8 ms·

This article seems off the mark. I currently work at 18F and in some ways I see what it's trying to say but it's missing important details. 1) 18F positions ar

This article seems off the mark. I currently work at 18F and in some ways I see what it's trying to say but it's missing important details. 1) 18F positions are filled in 2 year terms (Schedule A), with the possibility of a two year extension. 18F is about four years old and many people are terming out. My impression is that most people enjoy the work and would prefer to stay, they just can't. 2) Backfilling positions was severely hurt by the hiring freeze. That's been frustrating, but that's not specific to 18F or a judgement on 18F's work. 3) Recent changes in leadership disappointed many people because we appeared to be getting into a good rhythm. But the new commissioner loves the work we're doing and is planning to grow the team by 100 new people - bringing us back to peak levels. Are there challenges? Sure. But there are challenges at every organization and the challenges of 18F are complex and interesting. I love my job and I am working with incredible colleagues. The projects themselves are fascinating and we get to wrestle with complex problems. We lead with technology, but the goal is usually to transform the way an agency or department works. That's massive! The pay is actually pretty good: GS-15 is $164,200 for Bay Area, which is not the highest, but we're hardly struggling.

Alex3917 9y ago
> GS-15 is $164,200 for Bay Area, which is not the highest, but we're hardly struggling. Don't you need a Ph.D. for most GS-15 jobs though?
- throwawayhello 9y ago
  No. Just experience. Most 18Fs I know are GS-14/GS-15.
- compsciphd 9y ago
  most GS-15s I knew grewing up in the DC area didn't have PHDs (and most PHD government employees I knew weren't GS-15s as GS-15s in research fields are rare) As an aside (apologize for the semi humble-brag), I get a lot of mileage out of the fact that I'm the only person who was a GS-1 than many people have ever met, considering if one has a HS diploma, one is automatically a GS-2 :)
Jtsummers 9y ago
That hiring freeze screwed over a lot of government agencies. People in the pipe to be hired but who hadn't signed were kicked to the curb. The agencies did nothing wrong, but people have to eat. So they lost a lot of good, qualified candidates. Then in order to fill the vacancies created by that (and attrition since so much of the federal workforce is retiring every year) they've basically just grabbed anyone with a pulse who applied. Any vacancy (18F may be different) left open too long results in losing the position completely. So they have to fill them or risk never being able to fill it in the future.
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
tvanantwerp 9y ago
If lots of people are leaving purely due to their terms being up, why are there no open positions listed on 18F's site?
- throwawayhello 9y ago
  Hiring is not done on a rolling basis. Each position has a window in which it can be public (usually a couple days or weeks). HR is working through the last batch of applicants. Check regularly and you'll see more positions opening up.
csdreamer7 9y ago
Did a search for Schedule A. Got either a Schedule A 1040 (likely) or a documented disability form. Why does 18F do contract positions only? Why not W2? The article does mention the 2 year terms, but doesn't explain why.
- alaithea 9y ago
  Schedule A positions mean a different thing in the US Federal Government employment context than the IRS context... Schedule A just means a term-limited position. Those are W2 employees, not contract.
- Spooky23 9y ago
  The government uses mechanisms like this to avoid civil service rules. The intention of 18F was project based engagements where staff come and go.
  - Spooky23 9y ago
    Not sure why this attracted the downvotes. This isn’t a bad thing. I’ve worked in (not fed) .gov for many years. Most government jobs are structured as career jobs, not gigs or places for mid/high level individual contributors to land. When you want more senior talent with specific skill sets, you need contractors or short term appointed people who work for the government, but don’t have all of the rights or need to climb the ladder that career employees do.
- throwawayhello 9y ago
  "Federal Government civilian positions are generally in of the competitive civil service. To obtain a competitive service job, you must compete with other applicants in open competition. OPM provides excepted service hiring authorities to fill special jobs or to fill any job in unusual or special circumstances under "Schedules A (external link), B, C (external link), and D." These excepted service authorities enable agencies to hire when it is not feasible or not practical to use traditional competitive hiring procedures, and can streamline hiring." https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/excepted-service/ https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information...
twunde 9y ago
If 18F is hiring, do you know why their hiring page states that there are no open positions? I was surprised by the mention of that in the article, especially since I had attended an event during the hiring freeze

Alex3917 9y ago

> GS-15 is $164,200 for Bay Area, which is not the highest, but we're hardly struggling. Don't you need a Ph.D. for most GS-15 jobs though?

throwawayhello 9y ago
No. Just experience. Most 18Fs I know are GS-14/GS-15.
compsciphd 9y ago
most GS-15s I knew grewing up in the DC area didn't have PHDs (and most PHD government employees I knew weren't GS-15s as GS-15s in research fields are rare) As an aside (apologize for the semi humble-brag), I get a lot of mileage out of the fact that I'm the only person who was a GS-1 than many people have ever met, considering if one has a HS diploma, one is automatically a GS-2 :)

Jtsummers 9y ago

That hiring freeze screwed over a lot of government agencies. People in the pipe to be hired but who hadn't signed were kicked to the curb. The agencies did nothing wrong, but people have to eat. So they lost a lot of good, qualified candidates. Then in order to fill the vacancies created by that (and attrition since so much of the federal workforce is retiring every year) they've basically just grabbed anyone with a pulse who applied. Any vacancy (18F may be different) left open too long results in losing the position completely. So they have to fill them or risk never being able to fill it in the future.

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]

tvanantwerp 9y ago

If lots of people are leaving purely due to their terms being up, why are there no open positions listed on 18F's site?

throwawayhello 9y ago
Hiring is not done on a rolling basis. Each position has a window in which it can be public (usually a couple days or weeks). HR is working through the last batch of applicants. Check regularly and you'll see more positions opening up.

csdreamer7 9y ago

Did a search for Schedule A. Got either a Schedule A 1040 (likely) or a documented disability form. Why does 18F do contract positions only? Why not W2? The article does mention the 2 year terms, but doesn't explain why.

alaithea 9y ago
Schedule A positions mean a different thing in the US Federal Government employment context than the IRS context... Schedule A just means a term-limited position. Those are W2 employees, not contract.
Spooky23 9y ago
The government uses mechanisms like this to avoid civil service rules. The intention of 18F was project based engagements where staff come and go.
- Spooky23 9y ago
  Not sure why this attracted the downvotes. This isn’t a bad thing. I’ve worked in (not fed) .gov for many years. Most government jobs are structured as career jobs, not gigs or places for mid/high level individual contributors to land. When you want more senior talent with specific skill sets, you need contractors or short term appointed people who work for the government, but don’t have all of the rights or need to climb the ladder that career employees do.
throwawayhello 9y ago
"Federal Government civilian positions are generally in of the competitive civil service. To obtain a competitive service job, you must compete with other applicants in open competition. OPM provides excepted service hiring authorities to fill special jobs or to fill any job in unusual or special circumstances under "Schedules A (external link), B, C (external link), and D." These excepted service authorities enable agencies to hire when it is not feasible or not practical to use traditional competitive hiring procedures, and can streamline hiring." https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/excepted-service/ https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information...

twunde 9y ago

If 18F is hiring, do you know why their hiring page states that there are no open positions? I was surprised by the mention of that in the article, especially since I had attended an event during the hiring freeze