Jobs at Stennis Space Center, MS in 2026: employers, programs, and how to apply
Jobs at Stennis Space Center, MS in 2026: employers, programs, and how to apply
Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, Mississippi is NASA's largest propulsion test facility and home to more than 50 federal, state, academic, and commercial tenants. Approximately 5,000 civil servants, contractors, military personnel, and commercial workers are based there. Every RS-25 engine that flies on the Space Launch System is acceptance-tested at Stennis.
Major employers
Federal agencies
- NASA — Propulsion testing, Shared Services Center, advanced propulsion research
- Department of Defense — Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command, Naval Research Laboratory, Special Boat Team TWENTY-TWO
- Other federal — Department of Commerce (National Data Buoy Center), Department of Energy, DHS/ICE
Prime contractors
| Contractor | Focus | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| L3Harris Technologies | RS-25 engine assembly, testing, delivery | Acquired Aerojet Rocketdyne ($4.7B, 2023) |
| Nova Space Solutions | Facility operations & maintenance | $823M contract, started July 2025, 258 employees |
| Jacobs Technology | Multi-discipline engineering support | Long-standing NASA contractor presence |
| Lockheed Martin | Space systems division support | Various programs |
| Leidos | Engineering and IT services | Multiple contracts |
| SAIC | Technical services | Engineering and analysis |
Commercial space tenants
| Company | Presence | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| Relativity Space | ~300 acres | Aeon R engine qualification testing for Terran R |
| Rocket Lab | Test facilities | Engine development and testing |
| Evolution Space | Test facilities | Propulsion development |
| Blue Origin | Test operations | Engine testing |
| Boeing | Test operations | Propulsion support |
Relativity Space has the largest commercial footprint, with a $267 million expansion announced in 2022 creating 630 jobs for Aeon R engine testing and Terran R development.
Programs driving hiring
RS-25 production ramp-up — L3Harris is scaling to produce 4 new-build RS-25 engines per year for SLS flights beyond Artemis IV. Two new production engines were hot-fire tested in 2025 (Engine No. 20001 in June, Engine No. 20002 in November), each firing for 500 seconds at 111% rated power. In January 2026, engine 2063 completed a 5-minute acceptance test on the Fred Haise test stand.
SLS Exploration Upper Stage (EUS) — Infrastructure upgrades at the B-2 Test Stand are preparing for future Green Run testing of the new SLS upper stage, which will increase payload capacity to the Moon.
Commercial propulsion testing — Growing demand from Relativity Space, Rocket Lab, Evolution Space, and others for engine test infrastructure.
SLS's long-term future is under discussion. While L3Harris continues producing RS-25 engines and Artemis missions are proceeding, proposed NASA budget cuts could affect Stennis programs and hiring. The facility's growing commercial tenant base (Relativity, Rocket Lab) provides some diversification against government funding changes.
Salary ranges
| Role | Salary Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| NASA Civil Servant (Engineer) | $60,000–$152,000 | GS scale + locality |
| Contractor Engineer | $80,000–$120,000 | Varies by employer |
| Test Technician (SAIC) | Hands-on test operations | |
| Test Technician (Relativity) | Engine test support | |
| Senior/Principal Engineer | $120,000–$175,000 | Propulsion specialization |
Mississippi's cost of living is significantly below the national average. A $90K engineer salary at Stennis goes further than $130K in Los Angeles or Seattle.
How to apply
For NASA positions:
- USAJobs.gov — search "Stennis Space Center"
- Federal resumes require detailed experience descriptions
For contractor positions:
- L3Harris: l3harris.com/careers (search Stennis or RS-25)
- Nova Space Solutions: through parent companies Chugach Government Solutions and Amentum
- SAIC, Jacobs, Leidos: company career sites filtered by Stennis/Mississippi
For commercial space:
- Relativity Space: relativityspace.com/careers (filter Cape Canaveral/Stennis)
- Rocket Lab: rocketlabusa.com/careers
Browse Mississippi space jobs on Zero G Talent, or see our NASA careers guide, propulsion engineer guide, and Kennedy Space Center jobs.
