Nuclear security agency needs more scientists, GAO says

The National Nuclear Security Administration, a unit of the Energy Department charged with maintaining nuclear weapons, is faced with a shortage of scientists and engineers, according to the Government Accountability Office.

Personnel at eight facilities, all operated by contractors, are responsible for nuclear weapons. Over one-third of those workers are close to retirement, the report (GAO-05-164) stated.

GAO found that contractors have started focusing more on recruiting new workers, but the facilities still face problems with obtaining timely security clearances and having fewer well-trained applicants. Two facilities, the Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, are under contracts with the University of California that will expire Sept. 30, leading to additional questions about workforce continuity. Energy has indicated that it will extend the Lawrence Livermore facility contract.

GAO noted that several contractors are taking steps to recruit new workers. For example, Sandia National Laboratories, which is operated by Lockheed Martin Corp., recruits at 22 select colleges and universities, in addition to offering 1,200 student internships. That facility also has a mentoring program and in-house training programs.

Overall, GAO found these efforts to increase hiring have worked. Between fiscal 2000 and 2003, all eight facilities hired about 70 percent more highly skilled workers than retired. "[The facilities] seem to be more focused on the gaps that will be coming along in the future, and are taking measures to try to minimize any shortages," said Elizabeth Erdmann, auditor of the report.

Scientists and engineers need to be hired before the older members of the workforce retire, in order to foster institutional knowledge and skill transfers between generations, she said.

The report comes on the heels of a survey by the Partnership for Public Service and the National Academy of Public Administration that indicated a governmentwide shortage of scientists and engineers.

"Nuclear engineering and science is one of those occupational areas where people are in demand. They're competing for top talent in an environment which is already being pressed in terms of supply," said John Palguta, vice president for policy and research at the Partnership for Public Service.

He added that foreign students are increasingly making up for the declining interest in science among U.S. students, but agencies face restrictions on hiring non-U.S. citizens, especially in the national security field.

Workforce planning issues have challenged departments as baby boomers prepare to retire. The Office of Management and Budget highlights human capital management as one of the key initiatives on the President's Management Agenda. All agencies except for OMB have won "green" scores from OMB, indicating they have a comprehensive human capital management plan in place.

NNSA's personnel challenges are different than those at other agencies, because much of their workforce comes from private contractors. "One of the reasons they established these contract-operated labs is to bypass civil service requirements," said Richard Cheston, assistant director in the GAO's natural resources and environment unit, which released the report. A higher pay scale makes it easier for the facilities to hire highly skilled workers, he added.

If the Los Alamos facility changed hands in September, Cheston said, some of the current benefits would be in question. UC currently gives scientists privileges within the university system than another contractor may not be able to match.

"This is an open solicitation, so you might have a for-profit business getting the contract. Fellow scientists might decide this is not what they want and not what they arrived here for," he said.

"Our scientists come to the laboratory because of the opportunity to do the kind of work that's here and to be part of the University of California system," said Chris Harrington, a spokesman for the university. NNSA recently withheld a $5 million payment from the university because of mismanagement at Los Alamos.

In 2003, GAO criticized the agency for failing to adequately protect nuclear weapons production sites and laboratories and for poor oversight of contractors. NNSA disagreed with the findings of that report.

NNSA generally agreed with the findings in Tuesday's report.