Good for well-paid, slow-paced research life; frustrating if you are motivated and want to publish
Pros
Good pay, working hours, and benefits. Relaxed atmosphere. Good, knowledgable people. Nice research equipment.
Cons
From a Ph.D-level research perspective, it's a bit frustrating because the pace of research is so slow. Upper management (all military) is too tied up with rules, regulations, making sure everyone has had their training, wasting time in countless meetings per week, and generally NOT being involved in the science that one wonder's why they're even there. Research-level GS positions are very hard to obtain unless the position is created for you with the intention of hiring you regardless of who else applies. If you're one of many, many contractors, you are adminstratively considered an "outsider" and do not receive any of the government fringe benefits despite that it's the contractors who do most of the work.
