Job Responsibilities
Magnetics Quality Control of Securities-Printing Inks & Pigments -
- 15% Ink Development & maintenance of ink-making equipment --
10% Statistical Analysis of Tests Done by Others on Materials &
Final Products -- 35% Specialized Tests (e.g. contact
angle/surface energy; ink cure analysis C-14 radio-labeled
evaporative rate analysis -- 8%; misc. projects (e.g. shrink film
for CashPak vs. temp) -- 8%; video micrometry for linear and
areal measurements -- 8%; prep materials for routine testing /
help with routine tests -- 8%; administrative matters -- 4%;
helping others with software / statistics / other training -- 4%
|
Job Requirements
I had B.S. with univeristy honors in Chemistry with Polymer
Science Option; I spent 5 years in grad school but got no grad
degree; B.S. was sufficient for my position GS-9-thru-12 series;
though no grad degree, the extra grad school years helped in
starting at GS-11; currently GS-13 (recieved promotion)
|
Uppers
interesting issues come up about the product itself (primarily US paper
currency) and production problems in getting there; my job in particular is a bit
unusual in that I have the most variety: I'm the special projects person; I also
help with statistical analysis for everybody else; finally, I run specialized
tests (Ink Cure Analyzer C-14-labeled evaporative rate analysis, Vibrating Sample
Magnetometer [magnetics properties as magnetic media manufacturers would use],
Dynamic Contact Angle Analyzer, Video micrometer incl. quasi-microscopic level
[e.g. where is thread w.r.t. face-vs-back side embedness]; finally I make all
sorts of inks and help other people in the inks area -- making something is
rewarding too
|
Downers
noise levels -- not so much in press room, but spontaneous noise
such as elevator "road-joint" cover-up plate cover (metal
slamming onto concrete floor), microwaves beeping & buzzing,
tendency of temporary or permanent threshold-shifted people to
always be virtually yelling; too much fluorescent light when I
need to save eyes for meticulous sample prep & study -- don't
need surgical light at a meeting; older problems have been
improving some: used to be mega-tons of data is necessarily the
best (even if no thought about what will do with it or sacrifice
in quality of data by getting so much); doing whatever our
customer said (as if a person ordering food at McDonald's rather
than as one professional organization to another albeit our
customer); these problems have been partially fixed -- in
substantial part to a large number of new hirees for mid-level
and upper-mid-level management
|
Lifestyle
hours are too early in the morning with no flex time; very rigid hours; there is
some spread in starting time amongst different employees but the latest
permissable start is 8 a.m.; production workers are even earlier and held quite
strictly to exact times; there is usually freedom for training & travel; some
persons have travel for their work -- either to material suppliers or our sister
facility in Fort Worth Texas; there is much diversity, but white women are the
smallest group; dress code is very free (except for production workers); in
summary, if environmental noise levels, overly bright fluorescent light where not
need, and allowing later starting times were improved, there wouldn't be anything
much to complain about.
|
Compensation
the govt GS scale is used with the Wash DC locality pay;
compensation is excellent (along with tendency to high GS
grades) -- but one must deduct some for the extremely high cost
of living in DC area that locality pay doesn't quite capture;
there is a year-end bonus -- probably the most complex system
ever with 5 elements (based on safety records, customer returns,
and productivity)
|
Advice to Jobseekers
learn to wear earplugs here and not just in obvious places like
Press Room; other than that be advised that only a few of us have
as much variety as I described for myself (I'm not the only one,
but the majority have more routine work); some have much more
administrative work (I actually used to have more of that);
sample preparation is very important; knowledge of statistics
beyond rudimentary stuff would be quite helpful; you should be
able in you communications to help a novice to your issue get a
perspective because often there are so many detailed nuances --
you must be able to help others understand the starting point
before bogging down into details of the problems etc; the BEP
will always have interesting products and issues to work on
|
