NASA Workforce Depletion Update
Keith’s note: Here’s a snapshot of where things stand in the DRP (Deferred Resignation Program) arena: Over 2,600 NASA employees have taken the deal so far and the window doesn’t even close until 25 July. In addition, there are another 350 or non-DRP departures scheduled. Add that up and you have over 17% of the NASA workforce planning imminent departure. Over 70 SES employees are leaving – that includes Human Resource directors, the CIO, and the CISO. Center Directors are also planning departures. NASA is going to be at the lowest level of employees since it was founded. At this rate an agency-wide RIF may not be needed but focused RIFs at centers may still be called for. People without options are staying behind risking RIF exposure with an increasingly bad job market. Back at NASA, with large gaping holes in expertise at forming, you have to know that reassignments and relocations are going to be required to “re-balance” things. Of course the contractor workforce gets doubly screwed since they have no real protections. University researchers will be left high and dry. And you can forget about nurturing the pipeline of next generation space scientists and engineers. This is not making space great again. Rather, it is NASA being taken off of the playing field while other nations ramp up and reach for the prize.
19 responses to “NASA Workforce Depletion Update”
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Center breakdown would be interesting. Goddard is saying only 337 approved.
I am told that NASA HQ has said that GSFC will probably need a RIF at some point if these numbers do not change.
Keith, have you heard anything about AMES and LaRC?
I post what I know as soon as I know it … wish I did know more ….
Welp, this is what happens when you elect a group of individuals who have shown that they care little for any science and believe the world was made in 6 days and women should be home in the kitchen with women suckling chhildren.
Keith, does the 2,600 number include the first DRP that occurred in the beginning of the year?
And where is the money coming from to pay all of these people for six months? The existing programs, many of which are scheduled for severe cuts starting October 1. Some projects will literally have to spend 100% of their funds on people who took the DRP. They’re the only ones guaranteed to be paid.
They have the money, but looking towards the budget that the President wants. Money isn’t the issue, it’s just reducing the workforce.
Who’s this “they” you’re taking about?
Much (if not most) of the on site workforce is contractors, not civil servants. There is basically no information for contractors. Would be nice to include that in the updates.
They really consider contractors expendable ….
As now are the 7 levels of NASA middle management that “manage” them. That was announced as a positive move. But, this was never about saving money, it was redistributing it. So says that Big Ugly Bill.
One would think WARN notices should be heading out to contractors by end of the moon or early August if the alignment of workforce is supposed to happen October 1.
All interesting updates. Similar to many great USA steel manufacturers down-sizing 30 or so years ago. Or auto plants shutting down like Oldsmobile , Pontiac, Mercury, or Saturn.
One needs to ask and deeply think if manned or human space flight is still necessary. Cannot much more be done with robotics. Imagine the Tesla Robots working on the moon or Mars.
What has NASA done innovative wise in the past 25 years?
Not much in my humble opinion.
Reformulate the agency needs to be done
Who are you? Can you provide data to support your claims? I did not think so.
I guess it is needless to say that this entire RIF at NASA and across government generally is to give generous tax breaks to the President and his favored MAGA faithful.
We have yet to show that what was done by legacy government organizations can be done properly by private enterprise. Look at medical, police, education services. All need a rewrite, and loose but guiding regulation. That SpaceX can launch for 1.3M$ the other guys spend 100M$. SpaceX is a rewrite. But who can pull this off for the hundred existing NASA projects? We need new large radio telescopes for deep space. We need a way to bid for research that works with VC instead of fed money.
Wow, when did SpaceX launch for 1.3M? When did NASA even launch a rocket to LEO? Which private companies can build microcalorimeters for xray, microshutters and many unique instruments which NASA builds?
China and Russia will most certainly win the 21st Century “space race”. As American companies will pursue for profit space travel, China/Russia will pursue military ventures. I have a feeling the current administration will regret this.