Planetary Protection Officer - Best Job Title Ever

NASA is looking for a Planetary Protection Officer and there's been a lot of badly researched stories that suggest this is all about protecting Earth from aliens, but it's about protecting every planet from invaders and contamination.

[ares]

I want to start my career as an anti planetary protection evil genius villain that sprays tardigrades all over outgoing space ships.

[theCodyReeder]

So no bacterial covered people to mars for a while then.

[irissgp]

'It's entirely within the scope of probability that life on one planet would spread throughout the solar system... '
Are you suggesting coconuts migrate?

[Pile_of_carbon]

Fun fact: there's a species of tardigrade with armour. What kind of hellscape did you prepare for when you have to be tougher than a normal tardigrade?

[psygnale]

Found out about that job title when my mom used to work at the old NASA headquarters building (across from the Air and Space Museum) back in the late 70's / early 80's.

I always envisioned coming to work in tights and a cape...

[PaulPaulPaulson]

Today i made sure that 50 fruit flies won't have a chance to contaminate another planet anymore

[JettQuasar]

Sounds like a job for the Guardians of the Galaxy!

[demonbot]

I haven't watched yet so I hope they're making the UNSC a real thing.

[thenotflatearth]

At least those people are smarter than a bunch of people in a interstellar ship changing direction because they found a closer planet that is potentially habitable in a shitty movie...

[nicofrancis]

I always think, does ALL LIFE actually need water to survive? The universe is so big and nature is so smart that i'm 100% sure that there is life that doesn't need water, we just didn't find it yet

[TheEyesOfNye]

Finding life on another planet would be fascinating and exciting no matter what, but I would be slightly disappointed if uses the DNA/RNA code.

[Tundra-ecii]

Are you saying if you have this job you're forbidden from showing up to work in a superhero suit or is that still an option?
Asking for a friend.

[vestilox]

nothing like protecting the planet from stuff

[mashiroikaze]

"Planetary protection officer is there to disappoint a lot of people..." FINALLY a job I'm well-qualified for! ;)

[ChinashopRodeo]

"What's my budget? Can we get a Jeff Goldblum in here?"

[HappyBeezerStudios]

Being the guy to tell people what the can and cannot do in space sounds incredible amazing!

[cujo]

I guess this(and probably delta v) are reasons no one has sent a probe/rover to Valles Marineris?

[michaelf]

I have applied for this job. I estimate my chances of getting it about the same as being chosen for the first wave of colonists to Titan.

But I am a scientist IRL, and have had some NASA experience, so who knows.

[timothymclean]

I wonder if the Federation has planetary protection officers enforcing the Prime Directive.

[LockeRobsta]

Office of Planetary Protection. Are you down with the OPP?