The Jet Propulsion Laboratory will lay off 5 percent to 8 percent of its 5,400 employees this month as a result of NASA’s budget shortfall.

JPL instituted a hiring freeze in September and expects some of positions to be eliminated through attrition after NASA’s proposed 2005-2006 budget included cuts of 2 percent to 5 percent to the Pasadena-based institution.

“We’re anticipating about 200 JPL employees to be laid off and about 100 contractors,” JPL spokeswoman Veronica McGregor said Tuesday. “We’re looking at the low end of that 5-to-8 percent.”

McGregor said the cuts would include support staff, engineering and technology positions, though she declined to give specifics. Scientist positions “are a little bit different,” she said, because most scientists receive grants for their research.

Employees were informed of pending staff reduction last month in a memo from Lab Director Charles Elachi. On Monday Elachi held his annual “state of the lab” meeting, where he delivered an update.

“We’re still waiting for NASA’s budget to be approved by Congress, so there is still some question about what the future will hold,” McGregor said.