New Zealand’s space sector is growing fast—and so are the opportunities to be part of it. Whether you're a student exploring STEM, a researcher pushing the boundaries of science, or an entrepreneur building the next generation of aerospace technology, there’s a place for you in our space ecosystem.
7 postgraduate students have been awarded the 2026 New Zealand Space Scholarship and will intern at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California.
New Zealand has a flexible labour market, high rates of employment, relatively open borders and, historically, a well-performing education system. However, the country faces significant challenges: school achievement and attendance are dropping in comparison with countries New Zealand competes with, and we face challenges in attracting, training and retaining talent.
The New Zealand Space Agency sponsors the New Zealand Space Scholarship for post-graduate students who have compatible research interests to participate in internship programmes at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and at NASA’s Ames Research Center.
The Government is investing in a Strategic Science Investment Fund (SSIF) platform for Space Engineering to strengthen New Zealand’s applied research capability.
development. Therefore, we asked RSI organisations about different types of developmental support they offer, including for Early Career Researchers and research students.
Skilled and productive labour and safe workplaces are essential attributes of long-term economic growth. A strong economy also needs the right mix of skills and labour supply to respond to global and domestic opportunities and shifts.
Updated 23 September 2025 Businesses thrive when they can tap into a workforce equipped with the skills to drive innovation and growth. Individuals thrive when they have the skills and qualifications to secure fulfilling and ongoing employment.
The Strategic Science Investment Fund (SSIF) Data Science platform, intends to significantly lift New Zealand’s capability, support and encourage dynamic and world class data science research, and deliver on the Government’s data science investment goals.
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