Rewarding Mission, Lots of Flexibility, Difficult to Get Recognized
Pros
I love that I get to use my skill set (administrivia, attention to details, getting in the weeds on policy, financial analysis, regulatory compliance) to save the animals, as corny as that sounds. Many working for the US Fish and Wildlife Service are scientists: biologists, geologists, ecologists, social scientists, etc., yet almost a third serve in support roles, including budget and finance, contracting, grants, IT, HR, etc. Don't let a lack of technical background stop you from applying. In addition, I was able to go 100% remote after COVID. Many others are remote or at least hybrid with the option to work from home up to 50% of the time. When times are tough budget-speaking, USFWS does a really good job of ensuring there are "enough chairs on the deck," meaning there are slots for employees to be moved to should a program be shut down without letting staff go. Its nationwide presence means there are literally hundreds of offices to coordinate with for partnerships, events, and detail opportunities.
Cons
Government work is notorious for not recognizing top performers and not being able to negotiate compensation or benefits. A perfect score in an annual performance review can get you a modest bonus (~1 paycheck) or up to a week of leave, yet a colleague who does a fraction of what you do can end up with something very, very similar. Most technical jobs cap out at the GS-12/13 level, so if you want to earn more than that, you have to go into management. Working for the government can mean a lot of pivoting when the administration changes and undoing much of what you spent the last 4 years doing.
