Jobs at Mars Science Laboratory

Supports JPL business development and strategic partnerships by building dashboards, trackers, lightweight applications, automated workflows, team sites, and portfolio analysis tools. The intern organizes data, improves opportunity-tracking processes, prepares proposal and briefing materials, and translates business needs into user-focused solutions using Microsoft collaboration, analytics, and low-code platforms. The role also involves stakeholder collaboration, process improvement, data visualization, and decision-support activities.

Conduct experimental research on trapped-ion and cold-atom systems to develop and characterize precision atomic clocks and quantum timing technologies. Design, build, and optimize laser, vacuum, and control hardware; perform measurements, data analysis, simulations, and publish results while collaborating with multidisciplinary teams.

Postdoctoral researcher will analyze WISE/NEOWISE infrared data and develop thermal models to estimate sizes, albedos, and orbital distributions of Main Belt and near-Earth asteroids, characterize observational biases, improve population estimates, and support NEOS mission reliability and planetary defense research.

Leads complex, high-risk contract strategy, interpretation, negotiation, execution, compliance, and risk mitigation across JPL and Caltech. Advises executive leadership, manages relationships with NASA, sponsors, and institutional stakeholders, directs multidisciplinary teams, and oversees strategic process improvements, budgets, staffing, and contract records. Negotiates NDAs, OCI agreements, IPA agreements, MOUs, and other government and commercial contractual instruments while ensuring adherence to FAR, federal regulations, and organizational policies.

Leads complex government and commercial contract actions, proposals, modifications, negotiations, and contractual risk assessments. Interprets FAR, contract clauses, regulations, and organizational policies; provides guidance on rights and obligations; coordinates with Legal, Finance, Program Management, technical teams, and sponsors; negotiates NDAs, MOUs, IPAs, and other agreements; and maintains compliant contract records. The role requires advanced judgment, stakeholder influence, discretion, and active TS/SCI clearance.

Manages JPL’s NASA/Caltech prime contract and complex government, commercial, and intergovernmental agreements. Provides authoritative contractual guidance, leads negotiations, oversees compliance with FAR and federal regulations, manages relationships with NASA, Caltech, sponsors, and executives, and leads multidisciplinary teams while improving organizational efficiency, risk mitigation, and contract-record quality.

Support lifecycle management of complex Caltech‑NASA task orders: assist with modifications, funding actions, compliance, stakeholder coordination, contractual interpretation, risk mitigation, documentation, and cross‑functional issue resolution under senior guidance.

Provide project cost, pricing, and resource planning support across the project lifecycle. Maintain institutional reporting and tracking systems, support task order management and proposal cost estimates (including ProPricer and ad-hoc reporting), interface with NASA and stakeholders, and deliver analysis to inform funding, forecasting, and program cost controls.

Provides independent, high-level administrative and operational support for a classified project. Responsibilities include managing complex calendars, coordinating internal and external stakeholders, resolving sensitive issues, supporting cross-functional teams, improving processes, and making operational decisions with limited supervision. An active TS/SCI clearance is required.

Develop and validate data-analysis pipelines and noise-reduction algorithms for LISA, integrate instrument and astrophysical systematics into statistical frameworks, advance waveform and population models, collaborate across JPL/Caltech and NASA partners, and help shape long-term space-based gravitational-wave mission and ground-segment capabilities.

Build, maintain, analyze, and report project schedules and related metrics using MS Project Server. Identify schedule anomalies, analyze critical path and logic, support change control, produce summary reports and "what-if" scenarios, and present schedule impact analyses to program stakeholders.

Manage and track communications projects for NASA/JPL science missions from request through delivery. Coordinate between mission leads and creative teams, produce and edit web/social content, translate technical milestones into compelling narratives, resolve production roadblocks, and report KPIs to demonstrate program impact.

Manage complex domestic and international multimodal shipments, ensure compliance with hazardous materials and export controls (EAR/ITAR), coordinate DoD/agency air transport of flight hardware, audit carrier performance and costs, recommend routing and vendor changes, lead cross-organizational projects, mentor staff, and develop training on logistics systems and regulatory requirements.

Lead development and maintenance of the Integrated Master Schedule (IMS), analyze schedule integrity and metrics, validate credibility using DCMA 14-Point, and support cost/schedule integration and change control. Produce schedule reports, identify/mitigate schedule anomalies, support monthly reviews and IBRs, mentor team members, and champion institutional scheduling best practices for flight projects.

Supports Psyche mission science planning and instrument operations by translating science objectives into executable spacecraft activities. Develops integrated plans, sequences, procedures, and planning tools; coordinates spacecraft pointing and instrument activities; models and validates sequences; monitors instrument health using telemetry; investigates anomalies; processes science and engineering data; and supports strategic and tactical mission planning throughout the science phase.

Lead and manage the Ethics and Business Conduct Program: advise on complex ethics issues, investigate violations, evaluate conflicts of interest, develop training and policies, coordinate with Legal/HR/Security, maintain records and reports, and use IT tools for data retrieval and analysis.

Support design, deployment, and maintenance of enterprise identity and directory solutions. Manage Active Directory, GPOs, AD migrations, authentication (Kerberos, NTLM, PIV), SSO/ADFS integrations, PKI, and related services. Develop PowerShell/Visual Basic scripts, troubleshoot directory/authentication issues, perform functional testing, document processes, and collaborate with internal teams and developers to capture requirements and deliver IAM solutions.

Conduct astronomical data reduction and analysis of JWST/NIRCam and NIRISS/AMI high-contrast coronagraphic imaging. Develop forward-modeling and phase-retrieval methods using wavefront telemetry, characterize coronagraphic performance, investigate residual starlight and systematic effects, publish findings, present at conferences, and collaborate with JPL and Caltech researchers. Apply resulting techniques to future Roman Space Telescope and Habitable Worlds Observatory missions.

Perform software quality assurance for mission-critical systems: plan and cost assurance activities, review software across lifecycle, improve processes/tools, apply static analysis and verification, assess risks and security, and explore assurance for AI/LLMs, ASICs, and FPGAs.

Support section business operations including budget development, financial planning, reporting, workforce and facilities administration. Prepare financial analyses and forecasts, maintain websites/databases, develop automated reports/dashboards, collaborate with stakeholders, drive process improvements, and serve as backup to the Section Business Manager.