Workforce." National Research Council. 2007. Building a Better NASA Workforce: Meeting the Workforce Needs for the National Vision for Space Exploration. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11916.
×
Page 60
Suggested Citation:"C NASA List of Competencies and Current Agency Workforce." National Research Council. 2007. Building a Better NASA Workforce: Meeting the Workforce Needs for the National Vision for Space Exploration. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11916.
×
Page 61
Suggested Citation:"C NASA List of Competencies and Current Agency Workforce." National Research Council. 2007. Building a Better NASA Workforce: Meeting the Workforce Needs for the National Vision for Space Exploration. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11916.
×
Page 62
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The Vision for Space Exploration (VSE) announced by President George W. Bush in 2004 sets NASA and the nation on a bold path to return to the Moon and one day put a human on Mars. The long-term endeavor represented by the VSE is, however, subject to the constraints imposed by annual funding. Given that the VSE may take tens of years to implement, a significant issue is whether NASA and the United States will have the workforce needed to achieve that vision. The issues range from short-term concerns about the current workforce's skills for overseeing the development of new spacecraft and launch vehicles for the VSE to long-term issues regarding the training, recruiting, and retaining of scientists and engineers in-house as well as in industry and academia.

Asked to explore science and technology (S&T) workforce needs to achieve the nation's long-term space exploration, the Committee on Meeting the Workforce Needs for the National Vision for Space Exploration concluded that in the short term, NASA does not possess the requisite in-house personnel with the experience in human spaceflight systems development needed to implement the VSE. But the committee acknowledges that NASA is cognizant of this fact and has taken steps to correct it, primarily by seeking to recruit highly skilled personnel from outside NASA, including persons from industry and retirees.

For the long term, NASA has to ask if it is attracting and developing the talent it will need to execute a mission to return to the Moon, and the agency must identify what it needs to do to attract and develop a world-class workforce to explore other worlds. A major challenge for NASA is reorienting its human spaceflight workforce from the operation of current vehicles to the development of new vehicles at least throughout the next decade, as well as starting operations with new rockets and new spacecraft.

The committee emphasizes further that when evaluating its future workforce requirements, NASA has to consider not only programs for students, but also training opportunities for its current employees. NASA's training programs at the agency's various field centers, which are focused on NASA's civil service talent, require support to prevent the agency's internal skill base from withering. Furthermore, NASA faces the risk that, if it fails to nurture its own internal workforce, skilled personnel will be attracted to other government agencies and industry. Building a Better NASA Workforce: Meeting the Workforce Needs for the National Vision for Space Exploration explains the findings and recommendations of the committee.

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