How will government postdoctoral positions be effected by hiring freeze?

[Josh70]

Really hoping anyone has any insight on this. I have been looking to do a government post doc at like either the USDA or one of the national labs. I am curious if anyone knows what is going to happen to current openings, seems they will remain good until filled? I also wonder does this mean that no new post doc positions will be posted anymore? I know this is really early but has me slightly worried.

[fuzzylogician]

You and me both. But I highly doubt that anyone can predict what is going to happen. Best we can do is hope and guess, then wait and see. 

[.letmeinplz//]

"President Trump on Monday ordered an across-the-board employment freeze for the federal government, halting hiring for all new and existing positions except those in national security, public safety and the military."

So probably a freeze on every (non-contractor) position unless you are aiming at an agency for one of those 3 things  (though isn't Sandia/Oak Ridge/etc considered national security?).

Edited January 24, 2017 by .letmeinplz//

[Josh70]

I am not really sure how they will be classified, I am more interested in biology related projects so doubt those will be national security. From what I have read and talking to colleagues, sounds like they won't be hiring new post docs at national labs.   

[.letmeinplz//]

7 minutes ago, Josh70 said:

I am not really sure how they will be classified, I am more interested in biology related projects so doubt those will be national security. From what I have read and talking to colleagues, sounds like they won't be hiring new post docs at national labs.   

even CDC stuff isn't considered national sec?

[Josh70]

I am by no means an expert on the subject but I don't think so. I think some of the stuff at USAMRIID might be safe but not sure about anywhere else. Hopefully I am wrong.

[TakeruK]

Yeah, that was really disheartening to see today. I know that one of the big government research facilities in my field put out an unprecedented number of new hires last December (mostly for permanent staff positions, but some postdocs too I think) in anticipation of this scenario. I guess they were right. Hope some people got jobs in this way!

[aberrant]

I have a friend (who is non-STEM) got got an e-mail basically saying "We are very interested hiring you, but Trump..." on Thursday.

Maybe some of you can consider working in Army lab(s) which has their own biology-related departments? A cohort of mine was in the Army lab for a year or two as a researcher before graduate school.

Good luck, folks.

[CptHolt]

I just went through a long briefing on this topic and everyone can research this matter, but as everyone on this forum knows there a lot of factors at play

The current freeze is across the board in terms of civilians and former feds.  Only the military is exempt from this order and "matters of public safety/health" will get more clear as time progress.  The order doesn't specify how that is to be interrelated so organizations are not hiring and waiting for that to get cleared up.  OPM is collecting internal data on the hiring needs of the agencies to operate and that data gets processed to meet the goals of the administration to downsize. After all that mess is cleared up and the freeze is lifted then the free for all begins.  

Freezes normally last months, but there is nothing normal about current circumstances so there is no telling when it will be lifted.  I'd suspect sometime in the next 4-5 months at the latest, but like I said, who knows.  If anyone has any hiring benefits like the NCE then those people will have some aid in the hiring process.