Overview

• Employees will be notified of their status on Oct. 14, with new roles for remaining staff effective Oct. 15.
• The reductions affect technical, business and support positions and represent about 11% of the workforce.
• Management says the decision is unrelated to the ongoing government shutdown and notes JPL staff are Caltech employees at a NASA-funded FFRDC.
• The move follows earlier cuts in 2024 that eliminated roughly 530 positions in February and about 325 in November, plus contractor reductions.
• The budget backdrop includes proposed FY2026 cuts to NASA science and uncertainty over Mars Sample Return, drawing criticism from local and scientific leaders including Rep. Judy Chu.