Government Capacity

Flexible Hiring Resources For Federal Managers

04.26.23 | 1 min read | Text by Federation of American Scientists

From education to clean energy, immigration to wildfire resilience, and national security to fair housing, the American public relies on the federal government to deliver on critical policy priorities.

Federal agencies need to recruit top talent to tackle these challenges quickly and effectively, yet often are limited in their ability to reach a diverse pipeline of talent, especially among expert communities best positioned to accelerate key priorities.

FAS is dedicated to bridging this gap by providing a pathway for diverse scientific and technological experts to participate in an impactful, short-term “tour of service” in federal government. The Talent Hub leverages existing federal hiring mechanisms and authorities to place scientific and technical talent into places of critical need across government.

The federal government has various flexible hiring mechanisms at its disposal that can help federal teams address the complex and dynamic needs they have while tackling ambitious policy agendas and programs. Yet information about how to best utilize these mechanisms can often feel elusive, leading to a lack of uptake.

This resource guide provides an overview of how federal managers can leverage their available hiring mechanisms and the Talent Hub as a strategic asset to onboard the scientific and technical talent they recruit. The accompanying toolkit includes information for federal agencies interested in better understanding the hiring authorities at their disposal to enhance their existing scientific and technical capacities, including how to leverage Intergovernmental Personnel Act Mobility Program and Schedule A(r) fellowship hiring.

Read the full resource here.

publications
See all publications
Government Capacity
Blog
Demystifying the New President’s Management Agenda

In a year when management issues like human capital, IT modernization, and improper payments have received greater attention from the public, examining this PMA tells us a lot about where the Administration’s policy is going to be focused through its last three years.

12.11.25 | 20 min read
read more
Government Capacity
day one project
Policy Memo
A Digital Public Infrastructure Act Should Be America’s Next Public Works Project

Congress must enact a Digital Public Infrastructure Act, a recognition that the government’s most fundamental responsibility in the digital era is to provide a solid, trustworthy foundation upon which people, businesses, and communities can build.

12.08.25 | 18 min read
read more
Government Capacity
day one project
Policy Memo
Increasing the Value of Federal Investigator-Initiated Research through Agency Impact Goals

To increase the real and perceived benefit of research funding, funding agencies should develop challenge goals for their extramural research programs focused on the impact portion of their mission.

12.04.25 | 11 min read
read more
Government Capacity
day one project
Policy Memo
Tax Filing as Easy as Mobile Banking: Creating Product-Driven Government

Americans trade stocks instantly, but spend 13 hours on tax forms. They send cash by text, but wait weeks for IRS responses. The nation’s revenue collector ranks dead last in citizen satisfaction. The problem isn’t just paperwork — it’s how the government builds.

11.20.25 | 15 min read
read more