I'm a microbiologist.
I have worked at a federal research facility for the past four years. On the whole, I really enjoy my work. The research is interesting and fulfilling, and thankfully, due to the ceaseless grant writing efforts of the research scientists I work under, our lab is relatively well-funded. Despite this, due to government cutbacks and layers of ridiculous bureaucracy, it is nearly impossible to be hired for vacant positions. Instead, a small army of people (including myself) bounce from one contract to another on "soft" money. Obviously this is not optimal from a stability and financial standpoint, and has prevented me entirely from settling down.
The short of it is that I am fortunate to be employed and doing work that is fulfilling, but the B.S. that comes with working in the government is mind bottling (especially from the perspective of someone who is trained to think analytically).
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