Workforce Planning Recommendations for NASA’s Human Resources Department
Elizabeth Ann Muniz
Villanova University

Abstract

This paper contains workforce planning recommendations for National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s Human Resource Department. This paper reviews NASA’s vision, their core values, workforce plan goals and key business strategies. Current workforce profiles are reported as well as demographics and key business challenges. This report also includes an overview of NASA’s organizational structure and a future workforce profile. A gap analysis of the workforce is enclosed as well as closing strategies.

Context and Environment:
In 2010, the Space Shuttle Program ended, as well as the
Each Administrator has addressed these questions differently, subject to a number of external and internal variables, and arrived at a variety of solutions. While it appears that the restructuring and reorganization of NASA have been nearly continuous, the dynamic nature of the NASA mission and the importance of its work have created an environment where this ability to adapt has been a critical ingredient for success.
Key business strategies that are currently in focus include staffing, recruiting, nurturing student pipelines, using alternative hiring sources, ensuring suitability, increasing diversity, as well as including early career hires and implementing Federal hiring initiatives. In addition, NASA will develop alternative recruitment methods, expand legislative flexibilities to facilitate partnering with industry/academia (such as Industry Exchange), and hire a multi-generational workforce with skills needed now and in the future. Other initiatives are to strengthen pipelines to backfill and refresh workforce (including branding to attract early career persons), capitalizing on STEM education pipelines, and using hiring flexibilities (temp, perm, etc.). Other identified workforce initiatives