Ensuring A Healthy NIST

For The Future

The People Perspective: A Presentation of Demographics and 

Workforce Issues

1
Overview

• Share current workforce demographics

▫ Federal staff only

• Facilitate a discussion on workforce issues 

▫ Pose Specific Questions for Discussion

 Relevant workforce data 

 Current HR flexibilities and challenges

• Our questions for today focus on capacity building

▫ Compensation

▫ Leadership Development 

▫ Balance in Skills

2
Our Questions

1. Is NIST still competitive for talent in terms of 

compensation?

2. How does NIST ensure we can recruit/develop 

the necessary talent to fill key management and 

leadership positions at NIST?

3. How does NIST ensure the right balance in skills 

to meet its core metrology mission and emerging 

national priorities?

3
Federal NIST Workforce Today

*Excludes ~300 employees (Wage Grade, GS, Experts and Consultants)

SES/ST

2%

ZA

18%

ZP

62%

ZS

11%

ZT

7%

ZP = Scientific and Engineering Professional

ZA = Administrative Professional

ZS = Administrative Support

ZT = Technical Support

SES/ST = Executive and Senior Technical Staff

4
Technical Staff* by Laboratory

*Scientific and Engineering Professionals in Laboratory Programs

~1400 staff

ADLP

2.4%

NCNR

5.8%

CNST

3.0%

MML

31.4%

CTL

2.8%

PML

25.0%

EL

13.1%

ITL

16.4%

5
Federal NIST Technical Staff

By Occupation

By Race and National Origin

By Gender

Female

22%

Male

78%

Other

27.4%

Mechanical Engineer

7.5%

Electronic 

Engineer

6.6%

Physical Scientist

7.6%

Physicist

23.6%

Chemist

16.5%

Computer Scientist

10.7%

6
Federal NIST Technical Staff

0-5 Years, 29.0%

5-14 Years, 24.1%

15-24 Years, 23.9%

25-34 Years, 19.5%

Over 35 Years, 

3.5%

Duration of Federal Service

30-Under

11.1%

31-40

23.1%

41-50

23.7%

51-60

28.4%

61-70

11.5%

71-Over

2.1%

Age

7
Federal NIST Technical Staff

Less than 

Bachelor's, 

3.7%

Bachelor's 

Degree, 13.6%

Master's 

Degree, 16.9%

Doctorate 

Degree, 40.7%

Doctorate 

Degree +, 

25.1%

Education

I, 2.5% II, 1.9%

III, 26.5%

IV, 40.8%

V, 28.3%

Payband

Doctorate and beyond: 

Physicist = 90.6%

Chemist = 85.3%

Physical Scientist = 51.8%

Mechanical Engineer = 50.5%

Biologist = 48.5%

Electronics Engineer = 36.5%

Computer Scientist = 30.5%

8
Initial Questions to Consider for the Future Health 

of the NIST Technical Staff

9
Question 1: Is NIST still competitive for talent in 

terms of Compensation?

10
Comparative Salary Information

• NIST has not conducted a rigorous compensation assessment in recent 

years

• Challenging to find salary data for similar positions and qualifications

• NIST salary structure suffers from compression at the top

• We have specific experiences where we know we are not competitive

▫ Executive recruitment

▫ Individual technical experts in some labs

 Declined offers

 Separations due to offers from industry or academia

11
Limited Room for Salary Growth

330 (80.7% of all Pay Band V’s) are capped.

213 (36.3% of all Pay Band IV’s) are capped. An additional 20 receive 

supervisory differential above the cap. 

*Cap set for Gaithersburg Pay Scale

$35,407

$54,356

$79,065

$125,851

$155,679

$54,392

$74,761

$98,305

$138,136

$157,100

$0

$20,000

$40,000

$60,000

$80,000

$100,000

$120,000

$140,000

$160,000

$180,000

I II III IV V

Cap*

Average

12
Table 57-2. Median annual salaries of full-time employed doctoral scientists and engineers, by field of doctorate and primary work activity: 2013

(Dollars)

Field

All full-time employed

Computer 

applications

Management, 

sales, or 

administrationa

Professional 

services Any R&Db Teaching

Other work 

activityc

Median salary SE Median 

salary SE Median 

salary SE Median 

salary SE Median 

salary SE Median 

salary SE Median 

salary SE

All fields 100,000 500 117,000 3,500 125,000 1,000 105,000 2,000 105,000 500 74,000 1,500 96,000 2,500

Science 98,000 1,000 115,000 3,500 120,000 500 104,000 2,000 100,000 1,000 71,000 1,500 90,000 2,000

Biological/ agricultural/ environmental life sciences 95,000 1,000 89,000 6,500 119,000 2,000 149,000 2,000 91,000 1,500 70,000 1,500 85,000 3,500

Agricultural/ food sciences 94,000 2,000 D D 116,000 5,000 99,000 10,000 94,000 4,500 71,000 2,500 73,000 3,500

Biochemistry/ biophysics 101,000 3,000 78,000 6,500 130,000 5,500 157,000 12,500 100,000 3,000 73,000 2,500 88,000 6,000

Cell/ molecular biology 90,000 2,000 104,000 15,500 117,000 4,500 173,000 17,000 80,000 3,000 64,000 2,000 81,000 8,000

Environmental life sciences 84,000 2,000 D D 104,000 6,500 D D 84,000 3,000 71,000 4,000 98,000 11,000

Microbiology 98,000 2,500 D D 117,000 8,000 178,000 22,500 99,000 3,500 69,000 4,500 84,000 9,000

Zoology 89,000 4,000 D D 106,000 5,500 129,000 50,000 91,000 7,000 64,000 2,500 62,000 28,500

Other biological sciences 94,000 2,000 88,000 8,500 119,000 2,500 139,000 8,000 90,000 1,500 69,000 2,000 85,000 6,000

Computer/ information sciences 120,000 500 126,000 3,500 150,000 6,000 D D 126,000 3,000 86,000 2,000 107,000 8,500

Mathematics/ statistics 98,000 2,500 118,000 3,500 138,000 12,000 125,000 26,000 108,000 5,500 70,000 1,500 101,000 6,500

Physical sciences 106,000 2,000 113,000 7,000 130,000 3,000 132,000 8,000 110,000 500 70,000 2,000 91,000 6,500

Astronomy/ astrophysics 93,000 6,000 116,000 30,500 117,000 10,000 D D 99,000 6,500 69,000 4,500 D D

Chemistry, except biochemistry 106,000 2,000 105,000 8,500 127,000 3,500 132,000 9,000 110,000 1,500 67,000 2,000 85,000 8,000

Earth/ atmospheric/ ocean sciencesd

100,000 2,500 107,000 11,500 115,000 6,000 103,000 28,500 104,000 2,000 75,000 5,000 90,000 13,000

Physics 111,000 3,000 120,000 4,500 144,000 6,000 185,000 13,500 111,000 3,000 72,000 3,500 108,000 9,500

Psychology 90,000 500 107,000 4,000 103,000 3,000 92,000 1,500 93,000 3,000 70,000 1,000 90,000 9,500

Social sciences 91,000 1,500 97,000 8,000 119,000 3,000 119,000 6,500 103,000 2,000 74,000 1,500 86,000 6,000

Economics 120,000 3,500 108,000 12,000 153,000 6,000 154,000 23,500 129,000 4,000 90,000 2,500 102,000 8,000

Political sciences 88,000 2,500 D D 114,000 10,500 111,000 16,500 100,000 4,000 71,000 2,500 85,000 9,000

Sociology 83,000 2,500 D D 108,000 5,500 105,000 42,500 94,000 2,500 70,000 1,500 97,000 18,500

Other social sciences 80,000 1,500 89,000 7,500 99,000 4,000 80,000 9,500 88,000 3,000 69,000 1,500 62,000 8,500

Engineering 120,000 500 120,000 2,000 144,000 3,000 133,000 12,000 115,000 2,000 90,000 1,500 109,000 6,500

Aerospace/ aeronautical/ astronautical engineering 129,000 5,500 122,000 29,000 158,000 11,000 D D 118,000 5,000 D D D D

Chemical engineering 121,000 3,000 111,000 16,000 149,000 4,500 119,000 25,500 115,000 5,500 83,000 9,000 112,000 11,500

Civil engineering 104,000 3,500 134,000 27,000 133,000 9,000 123,000 21,500 99,000 2,500 92,000 5,500 99,000 2,000

Electrical/ computer engineering 128,000 2,500 124,000 5,000 150,000 6,500 212,000 34,000 125,000 3,000 93,000 6,000 110,000 15,000

Materials/ metallurgical engineering 119,000 2,500 108,000 11,000 143,000 8,500 D D 110,000 4,000 68,000 9,500 125,000 17,000

Mechanical engineering 110,000 3,000 100,000 5,500 135,000 5,000 118,000 12,500 109,000 2,000 83,000 7,000 102,000 8,500

Other engineering 110,000 1,500 109,000 10,500 130,000 2,500 121,000 12,500 107,000 2,500 92,000 4,000 104,000 2,000

Health 97,000 2,500 81,000 11,000 119,000 2,500 99,000 4,000 100,000 2,500 78,000 2,000 111,000 17,000

13
ZP Average Salary by Pay Band and Gender

8, $36,872

10, $54,736

103, $78,409

112, $122,418

49, $155,923

29, $35,003

17, $54,132

280, $79,306

459, $126,719

343, $155,674

$0

$20,000

$40,000

$60,000

$80,000

$100,000

$120,000

$140,000

$160,000

$180,000

I II III IV V

Female Male

14
Average Federal Career Duration

1.3

4.2

5.2

16.2

22.5

25.7

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

I II III IV V ST

15
Question 2: How does NIST ensure we can 

recruit/develop the necessary talent to fill key 

management and leadership positions?

16
Division Chief Demographics

F, 12.5%

M, 87.5%

Gender

4.2%

16.7%

20.8%

37.5%

4.2%

16.7%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

Curr Elig--

Over 10 Yrs

Curr Elig--

5-10 Yrs

Curr Elig--

0-5 Yrs

Elig in 0-5

Yrs

Elig in 5-10

Yrs

Elig in

Over 10 Yrs

Retirement Eligibility

20.8%

25.0%

33.3%

20.8%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

Less than 5

Years

5-10 Years 10-20 Years 20-30 Years

Years in Grade

16.7%

50.0%

33.3%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

Under 50 50-59 60-Over

Age Group

17
SES Demographics

11.1%

18.5%

29.6%

22.2%

11.1%

7.4%

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

Curr Elig--

Over 10

Years

Curr Elig--

5-10 Years

Curr Elig--

0-5 Years

Elig in 0-5

Years

Elig in 5-10

Years

Elig in Over

10 Years

Retirement Eligibility

11.1%

51.9%

37.0%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

Under 50 50-59 60-Over

Age Group

48.1%

33.3%

3.7%

14.8%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

Less than 5 Years 5-10 Years 10-20 Years 20-30 Years

Years in Grade

F, 18.5%

M, 81.5%

Gender

In the last 4 years, 8/10 SES selections were internal candidates

18
Leadership Development Programs

• NIST has two primary internal programs

▫ Foundations of Leadership Program

 Early to Mid-Career Aspiring Leaders

▫ New Leader Program

 New Supervisors

• Program graduates in management positions

▫ 23% of current division chiefs graduated from these programs 

▫ 7.4% of current executives graduated from these programs

19
Question 3: How does NIST ensure the right 

balance in skills to meet its core metrology 

mission and emerging national priorities?

20
Direct Hire Recruitment

FY 11 FY 12 FY 13

# Direct Hire Actions 34 (62%) 54 (93%) 101 (80%)

Average Time to Offer 26.7 Days 28.8 Days 31.0 Days

Average Time to Hire 36.8 Days 52.9 Days 53.0 Days

Hiring Manager 

Satisfaction with Process Not available 8.5/10 8.3/10

21
Retirement Eligibility

Curr Elig

25.4%

Elig up to 3 

Years

9.5%

Elig 3-5 Years

6.6%

Elig 5-10 Years

13.7%

Elig 10-15 

Years

10.2%

Elig Over 15 

Years

34.6%

Overall Eligibility

65.7%

60.3%

42.9% 45.4%

66.7%

59.4% 54.8%

66.3%

34.3% 39.7%

57.1% 54.6%

33.3%

40.6% 45.2%

33.7%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

ADLP NCNR CNST MML CTL PML EL ITL

By Laboratory

Curr Elig or Elig Within 10 Years Elig In Over 10 Years

22
Average Voluntary Attrition Rates by Laboratory 

FY 11-FY 13

6.0%

4.1%

1.7%

4.5%

1.5% 1.5%

3.4%

2.6%

0.0%

1.0%

2.0%

3.0%

4.0%

5.0%

6.0%

7.0%

NIST Overall Laboratory Pgms NIST Ctr for Neutron

Research

Ctr for Nanoscale Sci &

Tech

Mtrl Meas Lab Phy Measurement

Laboratory

Engineering Laboratory Info Tech Laboratory

23
NIST Staff by Technical Discipline- 2000 and 2014

23.6% 23.7%

17.2%

16.0%

7.5%

1.4%

10.6%

26.7%

21.7%

18.1%

16.3%

8.0%

2.5%

6.7%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

Engineer Physics Chemistry Computer

Science/Mathemetician

Physical Science Biology Other

2000 2014

24
Thank You

25
Background and Additional Slides

26
BLS data and NIST data

NIST Alternative Personnel Management System (APMS) ZP Pay Plan Ranges

(for Gaithersburg, MD)

ZP I ZP II ZP III ZP IV ZP V

Min $22,336 $42,631 $63,091 $89,924 $124,995

Max $54,392 $74,761 $98,305 $138,136 $157,100

Industry Percentiles

10% 25% 50% (Median) 75% 90%

Physicist $55,150 $80,460 $110,110 $142,880 $181,840 

Chemist $41,350 $52,850 $72,350 $97,100 $122,830 

Electronics Engineer

$60,600 $74,590 $94,250 $117,040 $144,760 

Mechanical Engineer

$52,550 $65,370 $82,100 $102,770 $123,340 

Computer and 

Information Research 

Scientist

$61,300 $83,210 $106,290 $129,750 $158,800 

27
28
Attrition Rates by Laboratory

2011 2012 2013

NIST Ctr for Neutron Research 2.5% 0.0% 2.5%

Ctr for Nanoscale Sci & Tech 7.5% 6.1% 0.0%

Mtrl Meas Lab 1.8% 0.5% 2.1%

Phy Measurement Laboratory 1.6% 1.6% 1.4%

Engineering Laboratory 2.6% 3.9% 3.6%

Info Tech Laboratory 2.4% 3.1% 2.5%

29
NIST Composite Workforce

36.0%

30.2%

39.4%

5.7%

7.5%

10.0%

58.2% 62.3%

50.5%

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

90.00%

100.00%

2005 2010 2014

Perm Term Guest Researcher/Contractors

30
Composite Workforce by Laboratory

72.3%

38.1%

25.7%

37.0%

65.3%

29.5%

50.7%

38.9%

2.1%

9.7%

13.3%

15.8%

16.3%

6.4%

5.6%

11.5%

25.5%

52.3%

61.1%

47.2%

18.4%

64.2%

43.6%

49.6%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

100.0%

ADLP NCNR CNST MML CTL PML EL ITL

Perm Term Guest Researcher

31
Average Salary by Career Path

$50,959

$102,623

$119,842

$76,667

$175,064

$0

$20,000

$40,000

$60,000

$80,000

$100,000

$120,000

$140,000

$160,000

$180,000

$200,000

ZS ZA ZP ZT SES/ST

32