What are the benefits of working for a national lab?
Asked by Shoe23
I have a PhD in chemical engineering, and I'm considering switching from the private sector to work for a national lab. I hear of benefits of working for the government, but I'm not clear exactly what they are. I'm also curious at how different the salary and total compensation are from industry. If you have experience working at a natl. lab, I would like to get your input. Thanks.

Best Answer:
Someone close to me with credentials similar to yours has worked at a national lab and loved it. The working conditions (job security, working hours, holidays, benefits, etc.), were very attractive, and the social environment there was collegial and not competitive. I believe there are significant retirement benefits (you can retire at a rather early age with a comfortable pension). Compensation was less than in the private sector. In a nutshell, the salary is less, but so is the stress. I expect if you present your CV to the national lab you're considering, they'll be more than happy to give you all the details and let you compare and contrast. Good luck to you.

It depends on what grade you start at....and how much you start at.....plus your level or years of experience......look around on the internet....
Answered by Luchiana