Federal Science Capacity: Should Scientists Be Excited about IPAs?
Federal Science Capacity Needs Attention
The US federal government is not only a huge funder of science, but also is one of the largest scientific enterprises in the world. Literally thousands of scientists work directly for federal agencies. That scientific workforce capacity needs to be carefully managed and cultivated so that it can continue to deliver scientific information as the basis for public policy across a huge array of topics.
The federal workforce as a whole, and scientists in particular, are being buffeted by many forces. I am confident that many in the broader scientific community are at least aware of the impact that the divided nature of our current politics can have on science. The endless stream of budget impasses is but one example. Negative rhetoric about the federal government is another. Certainly, in the first Trump Administration, and unfortunately in those hoping and planning for a second Trump presidency there will be a direct attack on the federal civil service and scientific workforce as my colleague Jacob Carter recently discussed in a SciLight post.
But demographics also play a role. I was a federal scientist in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. While I Ieft government to work elsewhere, many of my cohort of scientists stayed and had (and still have!) long and productive science careers in government agencies. What? I hear you say, “OK boomer?” You would be right. And retirement has come or is coming fairly soon for me, as it is for many federal scientists as well. And this means that new talent is urgently needed to replace those senior scientists! This is especially true for emerging scientific issues, such as artificial intelligence, where there may be relatively few scholars with appropriate expertise.
IPA to the Rescue!
Jacob and I were co-authors of a report released last fall on “Strengthening and Diversifying the Federal STEM Workforce.” There is a lot in this report, including recommendations on how to rebuild and expand the federal science workforce. But for this post I want to focus on just one, briefly mentioned, recommendation. The importance of IPAs.
I could well be writing about India Pale Ale here. But I am not…I am referring to the Intergovernmental Personnel Act. That’s legislation that enables government agencies to bring talent in from other agencies, from universities, non-profits, or other organizations into government service for temporary assignments that can extend from months to years. A recent opinion piece in the Washington Post did a great job of laying out the rationale for greater use of the IPA, particularly for emerging science and public policy applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
While AI is clearly the bright shiny object dejour, there are a whole range of critical science and policy needs in federal agencies that could benefit from greater use of IPAs. The authors of the opinion piece have explored the legal framework well in an academic article. Here I want to briefly discuss the practical benefits.
IPA Is Not Just for Senior Scientists
Sometimes it seems as if people believe that IPA assignments are only for the top levels in government and those senior in their careers. But that doesn’t have to be the case. I have helped mid-career scientists secure IPA assignments. And even early career scientists. What I have seen is that an IPA is good for federal agencies and is a tremendous learning experience for dedicated professionals at all career stages.
Simply put, working in government is different from academia, civil society organizations or the private sector. The challenges are different and so are the rewards. And these differences shouldn’t be portrayed as negative. Sure, there are bureaucratic hurdles, as there are in academia and all other sectors. Yes, there are big, thorny challenges. How to provide the best information for policy action, how to design new systems that benefit the public, how to bring new knowledge to light. Crucially, in many science jobs in government part of the challenges are how to take scientific information and use it to drive public policy actions. That can be pretty exciting.
The federal science enterprise is huge! Working across programs, departments, and agencies is by no means easy. It has a purpose though. Each of those entities has a different mission and perspective. Let that shape your thinking about bringing science to action!
Take a Sip with an IPA
A government career path doesn’t have to be an all or nothing choice. Taking an IPA position allows professionals to have an opportunity in federal service that is time limited. In fact, the law is incredibly flexible. The assignment can be of professionals from virtually any other type of organization, funded from a variety of sources as long as there are reasonable safeguards against conflicts of interest, and of variable duration. And as noted above at virtually any career stage. There are requirements for specific expertise which is different from political appointments (so-called Schedule C). But if beneficial to the agency and the institution the agreement is with, on you go.
The National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health are probably the government organizations that have made some of the most extensive use of IPAs for scientists. I know a fair number of colleagues who have taken such assignments and I think everyone I have talked to has learned a lot and a powerful experience. I don’t claim that’s a fair sample, but my impression is very positive. The biggest challenge I have heard about is re-entry back to the scientist’s home organization. That might be as much cultural as anything. After all, if someone is away on assignment, someone else has to pick up the teaching load, or other work. But these challenges are as much a matter of the culture of the donor organizations as they are of the recipient agencies. And culture can change (even in academia!).
Agencies Can Learn to Step Up to the Bar
Not all agencies seem to use the opportunity to take on IPAs. There is an inevitable preference for permanent civil service staff. But as demographics, and the fields of study for science evolve it seems to me, as a former academic, government scientist, government manager and civil society program director (i.e., former everything), that IPAs become more and more attractive.
The assignments are first and foremost an opportunity to bring in new talent. They are non-competitive in many cases. They are initially of fixed duration and budget. Sometimes the funding is non-governmental. And the assignment can be as flexible as is negotiated. Finally, the pool of highly qualified professionals who might be interested in an IPA assignment is likely very different from the pool for civil service positions.
There is a huge opportunity for cross agency learning here. What would it take? Better and more widely available guidance and training for federal science program managers on how to best utilize IPAs. Much better communication of the opportunities for assignments out to the broader science community. Dedicated, systematic recruitment of IPA candidates. And open, regular, and broadly available discussions with institutions that may be willing to allow staff to take on an assignment.
There is so much that science can do for society including through the federal government. We need to use all the tools we have. So, try a bold, robust and hearty IPA. You won’t regret it.