Government pay often is. The pay scales are capped, with a few exceptions and ways around things, so unless this job goes up to an SES or similar grade that $197k is the best they can do.
Note that at the top the GS-15 steps 6-10 all get the same pay. The linked position's listed pay range spans GS-13 through GS-15, which is actually a huge spread and kind of funny. That's a large spread in responsibility between GS-13 and GS-15. In civil service, as a manager a GS-13 might be responsible for on the order of 50-100 people and millions in contracts and equipment, a GS-15 might be responsible for thousands of people and billions in contracts and equipment (location does matter a bit, the folks in DC, because the cost of living is so much higher, usually end up with some grade inflation so drop them 1-2 grades to compare to the rest of the US).
I guess I wasn't clear. Being an individual who sets policy on which models can be made available is worth many millions even if it was formally a volunteer position.
> pay is all based on years of experience, not talent.
That's true for GS and WG positions (though they can get performance based bonus step increases, these are relatively rare unless you play golf with the boss), but the pay bands mostly try to get around that and give performance-based raises. Supervisors don't like getting taken to EEO so they often won't give low scores even to people who deserve them, though. This results in the top performers usually getting bigger raises than low performers, but low and middling performers end up with roughly equivalent raises.
In theory, most of the pay band systems offer an effective way to weed out poor performers, but it's just not used.
Govt jobs do a CoL adjustment based on the region located, which would put this kind of role at market rate base salary for adjacent positions in the DMV and Bay.
NIST is in effect a branch of the NSA, although not literally, only in effect. If the NSA says jump, it'll ask how high. If the NSA say "ban this model because our adversaries will use it to patch their systems", NIST will say yes sir.
I guess we'll all be transitioning to open models soon enough.
Headline is absolute clickbait: please don't use quotation marks when you just make things up.
Why does usajobs.gov have an autoplaying sound?? I opened this link during a meeting by accident.
To literally broadcast to the world that they have absolutely no idea what they’re doing.
"This job announcement has closed", that was fast.
A lot of times they create job posting for someone they already want to fill a certain role.
The dates show that it was open for 20 days back in February.
Closed date: 02/23/2026
That pay scale seems insulting
Government pay often is. The pay scales are capped, with a few exceptions and ways around things, so unless this job goes up to an SES or similar grade that $197k is the best they can do.
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries... - All pay scales
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries... - DC area, so base + locality.
Note that at the top the GS-15 steps 6-10 all get the same pay. The linked position's listed pay range spans GS-13 through GS-15, which is actually a huge spread and kind of funny. That's a large spread in responsibility between GS-13 and GS-15. In civil service, as a manager a GS-13 might be responsible for on the order of 50-100 people and millions in contracts and equipment, a GS-15 might be responsible for thousands of people and billions in contracts and equipment (location does matter a bit, the folks in DC, because the cost of living is so much higher, usually end up with some grade inflation so drop them 1-2 grades to compare to the rest of the US).
Isn’t that average or even high for a tech role? I’m in ny making less than that scale
Not even in the right ballpark.
Firstly, a job of this level should be executive scale pay.
Secondly, on site should include a 30% boost above remote. It costs you money and time to commute, and thats part of total compensation.
Are you making less than 130k total comp in NYC while doing AI stuff as an engineer?
I'd highly recommend looking for a new job.
I'm sure that position comes with plenty of back-channel incentives.
$150k for a 13 month contract is "anyone with a pulse" money.
Nobody who is actually qualified would take it, unless they're on the grift.
I guess I wasn't clear. Being an individual who sets policy on which models can be made available is worth many millions even if it was formally a volunteer position.
This has got to be hands down the wildest take I've ever seen on this site.
Goverment does not pay as much as private sector, and pay is all based on years of experience, not talent.
> pay is all based on years of experience, not talent.
That's true for GS and WG positions (though they can get performance based bonus step increases, these are relatively rare unless you play golf with the boss), but the pay bands mostly try to get around that and give performance-based raises. Supervisors don't like getting taken to EEO so they often won't give low scores even to people who deserve them, though. This results in the top performers usually getting bigger raises than low performers, but low and middling performers end up with roughly equivalent raises.
In theory, most of the pay band systems offer an effective way to weed out poor performers, but it's just not used.
Govt jobs do a CoL adjustment based on the region located, which would put this kind of role at market rate base salary for adjacent positions in the DMV and Bay.
That pay range already includes the cost of living adjustment for the DC area.
I wonder how much it costs to have the government declare your model to be too good to be allowed.
ai models are clearly a threat to the world order
NIST is in effect a branch of the NSA, although not literally, only in effect. If the NSA says jump, it'll ask how high. If the NSA say "ban this model because our adversaries will use it to patch their systems", NIST will say yes sir.
I guess we'll all be transitioning to open models soon enough.
The meritocracy strikes again.
I’m sure they’ll make the right hiring decision, right?