WASHINGTON — NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory will lay off 550 employees this week, the latest round of job cuts at the space science center.

In a brief statement released Oct. 13, Dave Gallagher, director of JPL, said the layoffs, accounting for about 11% of its workforce, are necessary to restructure the lab amid uncertain budgets.

“In order to best position JPL going forward, we are taking steps to restructure and establish an appropriate size to ensure future success,” he wrote, calling the layoffs part of a broader “realignment of its workforce” that began in July. The layoffs will involve staff in technical, business and support areas.

“This week’s action, while not easy, is essential to securing JPL’s future by creating a leaner infrastructure, focusing on our core technical ca

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