Title:
Human Performance Scientist (Aerospace Physiologist)
This position will support the Human Physiology, Performance, Protection, and Operations (H-3PO) Laboratory, which conducts research and provides operational expertise in several technical disciplines to address health and performance risks for astronauts. Disciplines include Extravehicular Activity (EVA) physiology, exercise physiology and countermeasures, and applied injury biomechanics. This position will reside in the EVA discipline and provide support for upcoming planetary Exploration missions. The Scientist will develop prebreathe protocols to mitigate the risk of decompression sickness (DCS) in astronauts during microgravity and partial gravity EVA and will conduct ground-based and/or flight studies to validate the prebreathe protocols and further understand the mechanisms of DCS. The employee will also provide expertise to the Medical Operations EVA Integrated Product Team (EVA-IPT) and interface with engineering teams to provide subject matter expertise to support exploration hardware development. Activities will include leading operational projects and human research studies, collecting and analyzing physiological data, providing decision support for refining crew health and performance optimization algorithms and tools, preparing documents and manuscripts, and interfacing with engineering teams to provide subject matter (especially applied physiology) expertise to support exploration hardware development.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
• Work with the HHPC Technical Area Leads and the NASA customer(s) to implement research activities outlined in the Integrated EVA Human Research Plan and the Exercise and Performance Strategic Roadmap
• Coordinate, lead, and provide technical oversight on human research studies, operational projects, and engineering evaluations, including scheduling, integration with stakeholders and collaborators, and preparing final reports and recommendations for program management
• Provide applied physiologist expertise to relevant projects within the laboratory
• Providing subject matter expertise to and coordination with NASA exploration programs and Technical Authorities
• Analyze and interpret research and operational data; consult with NASA statisticians as needed
• Prepare technical reports, manuscripts, and presentations
• Travel to scientific conferences to present technical results and meet with external collaborators
• Develop grant proposals to perform relevant research and assist with preparation of budget estimates
• Review and maintain knowledge of scientific literature relevant to EVA physiology research and operations
• Assist NASA Technical Monitors with updates to NASA standards, and periodic review and update of human spaceflight risks
Education/Experience
REQUIRED
• Must be a US citizen or lawful permanent resident
• Bachelor’s degree in physiology or a related field and at least 10 years of applicable experience or a combination of graduate-level education and experience is required
• Experience conducting human health and performance research, leading human research studies and collecting physiological data
• Experience preparing programmatic documentation and developing protocols for Institutional Review Boards
DESIRED
• Master’s degree in physiology or a related field and at least 5 years of applicable experience, or a Ph.D. with at least 2 years of applicable experience
• Applied physiologist experience in offloading analogs and extreme environments is highly preferred
• Experience with NASA mission operations and hardware relevant to human health countermeasures and/or EVA
• Successful grant writing experience
Skills/Training
REQUIRED
• Demonstrated ability to work with an inter-disciplinary team of scientists, engineers, and medical doctors
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work independently and as a team member; employee will be required to work and communicate with human test subjects, astronauts, personnel across multiple JSC directorates and external collaborators
• Highly motivated with developed organizational skills; must be able to work independently with minimal oversight and support multiple projects
• Demonstrated real-time problem-solving skills
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, both formal and informal, including oral presentations
• Standard PC and Microsoft Office skills for preparation of documents and presentations
DESIRED
• Familiar with methods for statistical analysis
• Familiarity with industry standards (e.g., NASA-STD-3001) and human space flight requirements
• Ability to develop data analysis tools using MATLAB, R, or equivalent
Some relocation funds are available.
KBR Benefits
KBR offers a selection of competitive lifestyle benefits which could include 401K plan with company match, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, AD&D, flexible spending account, disability, paid time off, or flexible work schedule. We support career advancement through professional training and development.
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Inclusion and Diversity at KBR
At KBR, we are passionate about our people, sustainability, and our Zero Harm culture. These inform all that we do and are at the heart of our commitment to, and ongoing journey toward being a more inclusive and diverse company. That commitment is central to our team of team’s philosophy and fosters an environment of real collaboration across cultures and locations. Our individual differences and perspectives bring enhanced value to our teams and help us develop solutions for the most challenging problems. We understand that by embracing those differences and working together, we are more innovative, more resilient, and safer. We Deliver – Together.
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KBR is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, union status and/or beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.
