Contracts

Contractors and Contractees

The company behind a ship or station will often open the floor for contracted employees for certain skill slots. A contract must legally state all expected tasks, how much payment will be received upon completing the contract, and precisely how long the employee is bound to the slot. Before signing, the future employee must show their legal certification to be an astronaut, legal certification of the skill (i.e. diploma), and undergo a short physical assessment. Both sides are legally obliged to fulfill their promises upon signing unless otherwise agreed between legal representatives or for emergencies declared by the Station Disaster Hotline. 

Skill Slots

Common skill slots opened to contracting on majority of ships include: 

• Chef – anywhere from just one to ten, depending on the size of the ship
• Medic – the definition of which is up to the company, anywhere from one to five, depending on the size of the ship
• Custodian – usually just one or two, depending on the size of the ship
• Pilot – must be certified, one or two, depending on length of contract
• Mechanical Engineer – essential to have on board in case of something breaking, anywhere from one to ten, depending on the size of the ship

Depending on the purpose of the ship or station, other skill slots opened to contracting can include:

• Archeologists – anywhere from three to ten, depending on the needs of the ship.
• Astronomers – anywhere from one to five, depending on the size of the ship (they like to fight)
• Biologists – anywhere from two to ten, depending on the size of the ship
• Botanists – anywhere from two to ten, depending on the size of the ship
• Camera Crews – anywhere from two to ten, depending on the needs of the ship
• Chemists – anywhere from two to ten, depending on the size of the ship
• Doctors – anywhere from one to ten, depending on the size of the ship (doctors and medics are different, don’t confuse them)
• General Engineer – anywhere from two to ten, depending on the size of the ship
• Journalists – anywhere from one to five, depending on the needs of the ship
• Mathematicians – anywhere from one to ten, depending on the needs of the ship
• Meteorologists – anywhere from one to ten, depending on the size of the ship
• Specialists – depending on the specialty, anywhere from one to five (expert in one very specific part of a subject)
• Teachers (school) – anywhere from two to ten, depending on the needs and size of the ship
• Weapons Engineer – anywhere from two to ten, depending on the size of the ship
• Zoologists – anywhere from three to ten, depending on the size and needs of the ship
• Conspiracy Theorists – usually just one or two, and you never know when you’ll need a good conspiracy theory
• Entertainers – anywhere from two to ten, depending on the size and needs of the ship
• Personal Assistants – usually for higher positions and depends on the needs of those positions
• Interns – anyone with little experience looking for more in a particular subject, anywhere from one to ten, depending on the need of the ship

There are more skill slots, but this is what the main ones usually are.

Age Limitations

You can become an astronaut when you are ten or older, and must retake the assessment once you turn fifty. Certain skill slots can be contracted to people of a certain age or older. It is generally frowned upon to contract anyone younger than twelve, but it is legal in some skills to contract at age ten.
Some of the younger legal contracted skill slots include:

• Camera Crews – they can be contracted as young as age ten
• Entertainers – they can be contracted as young as age ten
• Custodians – they can be contracted as young as age eleven
• Chefs – they can be contracted as young as age twelve
• Conspiracy Theorists – if they’re good enough, they can be contracted as young as age thirteen
• Mathematicians – they can be contracted as young as age thirteen
• Journalists – they can be contracted as young as age fourteen
• Personal Assistants – they can be contracted as young as age fourteen
• Interns – they can be contracted as young as age fifteen

Do note, if a young person (under eighteen) is contracted, there will often be an older or more experienced person contracted for the same skill slot as well. The same goes if there is a less experienced or new person contracted for a job, there will be a more experienced one contracted for the same skill slot as well.