Pamphlet 49 U. S. CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION Washington, D. C. January 1955 Federal Agencies Need More Young ■ An interesting, rewarding career in engineering awaits you in the Federal Government if you arc — or soon will be — a graduate engineer. Scores of departments and agencies urgently need qualified engineers to work on numerous vital and challenging projects in many branches of engineering. A young engineer studies the mechanism of "knock" in automotive engines, one of countless kinds of tests con- ducted in Federal agencies. Chemical engineers make a test on plastics at the Rome (N. Y.j Air Development Center of the Air Force. Plastics is just one of the many new fields in which civil-service engineers are working. For CAREERS in the Federal Government ENGINEERS! ■ About 47,000 prolVssion.il engineers are employed by more than 30 Federal agencies in installations throughout the United States, and more are needed. Many agencies especially those participating in the defense program — have engineering positions to fill. Whether you are just being graduated and are looking for your first job, or are an experienced engineer seeking a position with room for advancement — the Federal Government offers you an excellent oppor- tunity to pursue an effective and satisfying career. The greatest need is lor young engineers who are just entering the profession. Many agencies also have openings lor engineers with some years of experience, and some need engineering students to serve in engineering aid or trainee positions which may lead to appointments at the professional entrance level alter they graduate. Your Government uses the skills of engineers in virtually every branch and specialty in the held. Electronics, electrical, mechanical, ceramic, chemical, and civil engineers are most urgently needed now. but engi- neers trained in almost any branch can be placed. Engineers traditionally have played important roles in the National Government. Their work has had far-reaching effects on the health, welfare, standards of living, and economy of the Nation. Pioneer public health engineers helped to bring typhoid lever under control. Civil-sen ice engineers have advanced design arid construction of highways, bridges, hospitals, and public buildings. They played key roles in developing revolutionary aeronautical safety devices and sys- tems. They assisted in perfecting high-speed electronic computers. And they opened the way for new industries in developing such products as lightweight concretes, printed electronic circuits, miniaturized electronic equipment, and glass liber papers. Wars and the threat of war have brought other vital contributions from civil-service engineers. Heat-resistant ceramic coatings lor air- craft components, the proximity fuze, tin' atom and hydrogen bombs, guided missiles, and aircraft-warning svstems are just a lew ol the developments to which engineers have made major contributions. Engineers entering the Federal service have unprecedented oppor- tunities to participate in challenging work of vital importance. Some of the advantages and benefits of en meeting careers in Government are outlined in this pamphlet. FOR MORE INFORMATION Uncle Sam Offers Young Engineers CHALLENGING WORK Government agencies operate a wide variety of programs which chal- lenge the skill, imagination, and knowledge ol theii engineers. They design new aircraft, plan better highways, build modern hospitals. They apply new developments in plastics, radio propagation, aerodynamics. I he) pave the way for missiles to travel greatei distances at supersoni< speeds. They work in a new realm of engineering concepts- concepts which oiler unbounded challenge to the engineer of today who is in loin h with the idea ol tomorrow, CAREER OPPORTUNITIES Federal agencies present excellent career engineering opportunities. The) operati pn live careei programs hiring based on merit . . . protection againsl arbitrary dismissals . . . good pay . . . regular raises . . . in-seivice training . - • promotion from within . . . lib- er. ,| leave . . . incentive awards . . . and retirement benefits. Your engineering skills and knowledge are pul to work at once. The Gov- ernment' work continues in good times and bad. and engineering is an expanding field so there's a reasonable measure of security. PAY BASED ON DUTIES It's what you do on the job that eounts. Your duties and responsibilities fui the salar) foi you] job. Ever) position is classed according to its functions and duties, and employee receive equal pay for equal work. Young engineers Start on the same rung of the' ladder, with periodic pay raises guaranteed if their job pellolinance is satisfactory. PROMOTION AND TRAINING PLANS Attractive promotion and tr. lining programs have been developed by agencies employing engineers. Most agencies provide for promotion to in' i etdi .11 hi completion oi .1 6-month training period. Many agencies continue training and planned promotions for the first lew \ears an engineer is on die stall. Some appoint students as engineering aids or student-trainees and promote them to professional positions alter gradual Some agencies operate extension courses in which graduate ciedil ma) be earned. Others cooperate with nearby schools which ■ ■Hi 1 advanced courses to further engineers' knowledge and know-how. Agencies generally promote from within when well-qualified stall inieis .ire available lor vacancies .il higher grades. PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION J oung engineers in Government have excellent opportunities for early professional recognition. Agencies know that their prestige in engineer- ing is keyed to the the prestige of their engineering stalls. Therefore, the) help their engineers to gain professional recognition. Participation in professional societies is encouraged, as is the publication of papers in professional journals and agency publications. Many agencies sponsor seminars, symposia, and other meetings of professional groups. LIBERAL LEAVE SYSTEM Leave allowances are liberal. Annual leave for vacations and inciden- tal use is e. lined on a graduated basis: employees with less than 3 years' service cam I I working days pei year (slightly more than 2'/ 2 weeks ol vacation time . those with a to 1 J years, 20 days; those with 15 years or more, '-'li days. AH employees earn 13 days of sick leave a year, and it can be accumulated without limit. In addition. 8 holidays arc granted annually. And members of National (.Hard or military reserve units can take 1 .") days' military leave of absence with pay. RETIREMENT AND OTHER BENEFITS Careei civil-seryio employees participate in a liberal retirement pro- gram, in addition to retirement based on length of service and age. the plan provides for disability retirement and benefits lor surviving dependents of employees with 5 or more years of service or of retired employees who die. Compensation, medical cue, and other benefits aie provided to employees toi injur) or occupational disease, and com- p> us. ,11011 is provided foi dependents of employees who die in line of duty. Unemployment compensation and low-cost group life insurance are included in the list of benefits available to Federal employees. In most agencies, employees ran participate in group hospitalization and medical care insurance plans ami join credit unions. mincers have been responsible for some of the world's greatest engineering projects. Career have handled many mammoth projects from the blueprint stage through their completion and . Grand Coulee Dam is one of the huge multiple-purpose projects operated by the Government. Many Government engineering projects require the teamwork and skill of a number of engineers and scientists. Such operations give new engineers an opportunity to work with eicper.enced men of high stand- ing in their profession. Here a group of engineers plan a wind-tunnel test program for a guided missile. 1 design and construction of highways, bridges, hospitals, and public buildings ore credited to 1 the career civil service. The modern hospital pictured under conduction is one of a number nstruction projects designed by Federal engineers. Qualifications and Pay A bachelor's degree in engineering from an accredited college or uni- versity, or technical experience which is equivalent to a full 4-year college curriculum, will qualif) you lor appointment to a position at grade GS-5 (Sl.Oaf) per year'), the entrance level for professional engineers. A combination of education and technical experience equiva- lent to a 4-year college course may also meet the requirements. Completion of courses in nonaccrcdited institutions may be accepted if the instruction is definitely ol college level and if the State university of the State in which the institution is located accepts the coinses, II experience rather than education is used for qualifying, it must show a thorough knowledge of the fundamental physical and mathematical sciences underlying professional engineering and a good understanding of the engineering sciences and techniques and their application to the branch of engineering applied for. Experience will be evaluated on the' basis o| it-, comparability to a lull l-yeai piolession.il engineering curriculum. Applications will be accepted from students who expect to complete in . 1 ss.11 v 1 muses w i thin (> months of the time of application, fhey may be given provisional appointments if otherwise eligible in the examina- tion, but they cannot begin work until they furnish proof of successlul completion of required courses. Additional education or experience is necessary to qualify for appoint- ment at grades above (IS ">. Completion of Studies foi a master's degree in engineering, or a minimum of (1 months of professional engineering experience is required for appointment at grade GS— 7 ($4,580 per year ' . Many agencies operate training programs nuclei which young engi- neers are promoted from (IS .1 to (IS 7 upon satisfactory completion of 6 months' training. Advancement to GS— 9 ($5,060 per year) is possible after 18 months of satisfactory service. Engineers who prove their worth can advance rapidly after a year in grade GS 9, they arc generally eligible for promotion to GS— 1 1 ($5,910 per year), and a year in GS-I I can bring eligibility lor promotion to GS— 12 ($7,040). However, advancement is not automatic it depends upon experience, assignment of greater responsibilities, and die occurrence ol vacancies. Employees who serve in grade for a certain length of time earn within-grade salary increases at intervals if their work is satisfactory. These "step" increases range from $125 every 52 weeks in lower and middle grades to $200 or $250 every 78 weeks in higher grades. The prospect of an early call into military service- lor training will not bar you from consideration for appointment. II you leave the Fed- eral service to enter military service, you will have job-restoration rights on completion of your tour of duty in the armed forces. How To Apply Most jobs in the Federal civil service are Idled through competitive examination open to all c iti/ens. Generally, applicants lor engineering jobs are rated on the quality and extent of their training or experience', based upon statements in their applications and other information and no written test is required. Examinations for engineering jobs are conducted on a continuous basis. This means that you may apply for an examination at any time and be considered for appointment at an early dale Separate examinations for engineering positions may be announced by the central office or regional offii es ol the Civil Service Commission as well as by boards of United St.. es civil-sen ice examiners located in Federal agencies throughout the o untry. You can find out about these ex. initiations at your college placement office, at many post offices, or at ol ices ol the United States Civil Serv- ici < ommission. To obtain application forms and copies of current examination announcements- wlii h describe the jobs to be filled, tell where the) are located, and in'vc other details visit or write to the central office or one of the regioi tl offices of the Civil Service Com- mission. 'See addresses on last p ncl of this folder.) Study the examination annoiu ernent carefully, and be certain to follow instructions given for apple ition. Carefully complete youi appli- cation form, for your rating in thi examination will depend largely on how clearly you describe your trai ling and experience Manv Federal agencies send 1 tresentatives on recruiting visits to colleges and universities. Your 1 lege placement office' can tell you about v isits scheduled at your scho '1 and arrange interviews for you. For CAREERS in the Federal Government ' The- normal startim; rate fe.r K rad. JS-S positions is $'t.4IO a sear f... grade GS-7 positions it is $4,205 a year. B" use of the shortage of engineers however, th.- Civil Service- Commission has a ""