Company Overview
Established in 1936, the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is a federally funded research and development center, managed by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) on behalf of NASA. Since joining NASA as a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) in 1958, JPL has been at the forefront of space exploration and scientific discovery.
JPL played a pioneering role in the Space Age, developing America’s first Earth-orbiting science satellite, launching the first successful interplanetary spacecraft, and leading robotic missions across the solar system.
Today, JPL continues to push the boundaries of innovation, spearheading groundbreaking programs in planetary exploration, Earth sciences, space-based astronomy, and advanced technology development. Beyond space exploration, JPL applies its expertise to address critical scientific and technical challenges of national importance.
Job Responsibilities
- Transport equipment, materials, and personnel efficiently and safely.
- Handle and transport heavy and critical items, such as flight hardware and ground support equipment.
- Pick up, load, unload, and deliver packages weighing up to 50 lbs. across the Laboratory.
- Provide personnel transportation within the Laboratory and to/from the Caltech Campus.
- Utilize advanced transport knowledge to ensure timely and secure delivery of passengers, materials, and equipment, while accurately estimating arrival times.
- Conduct routine vehicle inspections, monitor performance, perform minor repairs, refuel vehicles, and manage loading and unloading operations.
- Detect and identify less obvious vehicle issues to prevent potential malfunctions.
- Maintain accurate records of deliveries and transport activities using scanners and other data-tracking tools.
- Troubleshoot minor issues, such as malfunctioning badge scanners at delivery sites.
- Ensure proper documentation of transported materials through detailed manifests.
- Adhere to all safety regulations, industry best practices, and Laboratory protocols while performing job duties.
Qualifications
- High school diploma with a minimum of 6 years of relevant work experience, or an Associate’s degree with at least 1 year of related experience and required training.
- Proven experience operating forklifts and heavy-duty transport equipment, including tugger vehicles.
- Commercial truck driving experience.
- Demonstrated ability to operate buses and passenger shuttles.
- Experience in passenger transport services, such as airport shuttles, student transportation, or city bus operations, with ADA wheelchair lift training.
- Valid California Commercial Driver’s License (Class B) for operating large vehicles with a gross weight rating of 26,000 pounds or more.
- Endorsements required: air brakes, hazardous materials, medical certification, and valid forklift operation certification.
- Passenger transport endorsement for driving buses and personnel transport vehicles.
- Clean driving record.
- Completion of required safety, hazardous materials (Hazmat), and personal protective equipment (PPE) training.
- Familiarity with inventory scanners and other data collection devices.
- Proficiency in using computers, smartphones, PDAs, and GPS systems.
- Strong verbal communication and customer service skills.
Preferred Experience
- At least three years of experience in material handling and transportation.
Additional Requirements
- Due to the nature of this role, it is classified as a safety-sensitive position under JPL’s Drug-Free Workplace Requirement. Employees in this role are subject to periodic, unannounced, random drug testing. Please refer to JPL’s Drug-Free Workplace Requirement for further details.