NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory Faces Second Major Layoff of 2024

JPL will cut 325 jobs due to budget constraints, affecting 5% of its workforce across various sectors.

The latest layoffs at JPL follow an earlier reduction of 530 employees in February, totaling a 13% workforce cut this year.
Budget cuts, particularly affecting the Mars Sample Return mission, have forced JPL to reassess its staffing needs.
Despite efforts to minimize the impact, JPL's budget for the Mars Sample Return was drastically reduced from $950 million to $300 million.
JPL Director Laurie Leshin expressed hope that this would be the last layoff for the foreseeable future, aiming for a stable workforce of about 5,500 employees.
The layoffs are not influenced by the recent U.S. presidential election, as the decision was made independently of political changes.