After NASA Rejection, Planetarium Offers NJ Boy 'Science Advisor' Gig

JERSEY CITY, NJ — Just what is it about Jack Davis, the 9-year-old “Planetary Protection” job seeker that America loves so much? Is it his love for space? Is it his willingness to step outside his own conventional reality and “think like an alien?”

Or maybe, Davis’ story resonates so much because he represents the dreamer in us all?

The New Jersey 4th grader, reportedly a Verona resident, first made headlines last week when NASA wrote him one of history’s best-ever job rejection letters in response to his application for their six-figure “planetary protection” gig.

• See related article: Boy, 9, Applies For NASA 'Planetary Protection Officer' Job

While Davis didn’t get a job offer, NASA’s top administrators took the time to write back and encourage him about his interest in science in a heartfelt letter, stating that “We hope to see you here one of these days.”

Now, Davis is learning what it takes many job seekers decades to learn… one closed door often opens another.

Earlier this week, the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City – which is primed to begin construction on what it says will be “the biggest planetarium in the Western hemisphere” – issued an official invitation to Davis to join their team.

“In his role as ‘Kid Science Advisor,’ Jack would help advise our educators on how the planetarium programming could best inspire the next generation of space explorers,” LSC spokesperson Mary Meluso told Patch.

Though the position would likely be an unpaid advisory gig, LSC staff would be honored to celebrate Davis’ infectious enthusiasm for science, Meluso said.

Watch CEO and President Paul Hoffman’s official invitation to Davis below. Keep updated with Hudson County news at the Patch Hoboken Facebook page.

JACK’S RESUME: ‘I CAN THINK LIKE AN ALIEN’

"I may be nine but I think I would be fit for the job," the 9-year-old wrote in his job application. "One of the reasons is that my sister says I am an alien."

• See related article: NASA Is Hiring: Protect The Planet From Aliens On A Six-Figure Salary

Davis went on to boast about his knowledge of all things extraterrestrial, saying that he has seen all the space and alien movies he can.

“I am young, so I can learn to think like an alien,” Davis emphasized.

Some of his out-of-this-world qualifications include:

• He’s seen “almost all the space and alien movies”
• He is great at video games
• He signed his letter with the moniker "Guardian of the Galaxy"

Send local news tips, photos and press releases to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Photo: Flickr Commons