Human Performance Research Assistant (Physiologist)

KBR, Inc. • Houston, TX

23h • Onsite

About The Position

Around here, we define the future. We are a company of innovators, thinkers, creators, explorers, volunteers, and dreamers. But 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 an Exercise Physiology & Countermeasures Research Assistant at the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, TX. In this role, you will support the Exercise Physiology and Countermeasures (EPC) team in advancing human health and performance for exploration missions. You will help transition research into operational use, validate exercise countermeasure systems, and support human‑performance testing in laboratory, analog, and field environments. Your primary interfaces will span the NASA Human Health and Performance Directorate, Flight Operations, engineering groups, crewmembers, clinical personnel, research collaborators, and human test subjects. You bring experience leading research and operational activities in human performance environments. You use your experience and judgment to coordinate complex studies, ensure data quality, maintain safety standards, and communicate effectively with multidisciplinary teams including astronauts, clinicians, engineers, physiologists, and researchers. You comply with KBR’s Safety, Health and Environmental Plan, Quality Plan, and all safety policies and procedures, and complete all assigned training. At KBR, we are passionate about our people and our Zero Harm culture. These inform all that we do and are at the heart of our commitment to an ongoing journey toward being a People First company. That commitment is central to our team of team’s philosophy and fosters an environment where everyone can Belong, Connect and Grow. We Deliver – Together. KBR brings together the best and brightest to deliver science, technology and engineering solutions that help governments and companies around the world accomplish their most critical missions and objectives. In everything we do, we are guided by our ONE KBR Values: We Value Our People – We create diverse, inclusive environments in which each person can feel safe, respected and valued, and where everyone has opportunities to grow and reach their full potential. We Deliver – We are uncompromising in our commitment to deliver innovative, high-quality, technology-led solutions for our customers and exceptional, sustainable value for all our stakeholders. We Are People of Integrity – We value honesty, trust, courage, fairness, prudence and tenacity. We believe doing what’s right for the planet, the communities where we work, and our people is good for business. We Empower – We empower our people with a shared purpose, the right tools and the supportive culture they need to be proactive decision-makers, to be adaptive to change, and to succeed. We Are a Team of Teams – We have a will to succeed, but we value the achievements of our team of teams over individual accomplishments. Our collective focus makes us a better, stronger, more effective company. We have also embedded environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles in every business operation and corporate function. Not only are we committed to operating safely, sustainably and equitably, but we are also committed to using our capabilities and expertise to help our customers accomplish their sustainability goals. Worldwide, KBR employs a diverse workforce approximately 29,000 people strong, with customers in more than 80 countries and operations in 40 countries. At KBR, We Deliver.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in physiology, kinesiology, exercise science, or related field, plus ~5 years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of graduate education and experience
• Experience conducting human health and performance research, including physiological monitoring and/or kinematic analysis
• U.S. citizenship or legal permanent residency
• 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

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in physiology, kinesiology, exercise science, or related field
• Experience evaluating hardware such as wearable sensors or health‑related equipment
• Experience conducting operational studies of human performance or human‑system interactions, especially in spaceflight or analog environments
• Familiarity with NASA HHP, human spaceflight operations, exercise countermeasure systems, human‑systems integration, spaceflight analogs, and NASA standards (e.g., NASA‑STD‑3001)

Responsibilities

• Support project leads in implementing research activities outlined in EPC strategic roadmaps
• Coordinate human research studies and engineering evaluations, including scheduling, logistics, and integration with study teams and stakeholders
• Prepare study documentation such as IRB protocols, test plans, readiness review packages, and progress reports
• Design, implement, and maintain data‑acquisition systems for physiological and performance testing
• Perform equipment setup, calibration, troubleshooting, and monitoring during tests and evaluations
• Collect physiological and performance data during research studies, operational training, and analog missions
• Support validation of exercise countermeasure hardware, wearable sensors, and human‑system interaction technologies
• Contribute to development of conditioning programs and performance protocols for crew health and mission readiness
• Ensure compliance with safety, quality, and regulatory requirements
• Complete all assigned training and perform other duties as required

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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level