NASA GSFC ETD Is [insert buzzword] Itself

Fun Reorg Time at NASA GSFC ETD

Keith’s note: Yesterday the staff at NASA GSFC ETD (Engineering and Technology Directorate) got an email titled “Realignments that will Transition ETD to the Future”. There’s lots of NASA doublespeak, agency boilerplate language to make the White House happy, and other needless buzzwords. As is usually the case, this is a reorganization that seems to be more about giving the impression of a reorganization than actually changing anything. If you look at the before- and after- org charts (wherein they moved the little white colored words inside of the blue boxes) there are more blue boxes now – so that means more complex interactions (instead of fewer?). Wait minute: lots of people are being laid off at GSFC – so shouldn’t there be fewer organizations, managers, (blue boxes with words) etc.? Otherwise, it’s not like anything has really changed – other than mail codes. And of course, the old NASA phrase “it was about time for a new phone book” applies. Oh yes: there is a special bonus fun time activity called “ETD On the Road”. See below.

For over the past year, the directorate has been planning and proposing a series of realignments for engineering. These realignments are necessary to align engineering at Goddard to respond to a changing aerospace market, the NASA portfolio, and the vision put forward within the President’s Budget Request for NASA. In conjunction with the Division Chiefs, we have been working to find opportunities to lean forward and have used multiple activities to help inform what our future state may look like; including “ETD On the Road” visits with industry, capabilities studies, and strategic vision planning.

For awareness, recently NASA Headquarters approved proceeding forward with our realignments that have been in a temporary pause due to NASA’s Hiring Freeze Guidance resulting from OMB/OPM memorandum on the Federal Civilian Hiring Freeze. The following realignments within engineering are in process at the NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC) for implementation:

  • Materials Contamination and Coatings (Code 541) (previously 541 and 546)
  • Mechanical Engineering Systems and Analysis (Code 542) (previously 542 and 543)
  • Advanced Manufacturing Integration and Test (Code 547) (previously 547, 549, and 568)
  • Optical, Laser, and Integrated Photonics (Code 551) (previously 551 and 554)
  • Radiation Effects, Parts, Packaging and Assembly (Code 561) (previously 561 and 562)
  • Communications Systems (Code 566) (previously 566 and 567)
  • Autonomous Navigation Electronics and Systems (Code 567) (previously 596)
  • Software Systems Engineering and Operations (Code 581) (previously 581 and 584)
  • Flight and Ground Software Systems (Code 582) (previously 582 and 583)
  • Integrated Data Systems (Code 583) (previously 586 and 587)
  • Cybersecurity and Software Technologies (Code 584) (previously 585 – name change, see below)
  • Autonomous Control and Systems Modeling (Code 591) (previously 591 and 597)
  • Systems Engineering (Code 593) (previously 599 and 592)
  • Creation of the Wallops Flight Facility Engineering Office (Code 510)
  • Mechanical Engineering (Code 511) (previously 548)
  • Electrical Engineering (Code 512) (previously 569)
  • Systems and Software Engineering (Code 513) (previously 589 and 598)

In addition to these larger moves, we also are:

  • Renaming Code 585 from the Computing Environments and Collaborative Technologies Branch to the Cybersecurity and Software Technologies Branch (Code 584) – Already stated above
  • Moving specific engineering functions to align more closely with technical functions:
  • Orbital Debris Systems Engineers of the Instrument Payload Systems Engineering Branch (592) are realigned into Code 595, Navigation and Mission Design Branch
  • Mission resilience and Protection (MRPP) Engineers of the Mission Systems Engineering Branch (599) realigned into Code 595

Over the next thirty days, the NSSC will be processing organizational code changes for employees and aligning staff. ETD leadership will be engaging human resources to support organizational effectiveness resources to help employees navigate these changes.

To help visualize the changes, see below for a notional capturing of the realignment changes described above.

ETD will continue to explore opportunities to flatten management layers, combine similar capabilities that will increase our bench strength, reduce overhead costs and promote organizational efficiencies. These efforts will ensure we continue to meet our commitments and streamline costs that impact the Center’s operating budget and direct charges (assessments) to a reduced flight project portfolio.

Please work with your division leadership through this time of transition to align with the structures. It remains critically important to use the realignment changes as opportunities for increasing sharing of resources and collaborating with knowledge exchanges with peers.

Segrid, Maria, and Matt

ETD Leadership Team