Vantaggi
Job security. Idealistic mission. Working with scientists.
Svantaggi
- Hierarchical government structure with no union protections (unless you're a postdoc) means you are at the mercy of your supervisor/chain of command. And the chain of command is pretty messed up in a good chunk of NIH, where leadership and Comms leaders have gotten very comfortable lying. - There is a huge cultural problem at NIH--with leadership serving ideology, convenience, and their own reputations rather than evidence and truth. They have decided that they are above Congressional oversight, for example. - Unless you're in the government from the beginning of your career, you fall behind in salary and leave. Someone who's worked outside the government can earn 25% less and have half the leave of a colleague at the same level who's coasted in the government for a long time. This is unfair.