Research lab · United States
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
HQ Pasadena
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is an FFRDC managed by Caltech, focused on robotic exploration and NASA missions.
About Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Rover Operations Center supports Moon and Mars surface missions and higher-level autonomy; JPL also maintains the Mars Yard and 25-Foot Space Simulator. NASA’s Caltech operating agreement has a $30 billion maximum value across its potential multi-year term; this is not JPL’s annual operating budget or actual obligations.
- Institution
- NASA federally funded research and development center
- Sponsor
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
- Operator
- California Institute of Technology (Caltech), under NASA contract
Operating contracts
California Institute of Technology · NASA Caltech JPL operating IDIQ (2023 award)
- Current term ends
- Sep 30, 2028
- Maximum if options exercised
- Sep 30, 2028
Five-year base plus five one-year options; $30B maximum potential IDIQ value across contract period, not annual lab funding. Recompete announced in 2026.
NASA awards JPL operating contract ↗Capabilities3
| Technology | Role | Maturity | TRL | Notes | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Autonomous systems for surface, air, maritime, space, and cyber domains | Researcher | — | — | The cited institution source explicitly documents this capability. | Confirmed |
| Robotics and embodied intelligence | Researcher | — | — | Public research or engineering capability; no program-wide maturity or military deployment inferred. | Confirmed |
| Scientific space instruments | Researcher | — | — | Public research or engineering capability; no program-wide maturity or military deployment inferred. | Confirmed |
- ResearcherThe cited institution source explicitly documents this capability.—Confirmed
- ResearcherPublic research or engineering capability; no program-wide maturity or military deployment inferred.—Confirmed
- ResearcherPublic research or engineering capability; no program-wide maturity or military deployment inferred.—Confirmed
Maturity and TRL describe this organization's work; the field-wide maturity is on each technology's page.
Supply Chain7 facilities
Facilities7
| Facility | Kind | Location | Work | Status | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25-Foot Space Simulator | Test range | Pasadena, California, United States | Thermal-vacuum chamber used to test spacecraft in a simulated space environment. Source ↗ | Operating | Confirmed |
| Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex | Ground station | Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve area, Australian Capital Territory, Australia | One of three Deep Space Network sites; antenna stations provide continuous spacecraft communication, tracking, and data transmission. Part of NASA’s Deep Space Network, managed at network level by JPL. Source ↗ | Operating | Confirmed |
| Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex | Ground station | Fort Irwin Military Reservation near Barstow, California, United States | One of three Deep Space Network sites; antenna stations provide continuous spacecraft communication, tracking, and data transmission. Part of NASA’s Deep Space Network, managed at network level by JPL. Source ↗ | Operating | Confirmed |
| Jet Propulsion Laboratory primary campus | Lab | Pasadena, California, United States | — | Operating | Confirmed |
| Madrid Deep Space Communications Complex | Ground station | Robledo de Chavela, Madrid, Spain | One of three Deep Space Network sites; antenna stations provide continuous spacecraft communication, tracking, and data transmission. Part of NASA’s Deep Space Network, managed at network level by JPL. Source ↗ | Operating | Confirmed |
| Mars Yard | Test range | Pasadena, California, United States | — | Operating | Confirmed |
| Rover Operations Center | Lab | Pasadena, California, United States | Mission operations center for current and future robotic Moon and Mars surface missions, with autonomy development. Source ↗ | Operating | Confirmed |
- 25-Foot Space SimulatorTest range · Pasadena, California, United StatesOperatingThermal-vacuum chamber used to test spacecraft in a simulated space environment. Source ↗Confirmed
- Canberra Deep Space Communication ComplexGround station · Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve area, Australian Capital Territory, AustraliaOperatingOne of three Deep Space Network sites; antenna stations provide continuous spacecraft communication, tracking, and data transmission. Part of NASA’s Deep Space Network, managed at network level by JPL. Source ↗Confirmed
- Goldstone Deep Space Communications ComplexGround station · Fort Irwin Military Reservation near Barstow, California, United StatesOperatingOne of three Deep Space Network sites; antenna stations provide continuous spacecraft communication, tracking, and data transmission. Part of NASA’s Deep Space Network, managed at network level by JPL. Source ↗Confirmed
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory primary campusLab · Pasadena, California, United StatesOperatingConfirmed
- Madrid Deep Space Communications ComplexGround station · Robledo de Chavela, Madrid, SpainOperatingOne of three Deep Space Network sites; antenna stations provide continuous spacecraft communication, tracking, and data transmission. Part of NASA’s Deep Space Network, managed at network level by JPL. Source ↗Confirmed
- Mars YardTest range · Pasadena, California, United StatesOperatingConfirmed
- Rover Operations CenterLab · Pasadena, California, United StatesOperatingMission operations center for current and future robotic Moon and Mars surface missions, with autonomy development. Source ↗Confirmed
Hiring Observations10 observed listings
Official board checked Oct 8, 2026. Complete employer-board inventory counts postings, not unique vacancies; roles may include non-defense work and multiple locations. This page shows a bounded sample plus previously tracked listings.
Advancing Imaging Spectroscopy Measurements by EMIT on the International Space Station ↗
JPL Campus · Full time · Other
Open when checked · jet-propulsion-laboratory Workday public career board (observed CXS endpoint)
Checked Oct 8, 2026
JPL Campus · Full time · Other
Open when checked · jet-propulsion-laboratory Workday public career board (observed CXS endpoint)
Checked Oct 8, 2026
JPL Campus · Full time · Other
Open when checked · jet-propulsion-laboratory Workday public career board (observed CXS endpoint)
Checked Oct 8, 2026
JPL Campus · Full time · Other
Open when checked · jet-propulsion-laboratory Workday public career board (observed CXS endpoint)
Checked Oct 8, 2026
JPL Campus · Full time · Other
Open when checked · jet-propulsion-laboratory Workday public career board (observed CXS endpoint)
Checked Oct 8, 2026
Communications Specialist II ↗
JPL Campus · Full time · Other
Open when checked · jet-propulsion-laboratory Workday public career board (observed CXS endpoint)
Checked Oct 8, 2026
Computer Vision Engineer III ↗
JPL Campus · Full time · Engineering
Open when checked · jet-propulsion-laboratory Workday public career board (observed CXS endpoint)
Checked Oct 8, 2026
Configuration Management Engineer IV - TS/SCI ↗
JPL Campus · Full time · Engineering
Open when checked · jet-propulsion-laboratory Workday public career board (observed CXS endpoint)
Checked Oct 8, 2026
JPL Campus · Full time · Other
Open when checked · jet-propulsion-laboratory Workday public career board (observed CXS endpoint)
Checked Oct 8, 2026
JPL Campus · Full time · Other
Open when checked · jet-propulsion-laboratory Workday public career board (observed CXS endpoint)
Checked Oct 8, 2026
A sample of observed listings, not a total vacancy count. Availability may have changed since collection. Categories are inferred from job titles.
Sources7
Technologies2
- 1Government recordRover Operations Center | JPL
Jet Propulsion Laboratory · Supports Facility · documented capability, location, or facility, Organization · organization mission and description, Organization technology · documented capability, location, or facility
“NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California inaugurated its Rover Operations Center.”
- 2Government recordWho We Are | NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
Supports Facility, Organization, Organization technology
“Managed by Caltech, JPL is NASA’s only federally-funded research and development center.”
Supply chain4
- 3Government recordDeep Space Network Now: JPL network management
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory · Supports Facility
- 4Government recordWhere is the DSN Located?
NASA · Supports Facility
- 5Government recordNASA Awards Contract for Continued Operations of JPL
NASA · Supports Facility · documented geography or facility relationship, Organization · organization mission and description
“Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), also in Pasadena.”
- 6Government record25-Foot Space Simulator | NASA
NASA · Supports Facility · documented capability, location, or facility
“The massive 25-Foot Space Simulator that has tested spacecraft from Voyagers 1 and 2 to Perseverance”
Other1
- 7
Each fact on this page is attached to the sources that support it. Archived copies are linked when we keep one.