NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) announced on Monday that it will cut nearly 550 jobs as part of a major restructuring effort, a move unrelated to the ongoing U.S. government shutdown.
JPL, NASA’s only federally funded research and development center, is best known for designing, building, and operating all five successful rovers that have explored the surface of Mars.
According to a statement on JPL’s website, the layoffs will impact employees across technical, business, and support divisions. The reorganization, which began in July, aims to make the lab “leaner” and more focused on its key scientific and engineering strengths.
“These actions are essential to securing JPL’s future by creating a leaner infrastructure, focusing on our core technical capabilities, and maintaining fiscal discipline,” said JPL Director Dave Gallagher.
Employees affected by the layoffs will be notified of their employment status on Tuesday.
JPL currently employs around 5,500 staff and on-site contractors at its 168-acre facility located in the foothills of California’s San Gabriel Mountains near Pasadena.
If this article helped you, please consider supporting our work. Every small contribution keeps Abijita.com independent and running.
