NASA's JPL to lay off 550 employees in move to create leaner' workforce

"NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory announced on Monday, Oct. 13, it will be laying off 550 employees as part of its continued streamlining and restructuring plan, officials said. The layoffs are not related to the government shutdown, said JPL Director Dave Gallagher in a brief message on the website of the federal research and space agency located near Pasadena. Gallagher wrote on the website that the agency is undergoing a realignment of its workforce, including a reduction in staff."

"Over the past few months, we have communicated openly with employees about the challenges and hard choices ahead, wrote Gallagher. This week's action, while not easy, is essential to securing JPL's future by creating a leaner infrastructure, focusing on our core technical capabilities, maintaining fiscal discipline, and positioning us to compete in the evolving space ecosystem all while continuing to deliver on our vital work for NASA and the nation,"

"He also wrote that the cuts of 550 employees about 11% of its total staff slices across technical, business and support areas. This is the third round of layoffs at JPL in the past two years. There are about 5,500 JPL employees, including on-site contractors, at the sprawling, 168-acre facility in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains straddling Pasadena and La Canada Flintridge."

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory will lay off 550 employees as part of a continued streamlining and restructuring plan. The layoffs are not related to the government shutdown. The agency is undergoing a realignment of its workforce, including a reduction in staff. The cuts of 550 employees, about 11% of total staff, slice across technical, business and support areas. This is the third round of layoffs at the laboratory in the past two years. There are about 5,500 employees, including on-site contractors, at the 168-acre facility near Pasadena and La Canada Flintridge. About 325 employees were laid off in November, citing federal funding concerns. Employees being let go will be notified on Oct. 14. The action aims to secure the laboratory's future by creating leaner infrastructure, focusing on core technical capabilities, maintaining fiscal discipline, and positioning the organization to compete in the evolving space ecosystem while continuing to deliver work for NASA and the nation. The laboratory is managed by Caltech and is known for sending probes and rovers to Mars and for satellites that study Earth's atmosphere.

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