NASA Scientist vs Engineer: What's the Difference and Which Is Right for You?

Scientist or engineer?

If you're looking at NASA careers, you've probably asked yourself this question. They both work at NASA. They both work on space missions. But they're also completely different jobs.

I've talked to NASA scientists and engineers, and here's what they all say: the jobs are different. One is about discovery. The other is about building. Both are important, but they attract different people.

This guide will help you figure out which path is right for you.

The Quick Answer: What's the Difference?

NASA Scientists: Discover new things. Conduct research. Study space, planets, and the universe. Usually need PhDs. More academic.

NASA Engineers: Build things. Design systems. Make things work. Usually need bachelor's or master's. More practical.

The Real Talk: Scientists discover. Engineers build. Both are important. Pick based on what you like.

Education Requirements: What You Actually Need

NASA Scientists

Minimum: Master's degree, but PhD preferred
Typical: PhD in a science field
Fields: Physics, astronomy, planetary science, Earth science, biology

The Real Talk: Most NASA scientists have PhDs. If you want to be a scientist, plan on getting one.

NASA Engineers

Minimum: Bachelor's degree
Typical: Bachelor's or master's in engineering
Fields: Aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, software engineering

The Real Talk: Most NASA engineers have bachelor's or master's degrees. PhDs are less common, but help for research roles.

What They Actually Do: The Real Work

NASA Scientists

What They Do:
- Conduct research
- Study planets, stars, and the universe
- Analyze data from missions
- Publish papers
- Design experiments
- Discover new things

The Real Talk: Scientists are researchers. They discover new knowledge. They publish papers. It's more academic.

Recent News (2025): NASA's ESCAPADE mission launched in November 2025 to study Mars's magnetosphere, showcasing the critical role of scientists in mission design and data analysis.

NASA Engineers

What They Do:
- Design spacecraft and systems
- Build and test hardware
- Solve technical problems
- Maintain systems
- Support missions
- Make things work

The Real Talk: Engineers are builders. They design and build things. They solve problems. It's more practical.

Recent News (2025): NASA's Artemis 2 mission, scheduled for early 2026, demonstrates the critical role of engineers in designing and building the Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft.

Career Paths: What Your Career Looks Like

Scientist Career Path

Entry Level: Research Scientist, Postdoc
Mid Level: Research Scientist, Project Scientist
Senior Level: Senior Scientist, Principal Investigator
Leadership: Science Director, Program Scientist

The Real Talk: Scientist careers are more academic. You publish papers, lead research, and advance through research contributions.

Engineer Career Path

Entry Level: Engineer, Associate Engineer
Mid Level: Engineer, Senior Engineer
Senior Level: Principal Engineer, Staff Engineer
Leadership: Engineering Manager, Program Manager

The Real Talk: Engineer careers are more practical. You design systems, lead projects, and advance through technical contributions.

Salaries: What You'll Actually Make

NASA Scientists

Entry Level (GS-11 to GS-13): $85K - $120K
Mid Level (GS-13 to GS-14): $120K - $140K
Senior Level (GS-14 to GS-15): $140K - $161K

The Real Talk: NASA scientists make good money, but not amazing. The real value is in the research and impact.

NASA Engineers

Entry Level (GS-7 to GS-11): $66K - $100K
Mid Level (GS-11 to GS-13): $100K - $120K
Senior Level (GS-13 to GS-15): $120K - $161K

The Real Talk: NASA engineers make similar money to scientists. The difference is in the work, not the pay.

Comparison: Salaries are similar. The difference is in the work, not the pay.

Work Environment: What It's Actually Like

Scientists

Where You Work: Labs, offices, sometimes in the field
What You Do: Research, analysis, writing, meetings
Collaboration: Work with other scientists, engineers, mission teams
Independence: More independent, self-directed work

The Real Talk: Scientists work more independently. You design your research, analyze data, and write papers. It's more academic.

Engineers

Where You Work: Offices, labs, sometimes in the field or at launch sites
What You Do: Design, build, test, troubleshoot, meetings
Collaboration: Work with other engineers, scientists, mission teams
Independence: More collaborative, team-based work

The Real Talk: Engineers work more collaboratively. You design systems with teams, build things together, and solve problems together. It's more practical.

Skills: What You Actually Need

Scientists Need

Technical Skills:
- Research methods
- Data analysis
- Scientific writing
- Experimental design
- Domain expertise (physics, astronomy, etc.)

Soft Skills:
- Critical thinking
- Problem-solving
- Communication (writing papers, presenting)
- Independence
- Curiosity

The Real Talk: Scientists need strong research skills, analytical thinking, and the ability to work independently.

Engineers Need

Technical Skills:
- Engineering fundamentals
- Design and analysis
- CAD software
- Systems engineering
- Programming (often)

Soft Skills:
- Problem-solving
- Teamwork
- Communication (technical writing, presentations)
- Attention to detail
- Practical thinking

The Real Talk: Engineers need strong technical skills, practical problem-solving, and the ability to work in teams.

Which Is Right for You?

Choose Scientist If:

- You love research and discovery
- You want to publish papers
- You're okay with more academic work
- You want to study space, planets, or the universe
- You're willing to get a PhD
- You prefer independent work

The Real Talk: Scientists are for people who love research and discovery. If you want to discover new things, be a scientist.

Choose Engineer If:

- You love building things
- You want to design systems
- You prefer practical work
- You want to make things work
- You're okay with bachelor's or master's
- You prefer team-based work

The Real Talk: Engineers are for people who love building things. If you want to build spacecraft, be an engineer.

Can You Switch Between Them?

The Short Answer: Yes, but it's not easy.

Scientists to Engineers: Hard. You'd need engineering education and experience.

Engineers to Scientists: Hard. You'd need science education (usually PhD) and research experience.

The Real Talk: It's possible, but difficult. Most people pick one path and stick with it.

Real Examples: What They Actually Do

Scientist Example

Role: Planetary Scientist
What They Do: Study Mars using data from rovers, design experiments, analyze samples, publish papers
Education: PhD in Planetary Science
Salary: $120K - $140K (GS-13 to GS-14)

The Real Talk: Planetary scientists discover new things about planets. They analyze data, design experiments, and publish papers.

Engineer Example

Role: Systems Engineer
What They Do: Design spacecraft systems, integrate components, test systems, support missions
Education: Master's in Aerospace Engineering
Salary: $120K - $140K (GS-13 to GS-14)

The Real Talk: Systems engineers build spacecraft. They design systems, integrate components, and make things work.

Conclusion: Your Choice

NASA scientists and engineers are both important. They both work on incredible missions. But they're also different jobs.

Scientists: Discover new things. Research. Publish papers. More academic.
Engineers: Build things. Design systems. Make things work. More practical.

The Real Talk: There's no wrong choice. Both are amazing careers. Pick the one that fits you.

Ready to start your NASA career? Browse NASA jobs, learn about NASA careers, or check out research and development jobs for scientist roles and aerospace engineering jobs for engineer roles. 🚀