Could experience with cryptocurrency help you become a better space scientist? NASA seems to think so. The U.S. aeronautics agency is looking for a big data scientist and specifically mentions that experience with cryptocurrency and blockchain could help you get the job.

NASA JPL Wants Crypto Talent

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is a research and development facility located in California which was founded in 1936 and mainly focuses on developing robotic spacecraft for the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The space agency is now looking for a new Data Scientist to join the JPL team and has a surprising point on the list of qualifications for the role. The wanted ad states: “Experience with cryptocurrency and Blockchain is considered a plus.”

There is no explanation given as to why experience with cryptocurrency is beneficial for the work at JPL but you can have fun speculating. Maybe NASA is looking for ways to develop a new economy for an independent Mars colony, launch an ICO to fund a moon base, or even find a way to trade with space aliens. It could also just be a way to signal to potential applicants that it is looking for people that really love to dive into deep technological and mathematical concepts.

According to the wanted ad, the Data Scientist will develop applications for different areas of JPL including robotics, artificial intelligence, multi-mission systems, mission assurance, cloud computing, next generation flight hardware, and intelligent digital assistants. They will also be responsible for designing a program for analyzing complex, large-scale data sets used for modeling, data mining, research, and predictive analysis purposes.

Do You Have What It Takes?

If you want to leverage your experience with cryptocurrency to get a job at NASA, there are a few other qualifications you will need first. These include knowledge in Big Data, cloud computing, statistics, analytics, machine learning, deep learning, computer programming, databases, data integration, data gathering, data “munging,” visualization, Internet of Things (IoT) and communications. Getting such a role at JPL typically requires a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Science, Computer Science, or Information Systems with at least one year of related experience or a Master’s degree in similar disciplines with no experience.

If you have the crypto experience but can’t get into NASA, there are plenty of other options out there. A search for wanted ads containing the term ‘Blockchain’ on Linkedin currently shows that there are over 16,000 job vacancies around the world which might fit. There are also more than 3,000 wanted ads on the site containing the term ‘cryptocurrency.’

What do you think about NASA looking for a data scientist with crypto experience? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.