American Chemical Society

What a Chemist Should Consider Before Accepting a Government Position

Before you accept, have you thought about…

A federal government position will allow you to contribute to the country as a whole. All federal government workers are under much the same system and schedule, although some agencies operate independently and therefore may have different work rules and policies.

The federal government employs chemists in many agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, the Army, Air Force and Navy, the Departments of Energy, Transportation, and Agriculture, and the Environmental Protection Agency. Government jobs in general are more stable and do not shift geographically (with the exception of a re-organization). Also, one can move within the government from one agency to another and retain one’s total years of service for pension calculation. The government fiscal year begins October 1. To access all government agencies go to: http://www.usajobs.gov.

Compensation

Is the salary competitive? Government salaries are usually lower than those in industry. At present, chemical engineers in government have a higher rate of pay than chemists. In the federal government, your rate of pay is determined by:

  • The pay system under which your job is classified.
  • The grade level at which you are hired.
  • The step level within that grade.

Positions in professional, administrative, and technical categories for chemists or chemical engineers are covered by the General Schedule (GS), a nationwide pay structure that consists of 15 grades, with 10 step levels within each grade. The rates of pay for GS positions are established by Congress. Certain GS positions that are difficult to fill are covered by special rates approved by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

Salary tables define the pay relative to the grade and step of the current position in. More information can be found on the Office of Personnel and Management web site.

The Human Resources Personnel should be able to help you identify the benefits for which you are entitled. These benefits may include:

  • Health insurance and benefit packages.
  • Dental insurance and other optional additions to the basic packages
  • Leave, both annual (vacation) and sick
  • Workman’s Compensation
  • Retirement additions to the basic retirement plans

Every year there is a cost of living increase for all federal employees. You may also be eligible for “locality pay” increases designed to close the pay gap between federal and private sector workers.

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Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS)

This is a three-tiered retirement plan for federal workers consisting of:

  • Social Security
  • An annuity, based on years of federal service
  • A government matching savings plan. The federal government matches 100% of the first 5% of your salary that you contribute. You can contribute up to 10% of your salary into the savings plan.

It is the job of the Human Resources department at the government agency which made you the offer to help you explore these issues. Take advantage of their knowledge.

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Career Growth

When considering employment in the government, the potential for career growth could be more important than the starting salary and the benefits package. Career growth is very difficult to evaluate, but the following questions may help you:

  • What training and professional development does the agency offer?
  • Does the position allow for advancement?
  • Have others before you successfully advanced and how often?
  • Will your supervisor be an effective mentor for your career development?
  • Will your supervisor encourage you to excel?
  • What are the opportunities for development?
  • Are there international opportunities for development?

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Your Classification

Your job classification may affect both your salary and your benefits. Be very sure whether the job you accept is an exempt or a non-exempt position.

Non-exempt employees are eligible for overtime pay; these positions are usually considered non-professional.

Exempt employees are not eligible for overtime pay; these positions are considered to be professional. They may often work more than a standard forty-hour week without additional compensation.

Technicians are usually considered to be non-exempt positions.

Chemists are usually considered to be exempt positions.

Contract employees may be either full-time or part-time with varying benefit packages.

The government has hired a great many postdocs during recent years. You have to consider how a postdoc position would add to your skill base or your resume. Having been a postdoc, in some cases does help you get into a permanent position, but this is not guaranteed.

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A Typical Day

When considering a job offer, determine how you will be spending your time?

  • Will your job be varied or repetitive? Will it offer continual challenges?
  • Will you be in the lab or an office?
  • Will you travel?
  • Will you spend time with other scientists, vendors, customers, administrators, or government officials?

Many companies are global. Will you be communicating with colleagues, customers, or vendors from or in other countries? Are you fluent in another language?

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The Location

The federal government is the most widespread employer in this country. A position could be open in geographic area that is pleasing to you. At some point, you will need to decide whether your position or its location is more important.

If you have a family, you may have to consider the cost of living and the school system.

  • Will you remain in the facility at which you have a job offer?
  • What is the cost-of-living and what is the quality of life for that location?
  • How often does the agency tend to relocate its employees? Will this create problems with your spouse?
  • Does your spouse work within the same organization?

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Other Government Agencies

Government agencies at the state and county also hire chemists to perform similar duties as the federal agency. Many state, county, and city offices have similar benefits and pay structures. Be sure to inquire what those benefits and pay structures are.

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References

Other Resources

See your local library or bookstore for some excellent books on establishing a consultancy

ACS Salary Comparator

Using results from ACS employment surveys, the Salary Comparator helps members find answers to salary-related questions by providing current information applicable to specific employment situations:

CEN-CHEMJOBS.org

CEN-CHEMJOBS.org is your online career and employment connection from the American Chemical Society. CEN-CHEMJOBS.org is dedicated to serving the entire chemical science community by connecting job seekers and employers in a way that makes everyone a winner.

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