NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has announced it will lay off 550 employees, which represents approximately 11% of its total workforce. The job cuts are part of a broader restructuring effort at the space science center, driven by ongoing budget uncertainties and a need to realign its operational focus.
This marks the fourth significant round of workforce reductions at the Southern California lab since the beginning of 2024, affecting staff across technical, business, and support departments.
Key Takeaways
- NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is laying off 550 employees, or 11% of its staff.
- This is the fourth round of job cuts at JPL since early last year, reflecting persistent budget pressures.
- The layoffs are attributed to a strategic restructuring aimed at creating a leaner and more competitive organization.
- The decision follows earlier staff reductions and a recent change in leadership at the lab.
Details of the Current Layoffs
In a statement released on October 13, JPL Director Dave Gallagher confirmed the decision to reduce the lab's workforce. He described the move as a necessary step to ensure the long-term stability and success of the institution. The layoffs are scheduled to be formally announced on October 14, with most employees instructed to work remotely on that day.
The reductions will impact a wide range of roles. According to the announcement, employees in technical, business, and support areas will be affected. Those who are retained will be informed of their positions within the new organizational structure, which officially takes effect on October 15.
"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," Gallagher stated.
He emphasized that the decision was part of a broader "realignment of its workforce" that began in July, aimed at positioning JPL for future challenges and opportunities in the space sector.
A Pattern of Reductions Amid Budget Pressures
The latest announcement is part of a continuing trend of downsizing at JPL. Over the past two years, the lab has implemented several rounds of job cuts in response to fiscal challenges and shifting project priorities.
A Timeline of Recent JPL Layoffs
The current reduction is the largest in a series of cuts that have reshaped the workforce at the renowned space laboratory:
- January 2024: 100 contractors were laid off, with the lab citing budget uncertainties and proposed cuts to the Mars Sample Return program.
- February 2024: A larger round saw 530 employees and 40 additional contractors let go, blamed on the lack of a finalized fiscal year 2024 budget.
- November 2024: Another 325 employees were laid off to adjust for anticipated lower spending levels in fiscal year 2025.
- October 2025: The current layoff of 550 employees, bringing the total number of reductions into the thousands.
These repeated cuts highlight the persistent financial pressure on NASA and its contractors. Key projects, including the ambitious Mars Sample Return mission managed by JPL, have faced significant funding challenges in recent budget proposals.
Contrasting with Previous Assurances
The ongoing layoffs stand in contrast to statements made by previous leadership. After the November 2024 cuts, then-Director Laurie Leshin expressed confidence that the lab had reached a stable staffing level. "After this action, we will be at about 5,500 JPL regular employees. I believe this is a stable, supportable staffing level moving forward," she said at the time.
However, circumstances have since changed. Leshin stepped down from her role in May 2025 for personal reasons. She was succeeded by Dave Gallagher, a 36-year veteran of JPL who most recently served as the associate director for strategic integration. Shortly after this leadership transition, the White House released a fiscal year 2026 budget request that included further proposed cuts to NASA science programs, intensifying speculation about more job losses at JPL.
JPL's Unique Operational Structure
JPL is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) managed for NASA by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). This means its staff are employees of Caltech, not federal civil servants. This distinction is important, as they are not subject to the same furlough rules as direct NASA employees during government shutdowns.
Broader Context of Government Funding
While Gallagher noted that the layoffs were tied to an internal restructuring plan initiated in July and not a direct response to the recent government shutdown, the broader federal budget environment is a critical factor. Most direct NASA employees have been on furlough since the beginning of the 2026 fiscal year on October 1, after Congress did not pass a continuing resolution to fund government operations.
Adding to the uncertainty, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) recently announced that some federal agencies would begin layoffs, referred to as reductions in force (RIFs), instead of continuing furloughs. On October 10, OMB Director Russ Vought confirmed that "The RIFs have begun."
However, a court filing from OMB did not include NASA among the agencies slated for immediate layoffs. The filing did list 315 positions for reduction within the Commerce Department, which includes NOAA and the Office of Space Commerce, but specific details were not provided. Both NASA and NOAA have referred questions about potential federal layoffs to the OMB, which has not responded to inquiries.
For JPL, the immediate pressure comes from its own operational budget, which is directly tied to the funding allocated by NASA for the missions and research it manages. The current restructuring is a direct attempt to align the lab's size and scope with the financial realities of its project pipeline.