system engineer

software engineer

intern

engineer

mechanical engineer

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

What is the best part of working at the company?
Working at JPL was a great experience. I learned a lot about how scientist and engineers along with a team of professionals get together to create challenging projects that have and will continue to change our future. I'm absolutely thrilled to have been a part of company that "Dares Mighty Things"

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
I admit to having days that were so busy. Yes it does make the time go by, but in my field it meant working through breaks and 1/2 my lunch just to keep up with constant delivery drop-offs and will-call window pick-ups. Although it got pretty hectic at times, it was great meeting and befriending all the Scientist, Engineers, Technicians, Professors, and Interns. I will never forget them. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Working at JPL felt like working with family. We all took care of each other and got along so well. My department had social gatherings during the Holidays and the JPL Family Days Event was Spectacular. My kids were amazed of how everything gets tied in to make World History from a single spark of interest, to the completion of spacecrafts that have put man on the moon and technology into the cosmos.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
I liked arriving early to my station to get a head start on the day. Doing so allowed me to be proactive and achieve many certifications during my downtime on slow days. Few of my colleagues and I would walk or sometimes drive up to the Cafe. We'd hype up each other to a think up sandwich and ask the cook who is (by our experience) nothing less than a Mastermind, to create it for us. Perfection! The man has the Midas Touch. His meals are so delicious that we'd eat them on the way back. Just in time to offload the first shipment of the day to which I would learn to work up some packages that with time got easier for me so I can help my team during any pauses between deliveries if needed. My OCD won't allow for any sort of mess, so I swept the warehouse and docks daily.  I was told often that my cleanliness and organization at my station was stress relieving and comforting. I take Pride in doing so. Crunch time was right before noon so pounding down an energy drink, I was ready for those deliveries. Between UPS and FedEx, JPL has an intake of about 300+ packages that needed scanning and sorting. This is when it gets hot and heavy and results in working thru half my lunch and resting the other half in my car. The rest of the day begins to slow down a bit and is when my newly gained skills of data processing kick in. This duration of my workday makes me feel accomplished and honored to be part of such an amazing company that I would gladly return to JPL as a full-time employee if given the opportunity.

This NASA center is unique compared to other NASA centers. It is managed under California Institute of Technology and its employees are CalTech staffs (not faculty) rather than Civil Servants. As such, JPL has to follow a lot of stringent NASA regulations but its employees cannot enjoy the benefits and job security of being Civil Servants. This is something job seekers need to be aware of.

Nonetheless, JPL's primary function is deep space missions going to Mars, Jupiter, and beyond, which are unique in the aerospace industry. For many years in the space history JPL was the only organization in the world doing this kind of work. As such, its work and even technical terms are pretty different from other major space companies such as Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, etc. Therefore, due to its unique heritage of doing deep space mission and abundant talented engineers, it is a pretty good learning ground for early career engineers including those who like to pursue academia career later on. Many JPLers became university faculty members. But for experienced professionals from other major space companies, be aware that it may not be a good fit because of completely different types of work and design approaches.

JPL's pay is similar to NASA, not as good as private companies. In the past, benefits were better but not any more. Currently JPL offers no traditional PPO. Only high deductible PPO or HMO is available. 401K match is still better, close to 10% then 15% for over 55 years old. But no pension is offered.

JPL management has not have large reorganization for many years already, which is not a good sign. Especially middle management is stuck there for so long without advancement or exit path. Some became control freak and caused a lot of complaints from employees already. Be ready to deal with management, if pursuing JPL job.

Another aspect to consider is that most space related work in this industry requires government clearance. But unfortunately most JPL work doesn't require clearance, which could be another layer of obstacle for JPLers trying to switch job to other space companies on top of the type of work and design approach at JPL not directly transferable to other space companies. However, on the bright side, due to this reason JPL is the most diversified company in this industry being able to hire most talented engineers from around the world, even without US citizenship or green card at all.

I have applied the skills that I have learned through school last summer by working for NASA JPL. When I was an intern there, I was fortunate to involve in the research group of Dawn Spacecraft whose duty is collecting data from the two largest asteroids in the solar system. My duty was to establish a program that could measure the performance of testbed machines that responds to collecting data from the Dawn Spacecraft. I utilized Python to build a software application that could automatically assemble the machines’ measurements. When the software application was running, it would show the measurements on the python console synchronously. At the same time, it outputted the data into a CSV file. Then I made charts for different measurements on excel to illustrate the trend on performance when testbed machines were collecting data. This program gave me the chance to open up my computer science knowledge and programming skills I learned from school. What I have been doing is guiding me to become a good software developer. I believe the knowledge I have learned, the skills I have achieved, and the experience I have had would let me well integrate into your corporate and the position. If I got the opportunity, I would bring the team spirit I cultured from the military, and my passion and creation on coding into work. I wish I would make a contribution to your company’s advancement where I could demonstrate my talents.

This place is truly one of the most hyped up, over-rated places to work.

It is filled with dull, drab, boring people who have perfected ground-hog day both on a daily basis and on a project basis.  

Most people are simply here to ride the wave to retirement by working on projects that are almost identical from start to finish.  Each project is a legacy of another and very little innovation (perhaps except for some science based stuff) is accomplished.  

Hence, if you truly want your skills to  be obsolete in a few years, work here.  I've lost count how many engineers I've worked with who admit to not being able to do anything else if they leave this place.  They are left with little to no new skills and outside industry is so far ahead in almost every aspect it's sad.

Not to mention the entire culture of the lab has changed.  The place has become very paranoid and corporate.  They have engaged in unscrupulous hiring and firing behaviors and are engaged in some serious lawsuits with individuals over unlawful termination, age discrimination, and security issues.  They are spending millions of tax payer dollars on high priced lawyers so they can save a few dollars and their terrible reputation from the public.

It's a really poor place to work these days...uninspiring, boring, and the whole "rocket engineering" nonsense is just that...nonsense.

JPL's a fantastic place to work, but it's not without its challenges. They've taken a page from the corporate playbook, and it hasn't been pretty. A bunch of folks who've been here for decades got an email  saying their jobs were gone. Didn't matter what they were working on or if they were in the middle of something. One guy was even in a meeting when he got his pink slip. Imagine the stress of trying to finish up your work, just in case. That's the JPL spirit, but leadership decided to go the corporate route and lay off a bunch of people via email. It was cold and heartless, and it put the entire workforce on edge. Sure, they'll say it was industry best practice, but they'll conveniently forget that it became popular during the pandemic out of necessity.

For most of us, working at JPL is a dream come true. It's about more than just a paycheck. So, it's a real kick in the teeth when they treat you like just another number. They say they took care of those who were affected, but it was all according to some policy set by Caltech. There was no imagination, no empathy. The whole thing was a real eye-opener.

I'll miss the work and the people but not the red tape. As for leadership,  it appears they are resigned to letting NASA whittle MSR to down to nothing. 

JPL has no other large mission on the horizon to sustain it at previous or current levels. The invitation to support Artemis seems to be lost in the mail. 

Working at NASA has been an incredible experience that has allowed me to be part of meaningful projects and work alongside talented, dedicated professionals. The organization has a strong culture of innovation, teamwork, and curiosity, which makes every day feel like an opportunity to learn something new. As an employee, I appreciate the focus on solving complex challenges and contributing to missions that can benefit science and humanity.

NASA provides a supportive work environment where employees are encouraged to share ideas and improve processes. The level of expertise among coworkers is inspiring, and collaboration between different teams helps create successful results. The company also values safety, research, and attention to detail, which are important in such a high-impact field.

One of the best parts of working at NASA is knowing that the work has a purpose beyond just business goals. Being involved in exploration, technology, and scientific discovery is motivating. While some projects can be demanding and require patience, the experience gained and the opportunity to contribute to something historic make it worthwhile.

Overall, NASA is a rewarding workplace for employees who are passionate about science, technology, and making a difference in the future.

Contracts are always being competed over by various companies who are intertwined with management and prevent the success or effective use of technology.  Decisions are largely made by competing client subcontract representatives that what they are doing is insecure and unsafe and as it turns out: it results in successful hack of the lab servers.  The OCIO ignores and bends their own policies because it is run by a mish-mash of internal and external contract workers.  Think of herding cats as an example of how it really works there except that the management and contractual decisions make even less sense than a herd of felines.  Probably parts of the lab are immune to the nonsense that I was subject to: but what I saw was an ongoing catastrophic avalanche of mismanagement at each and every level.  The management was either deliberate sabotaging the projects or simply looking for the worst practices imaginable and inventing ways to take failure to the next level.  From simple solutions: we would find stuff that works; no that is banned.  Management would push something consumer grade that does not work, is not secure and prone to fail often that everyone hates and that is consistently the standard that is mandated.

Filled with awe and wonder if you want it to be. It's a magic place you could say - not unlike Disneyland (in a different way,... but carries the same exicitement. 

It was fun to interact with everyone there.  The engineers had my help as an assistant and they tought me many things about electrical circuits, creating electronic logic circuits for computers and writing computer programs. My co-workers were pleasant to work with and in this environment the work could sometimes be the same as play.

Now, the hardest thing about the job were when my supervisors would assign me to a project and I was to learn things as I went. This was challenging - and yet the success at finally achieving my goal and finishing my work (which ultimately never really is "finished"). 

The most enjoyable part of the job was being a part of this team of elite individuals who are literally changing the way we live our lives here on this planet so to speak.

A toxic work environment breeds negativity, undermining productivity and morale. It's characterized by a pervasive sense of hostility, where colleagues engage in backstabbing, gossip, and sabotage. Trust evaporates as employees constantly feel scrutinized and undermined by both peers and superiors. Management often exacerbates the toxicity through micromanagement, favoritism, and arbitrary decision-making, creating a culture of fear and resentment. Feedback is rare, and when given, it's often delivered harshly or inconsistently, leaving employees feeling demoralized and undervalued.

In such an environment, innovation and creativity are stifled, as individuals are too preoccupied with navigating office politics and protecting themselves from harm. Burnout becomes commonplace as employees struggle to maintain their mental and emotional well-being amidst the toxicity. Ultimately, turnover rates soar as talented individuals seek refuge in healthier work environments, leaving behind a depleted and disengaged workforce.

If you're into technology, be prepared that after 5 years, your knowledge is obsolete and can't be used anywhere else! Also, certain positions run out of funds, so good luck on looking for another job! I know, because there have been so many scientists and engineers shared with me about their fear for having a job tomorrow!

If you're after promotion, forget it, unless you are VERY well liked by the supervisors or management! If you think you'll get promoted based on working hard and being there for so long, forget it, it's all about who the supervisor or management likes, not about what you know!

Certain positions do not even have the potential of promotions, you're at a dead-end job! Certain positions, there have no promotions for years to come (unless there's a drastic change in organizations, or your boss wins the lottery, or dies!) You are stuck in the position with a pay raise of less than 3-5% per year if you are lucky!

The benefits are good, you get 403B (but no pensions), dental, and vision. This is about the only decent part of working at JPL!

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
System engineer 16 salaries reported	$130,844 per year
Software engineer 3 salaries reported	$141,333 per year
Intern 4 salaries reported	$25.75 per hour
Engineer 8 salaries reported	$112,088 per year
Mechanical engineer 4 salaries reported	$135,000 per year

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