Jet Propulsion Laboratory Employee Job Reviews in the United States

What do you like about working at Jet Propulsion Laboratory?

"Interesting projects"

What don't you like about working at Jet Propulsion Laboratory?

"slow"

What suggestions do you have for management?

"to invigorate projects by better organizing R& D work"

"Was wondering what's the purpose of filling out a review for a previous place of employment"

What do you like about working at Jet Propulsion Laboratory?

"the environment was excellent, the people fantastic and new technology was always on the leading edge."

Do you have any tips for others interviewing with this company?

"Positive attitude and willingness to be open to new technology and be adaptable to change and just, go with the flow."

What don't you like about working at Jet Propulsion Laboratory?

"I liked working there, but I got married and had to relocate to New Zealand, due to child custody issues with my new husband's child."

What do you like about working at Jet Propulsion Laboratory?

"Working in a unique domain (space exploration), talented group of software developers"

Do you have any tips for others interviewing with this company?

"It's fun for a while but be prepared to move on when it gets old."

What don't you like about working at Jet Propulsion Laboratory?

"Too mired in legacy ways of thinking and doing work, never time to do it right but always time to do it over. Too much internal competition--duplication of effort and wasted time--multiple stove-piped internal organizations working against one another not competing for the same work but worse actually *doing* the same work."

What suggestions do you have for management?

"move away from the failing, legacy hierarchical management system to a better, more modern organizational leadership model where software development using Scrum and design methodologies are encouraged and can flourish."

"Great place to start. Was only a student intern so I didn't do anything amazing like build a space shuttle."

"JPL has great missions to work on, but awful politics"

What do you like about working at Jet Propulsion Laboratory?

"The missions are great, spacecraft exploring much of our solar system"

Do you have any tips for others interviewing with this company?

"The missions are great, but you better have a tolerance for poor management and waste"

What don't you like about working at Jet Propulsion Laboratory?

"The politics are awful, with incompetent managers who got there by backstabbing and stealing credit"

What suggestions do you have for management?

"Current management should retire and select their replacements by random draw among employees since their choices in subordinates are so bad"

"JPL is an "Insider's Club". If you're not one of the "elite", but think you're lucky to be working there, then you are in for disappointment. First you'll get hired, then you start working, then you have to APPLY for a badge just to go to work (after you've left your old job). They'll demand from you the names and numbers of friends and neighbors, on top of job references. In the end, you can get fired even if you think you're doing your job. If you want to transfer to another job, you can't apply like an "insider" can. You have to use the external website and apply like a "stranger". So much for being a contractor that's familiar with the policies and facilities. I question their ethics too. Some people are treated better than others, but they hide this from the public."

"I interned at JPL during the summer of 2019"

"As an intern, the opportunities to learn and grow were mostly self-driven. Asking questions often is key, so that you can discover what is the best approach to the problem."

"The company is really perfect to work for. Every one has a dream to work for JPL. It has very good benefit and compensation. The staff are really friendly."