Phd In Exercise Science Jobs in Houston, TX (NOW HIRING)

Job Type
Full-time
Description
Belong. Connect. Grow.
We are a contract of innovators, thinkers, creators, explorers, volunteers, and dreamers, and we all share one goal: to improve the world responsibly and safely. On the Human Health and Performance Contract, we are at the forefront of safeguarding astronaut health, ensuring human performance, and advancing technologies for human space exploration.
We are seeking a Clinical Exercise Physiologist at the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, TX to support the Exercise Physiology and Countermeasures Lab.
What You'll Do:
In this role, you play a key part in supporting the Exercise Physiology and Countermeasures (EPC) team by conducting and coordinating exercise-focused and physiological testing to advance human health and performance for exploration missions. You will help transition research into operational use, validate exercise countermeasure systems, and perform human performance assessments across laboratory, analog, and field environments.
Your primary interfaces will include the NASA Human Health and Performance Directorate, Flight Operations, engineering groups, crewmembers, clinical personnel, research collaborators, and human test subjects.
You will:
• Lead physiological and performance data collection during research studies, training, and analog missions
• Perform setup, calibration, troubleshooting, and real-time monitoring of exercise and physiological testing equipment during evaluations
• Support project leads in executing research activities aligned with EPC strategic roadmaps, particularly those involving exercise and human performance testing
• Coordinate human research studies and engineering evaluations, including scheduling, participant logistics, and integration with multidisciplinary study teams and stakeholders
• Prepare and maintain study documentation such as IRB protocols, test plans, readiness review materials, and progress reports
• Design, implement, and maintain data acquisition systems for comprehensive physiological, metabolic, and performance testing
• Support validation and verification of exercise countermeasure hardware, wearable physiological sensors, and human-system interaction technologies
• Contribute to the development and refinement of conditioning programs, testing protocols, and performance standards to support crew health and mission readiness
• Ensure compliance with safety, quality, and regulatory requirements
• Complete all assigned training and perform other duties as required
What You Bring:
You bring experience leading operational and testing activities in exercise and physiological performance assessments (e.g., graded exercise tests with continuous ECG and vital sign monitoring). You apply sound judgment to coordinate complex environments, ensure high-quality data collection, maintain rigorous safety standards, and communicate effectively with multidisciplinary teams including astronauts, clinicians, engineers, physiologists, and researchers. You adhere to KBR's Safety, Health, and Environmental Plan, Quality Plan, and all applicable safety policies and procedures, and you complete all required training.
Requirements
Your Qualifications:
• Bachelor's degree in physiology, kinesiology, exercise science, or a related field, plus approximately 5 years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of graduate education and experience
• Relevant certification in clinical exercise testing (e.g., ACSM-CEP, CPET)
• Experience conducting human health and performance research testing, including physiological monitoring, exercise testing, and/or kinematic analysis, with direct interaction and oversight of participants or patients during testing activities
• U.S. citizenship or legal permanent residency
Desired:
• Master's degree in physiology, kinesiology, exercise science, or related field
• Experience evaluating hardware such as wearable physiological sensors, exercise devices, or health-related monitoring equipment
• Experience conducting operational studies of human performance or human system interactions, especially in spaceflight or analog environments
Your Skills:
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work independently and collaboratively across multiple JSC directorates
• Ability to communicate effectively with human test subjects, astronauts, engineers, and clinical personnel
• Strong organizational skills and ability to support multiple concurrent projects
• Attention to detail and understanding of human performance capabilities and interactions
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills • Proficiency with Microsoft Office and standard PC tools
Desired:
• Familiarity with NASA HHP, human spaceflight operations, exercise countermeasure systems, human systems integration, spaceflight analogs, and NASA standards (e.g., NASA-STD-3001)
What to Expect: This position is expected to be 100% on site at NASA JSC. Occasional travel may be required.