Staff Assistant II

Jet Propulsion Laboratory; United States; On-site; USD 64,000 - 82,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, vision plans

Wellbeing program

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Learning opportunities

Rideshare

Childcare support

Flexible schedule

Parental leave

Job summary

Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California seeks a self-motivated Section Staff Assistant II to join the Business Administration Team. You will support the Project Controls Section, delivering essential administrative and operational support across multiple groups.

You thrive in a high-volume, dynamic environment, coordinating travel, meetings, onboarding, timekeeping, and document production, while maintaining discretion and driving process improvements.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent with relevant experience.
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft 365 apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and Adobe Acrobat.
• Excellent planning, scheduling, and organizational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple complex tasks under pressure with minimal supervision.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and customer service.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative support to Section Management and multiple technical groups within the section.
• Manage multiple assignments simultaneously with accuracy and professionalism in a dynamic environment with frequent interruptions and changing priorities.
• Prepare and process domestic and foreign travel, generate travel-related reports, process affiliate badge requests for domestic and foreign visitors, and provide visitor escort support as required.
• Process P-Card purchases, requisitions, and iProcurement orders, including the procurement of office supplies and other administrative needs.
• Coordinate meetings using Outlook, maintain conference room schedules, and arrange conference calls and virtual meetings using Microsoft Teams or equivalent tools.
• Assist with the preparation and development of presentations, graphics, and website content, including proofreading, editing, and formatting.
• Support office moves, workspace assignments, and new-hire preparations and onboarding activities.
• Lead the process for employees and affiliate offboarding activities, including completion of required checklist items.
• Prepare, maintain, and update Work Authorization Memos (WAMs).
• Coordinate on-site and off-site workshops, meetings, and other business events.
• Assist with candidate interview coordination, including developing interview schedules, coordinating logistics, and providing administrative support throughout the interview process.
• Serve as the Section timecard SME/Timekeeper and provide timekeeping guidance to personnel as needed.
• Prioritize assignments and complete work accurately, efficiently, and within established deadlines.
• Provide responsive and professional customer service to personnel at all levels of the organization.
• Identify opportunities for process improvements and implement effective administrative practices and procedures.
• Support a variety of ad hoc assignments and special projects based on Section and organizational needs.
• Exercise appropriate discretion and confidentiality when handling sensitive or business-critical information.

Skills

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

Microsoft Outlook

Adobe Acrobat

Timekeeping

Customer service

Office administration

Education

High School diploma

Associates degree

Tools

Concur

Service Order Modules

Timekeeping

Requisitions

P-Card

UCS

WAMs

Property Manager Gateway Administrator

Microsoft Teams

DocuShare

Alfresco

JPL-ID

Microsoft Project

Access

Visio

SharePoint

Photoshop

Publisher

Job description

Job Details

New ideas are all around us, but only a few will change the world. That’s our focus at JPL. We ask the biggest questions, then search the universe for answers—literally. We build upon ideas that have guided generations, then share our discoveries to inspire generations to come. Your mission—your opportunity—is to seek out the answers that bring us one step closer. If you’re driven to discover, create, and inspire something that lasts a lifetime and beyond, you’re ready for JPL.

Located in Pasadena, California, JPL has a campus-like environment situated on 177 acres in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and offers a work environment unlike any other: we inspire passion, foster innovation, build collaboration, and reward excellence.

We are seeking a self-motivated, highly organized Section Staff Assistant II to join the Business Administration Team (725x) supporting the Project Controls Section (252) within JPL’s Project Business Management Division (25). Division 25 provides integrated business management, project planning, engineering cost estimation, and task order management for JPL’s mission portfolio. Within the Division, the Project Controls Section (252) provides project cost control, planning, and analysis support to JPL’s programs and projects, comprising Project Resource Analysts (PRAs) and Project Schedule Analysts (PSAs) matrixed to Directorate business offices.

Reporting directly to the Division Business Manager in 725x, you will deliver vital administrative and operational support to Section 252 leadership, its internal groups, and the broader 7250 team. The ideal candidate demonstrates excellent organizational and interpersonal skills, strong attention to detail, and sound judgment. You should thrive working both independently and collaboratively in a high-volume, dynamic environment where managing competing priorities and time-sensitive tasks is routine.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide administrative and office operations support to the Section Management team and multiple technical groups within the section.
• Manage multiple assignments simultaneously while maintaining accuracy, professionalism, patience, and composure in a dynamic environment with frequent interruptions and changing priorities.
• Prepare and process domestic and foreign travel, generate travel-related reports, process affiliate badge requests for domestic and foreign visitors, and provide visitor escort support as required.
• Process P-Card purchases, requisitions, and iProcurement orders, including the procurement of office supplies and other administrative needs.
• Coordinate meetings using Outlook, maintain conference room schedules, and arrange conference calls and virtual meetings using Microsoft Teams or equivalent tools.
• Assist with the preparation and development of presentations, graphics, and website content, including proofreading, editing, and formatting.
• Support office moves, workspace assignments, and new-hire preparations and onboarding activities.
• Lead the process for employees and affiliate offboarding activities, including completion of required checklist items.
• Prepare, maintain, and update Work Authorization Memos (WAMs).
• Coordinate on-site and off-site workshops, meetings, and other business events.
• Assist with candidate interview coordination, including developing interview schedules, coordinating logistics, and providing administrative support throughout the interview process.
• Serve as the Section timecard Subject Matter Expert (SME)/Timekeeper and provide timekeeping guidance to personnel as needed.
• Prioritize assignments and complete work accurately, efficiently, and within established deadlines.
• Provide responsive and professional customer service to personnel at all levels of the organization.
• Identify opportunities for process improvements and implement effective administrative practices and procedures.
• Support a variety of ad hoc assignments and special projects based on Section and organizational needs.
• Exercise appropriate discretion and confidentiality when handling sensitive or business-critical information.

Basic Qualifications

• Typically requires a High School diploma with a minimum of six years of related experience, an associate degree with a minimum of one year of related experience, or equivalent related training and experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge of general administrative and secretarial practices, with strong organizational, computer, and interpersonal skills.
• Thorough understanding of office procedures and office automation applications, including Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, as well as Adobe Acrobat.
• Strong meeting planning, scheduling, coordination, and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex assignments, work effectively under pressure, and operate independently with minimal supervision while consistently delivering high-quality work.
• Demonstrated initiative and willingness to learn new technologies, tools, processes, and procedures to enhance office operations and improve efficiency.
• Ability to evaluate situations, exercise sound judgment, and determine appropriate courses of action.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• Demonstrated ability to interact effectively with personnel at all organizational levels while providing a high level of customer service.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain professionalism, patience, and composure in a dynamic work environment with frequent interruptions and changing priorities.
• Ability to identify, learn, and apply new processes and technologies to improve administrative operations and workflows.
• Proficiency with the Microsoft 365 Office suite, including, but not limited to, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Extensive knowledge of JPL policies, procedures, and administrative practices.
• Previous Staff Assistant experience in a technical section or engineering office environment.
• Experience using JPL-specific tools and systems, including Concur, Service Order Modules, Timekeeping, Requisitions, P-Card, UCS, WAMs, Property Manager Gateway Administrator, Microsoft Teams, DocuShare, Alfresco, and JPL-ID.
• Experience supporting the JPL-ID process and onboarding volunteers, affiliates, foreign nationals, and other nontraditional personnel.
• Knowledge of JPL domestic and foreign travel policies and procedures.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Project, Access, Visio, SharePoint, Photoshop, and Publisher.
• General knowledge of JPL facilities, safety, property, and related administrative policies and procedures.
• Demonstrated willingness and ability to research, learn, and apply new information technology tools and resources to improve office procedures, processes, and overall operational efficiency.

Note: As a temporary position, this assignment may last up to 36 months in duration with approvals based on 6 to 12-month assignments. However, please note that you are not under any employment contract and your temporary employment status can be terminated at any time, with or without notice.

JPL has a catalog of benefits and perks that span from the traditional to the unique. This includes a variety of health, dental, vision, wellbeing, and retirement plans, paid time off, learning, rideshare, childcare, flexible schedule, parental leave and many more. Our focus is on work-life balance, and living healthy, fulfilling lives as we Dare Mighty Things Together. For benefits eligible positions, benefits are effective the first day of the month coincident with or immediately following the employee’s start date. For further benefits information.

The typical full time equivalent annual hiring range for this job in Pasadena, California. $64,376 - $81,640

JPL is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy or perceived pregnancy, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, protected military or veteran status or any other characteristic or condition protected by Federal, state or local law. In addition, JPL is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor. EEO is the Law. EEO is the Law Supplement Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision The Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a federal facility. Due to rules imposed by NASA, JPL will not accept applications from citizens of designated countries or those born in a designated country unless they are U.S. Citizens, Legal Permanent Residents of the U.S or have other protected status under 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). The Designated Countries List is available here. Formed in 1936, the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a federally funded research and development center managed for NASA by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech.) JPL joined NASA as an FFRDC when the agency was founded in 1958. JPL helped open the Space Age by developing America’s first Earth-orbiting science satellite, creating the first successful interplanetary spacecraft, and sending robotic missions to the solar system. Today JPL continues its world-leading innovation, implementing programs in planetary exploration, Earth science, space-based astronomy and technology development while applying its capabilities to technical and scientific problems of national significance. Above all, we are explorers. At JPL we promote collaboration, innovation, integrity, and excellence in distinct academic areas. We turn ideas for science investigation into the reality of groundbreaking space missions, partnering with our strategic business teams to guide JPL into the future.