Science officer

Starship science officers oversee scientific investigations and provide the commanding officer with scientific information needed for command decisions. Whether a geology specialist beaming down to a newly discovered planet to survey topography or an astrophysicist collecting data on an impending supernova, science officers are the best at gathering information and extrapolating from data.

Some science officers concentrate on particular areas of expertise - botany, cultural anthropology, astrophysics, stellar cartography - while others have a broader focus and can handle a variety of scientific conundrums. Moreover, the science officer, like other starship officers, learns the skills to help him survive in space.