ORD Workforce'91
Office of Research
and Development
Workforce f91
by
Steven H. Smith
Senior Program Analyst
OFFICE OF RESEARCH PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (RD-674)
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460
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ORD Workforce'91
Foreword
The purpose of Office of Research and Development Workforce '91 is to
provide information about the workforce of the Office of Research and
Development (ORD). The study is designed to describe the men and
women of ORD in terms of their numbers, location, academic credentials,
activities, years of service, gender, and many other characteristics.
In the 1960s, concerned citizens and leaders in the United States became
alarmed at the degradation of our lakes, rivers, estuaries, and oceans.
People could no longer ignore the pollution of the air in the cities and areas
surrounding industrial zones. The contamination was literally visible. This
concern resulted in legislation that created the Environmental Protection
Agency in 1970, and with it, a body of regulations to safeguard the nation's
natural resources and the health of its citizens.
EPA was charged with generating and gathering data on a wide variety of
environmental issues in order to craft legislation and regulations that would
preserve and protect the people and the environment of the United States.
The Agency also was given the responsibility of working with other federal
agencies and state and local governments to enforce environmental leg-
islation.
Central to EPA's ability to carry out its responsibilities is the availability of
reliable scientific data to support the formulation of policies, legislation, and
regulations. The Agency's Office of Research and Development (ORD) was
created in 1970 to conduct research that provides such information. Even
though many Federal agencies carry out ecological research that contrib-
utes to the understanding of environmental issues, only EPA has the
mandate to protect the environment as a whole. ORD has primary
responsibility forproviding leadership in managing the nation's environmental
research program.
After 20 years of ORDs being in the forefront of environmental research,
supporters and critics of EPA have raised the question of ORD's continued
ability to provide effective leadership in the 1990s. The questions are
legitimate: What capabilities does ORD have to conduct research and
development? Who are the scientists, engineers, technicians, managers,
and administrators who carry out and support that research? What are their
credentials? Is the cu rrent staff suited to the increasingly complex demands
of the research agenda?
This report, ORD Workforce '91, presents data collected in late 1990 and
provides information on some of the characteristics of the ORD's human
resources.
One of the problems faced by any organization intending to characterize its
workforce is deciding the most effective way to describe it. The report is
designed to use the information available for focusing on a number of
in
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Offle* of Research and Development
characteristics of the workforce, which, Individually and relative!/, offer a
fairly comprehensive portrait of the people who do ORD's work. To address
the technical capability of the staff, Information was collected on "hair
academic degrees and the disciplines in which those degrees were obtained.
To complement the academic Information, the survey gathered data on
people's areas of specialization.
Just as Important as employees' academic credentials Is the kind of work
they do. Trie QRD Workforce'91 survey questionnaires collected data on
how much of their time staff spent on specific activities. These were
organized Into four main categories, with a number of (tub-categories under
each: Management, Bench Science and Engineering Support to Bench
Science and Engineering, and Administration. In iiddltlon, data linking
employees to specific areas of research utilizing a project-based coding
system permits ORD to relate Individuals to their academic credentials,
areas of specialization, activities, and general areas of research,
In the case of direct hire ORD employees, the data garnered through the
survey questionnaire Is linked to workforce demographic Information on tho
workforce contained In EPA's human resources management end payroll
computer system. This Information allows correlations between the ele-
ments described above and other characteristics of f hฉ workforce, such as
age, gender, grade, length of service, and retirement eligibility.
ORD hopes) that the Information In ORD Workforce '111 will assist readers
to understand more about the 4,027 men and women who carry out and
support environmental research and development Ini ORD's laboratories
and offices.
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ORDWorkfonx'91
Table of Contents
FOREWORD ill
LIST OF FIGURES vll
LIST OF TABLES Ix
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xl
1. ORD ORGANIZATION AND OPERATIONS . 1
EPA Research and Development 1
ORD Organization , 4
Missions of the ORD Laboratories , 6
ORD Operations: Onslte and Offslte , . 8
2. WORKFORCE HIGHLIGHTS . 11
Workforce Characteristics , 11
ORD 1991 Workforee Highlights , 12
3. WORKFORCE STRUCTURE AND DISTRIBUTION 15
4. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ORD WORKFORCE 21
Education Levels ....21
Academic Disciplines ....,. . .,.,,..13
Grade Structure and Compensation 23
Race-Gender ..........................24
Retirement Eligibility ....27
Age and Years of Federal Service.,.., 29
S. WORK ACTIVITY DISTRIiUTION 31
Intramural Workforce,., 32
Extramural Workforce ...37
Total ORD Workforce 37
ง. SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING WORKFORCE 41
Scientists and Graduate Engineers 41
Workyears Reported by Scientists and Graduate Engineers 43
Scientific Activity Within the Total Workforce 46
7. EXTRAMURAL MANAGEMENT WORKFORCE 49
Workyear Distribution ..............50
Activity Level Distribution 51
8. METHODOLOGY - DATA QUALITY 53
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ORD Workforce '91
List of Figures
1 Office of Research and Development facility locations 4
2 ORD financial obligations - FY1990 8
3 Workforce composition (Headquarters Offices) 17
4 Workforce composition (Laboratories) 17
5 Education levels 21
6 Workforce composition by gender, race, and education 24
7 Workforce grade structure by gender/race 26
8 Workyear distribution of scientists/graduate engineers 43
9 Workyear distribution of scientists and engineers within science and
engineering , ;...45
vii
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QR.O Workforce'91
List of Tables
1 ORD Financial Obligations- FY1990 (in thousands) 8
2 Intramural Staffing by Type of Position 16
3 Survey Respondents 16
4 Workforce Composition by Laboratory 18
5 Education Levels 21
6 Comparison of Education Levels - ORD-EPA-Federal Service 22
7 Academic Disciplines 22
8 Grade Distribution by Education .....23
9 Workforce Composition by Race, Gender, and Appointment Authority 24
10 Workforce Composition by Race, Gender, and Education 25
11 Grade Structure by Race and Gender 26
12 Retirement Eligibility by Degree 27
13 Retirement Eligibility by Academic Discipline 28
14 Retirement Eligibility of PhDs in the Sciences and Graduate Engineers 28
15 Age Distribution 29
16 Years of Federal Service 29
17 Functions and Activities Reported by the Total Intramural Workforce 33
18 Functions and Activities Reported by the Intramural Workforce -
Headquarters/Laboratories 34
19 Functions and Activities Reported by the Total ORD Extramural Workforce 35
20 Functions and Activities Reported by the Extramural Workforce -
Headquarters/Laboratories 36
21 Allocation of Workyears by Major Activity 37
22 Distribution of Individual Participation in Major Activities 38
23 Allocation of Workyears by Major Themes 39
24 Science Workforce by Education Level 41
25 Distribution of PhD Scientists and Graduate Engineers by Academic Discipline 42
26 Workyear Distribution for PhD Scientists and Graduate Engineers 43
27 Workyear Distribution within Science and Engineering Function-PhD Scientists
and Graduate Engineers 44
28 PhD Scientists and Graduate Engineers Reporting Workyears in Bench
Science and Engineering 45
29 Individuals Reporting Workyears in Bench Science and Engineering 46
30 Academic Backgrounds of Individuals Reporting Bench Science/Engineering/
Modeling 47
31 Education Levels of Individuals Reporting More than 50 Percent of Their. Time in
Bench Science , 47
32 Intramural Workyears Allocated to Extramural Management 50
33 Scientists and Graduate Engineers - Intramural Workyears Allocated to
Extramural Management 50
34 Intramural Participation in Intramural Management 51
35 Scientists and Engineers - Distribution of Individual Participation in Extramural
Management 51
ix
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ORD Workforce '91
Acknowledgments
Appreciation is expressed to the many people who contributed to the ORD
Workforce '91 Project: Joyce Stiles, who had primary responsibility for ORD
Workforce '89; the ORD Human Resources Information System Steering
Group; personnel from Keydata Systems, Inc. and the Computer Sciences
Corporation; the ORD Workforce '91 Representatives; and those who took
the time to review various drafts and make numerous worthwhile sugges-
tions that enhanced the appearance and value of the report. Of the latter,
special thanks go to Ann Allford-Stevens, Richard Hardesty, and Sam
Williams.
XI
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OHD Workforce'91
Section 1
ORD Organization and Operations
EPA Research and Development
The principal goal of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is
to mitigate the adverse effects of pollution on human health and the
environment. In order to meet that goal, EPA managers are required to
make decisions regarding the development of regulations, standards,
guidance, and policies to implement pollution abatement plans and
strategies. The role and mission of the Office of Research and Develop-
ment (ORD) is to provide EPA managers with timely, reliable scientific
and technical information, products, and technical assistance to meet the
Agency's goal.
ORD's research agenda, established with guidance from the EPA
Science Advisory Board and refined by a series of program oriented
research committees, is primarily focused on areas determined by those
committees to provide knowledge on fundamental scientific and technical
issues. These issues are selected by the committees to support immedi-
ate regulatory and enforcement decisions required by EPA's program
offices. Consequently, ORD's research typically has been applied and
carried out in response to the Agency's program and regional offices to
implement the environmental protection agenda mandated by Congress.
The research and development program1 is directed at the following
functional areas:
Health effects research, seeking to determine the adverse effects of
pollutants on human health.
Ecological effects research on the adverse effects of pollutants on the
ecosystem.
Environmental processes and fate research designed to understand
how pollutants are transported and modified as they move through
soils, ground and surface waters, and the atmosphere.
Environmental monitoring research that develops methods for identify-
ing pollutants in the environment and measuring exposure to such
substances.
Risk assessment research that develops methods to integrate infor-
mation on pollutant sources, fate and transport, exposure, and health
and ecological effects in order to assess the overall risk posed by a
pollutant or a group of pollutants.
ซ Risk reduction research to develop control technologies to treat or
contain pollutants and methods to reduce or eliminate the sources of
pollutants or to prevent exposure to pollutants.
1 For more detailed Information on ORD's research agenda and the responsibilities of each
of Its offices and laboratories, see U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Office
of Research and Development, 1980, September 1990.
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Office of Research and Development
A Research Strategy for the 1990s
ORD recently added a long-term research and development dimension
to its mission, primarily due to two factors. In 1988, the Agency's Sci-
ence Advisory Board (SAB) published a report, Future Risk: Research
Strategies Ifor the 1990s, that stated research is "the most fundamental
of the tools that promote environmental quality." The SAB concluded
that EPA should redirect and refocus its research strategy beyond the
needs of short-term, immediate applied research. The report strongly
recommended that ORD undertake longer term research to anticipate
information needed to protect the environment.
I
A second factor that reinforced the need for a longer term research
strategy derived from the Agency's recent emphasis on pollution preven-
tion. This hew policy direction requires scientists and: engineers to
furnish information obtained from research that will inform the environ-
mental protection community and the public about the causes of pollution
in such a way that action can be taken to prevent the pollution.
In response to this shift in strategic planning, ORD developed a new core
research prpgram that requires strengthening and expanding current
research and development efforts while conducting research projects
that may take years to complete.
In the Foreword to Protecting the Environment: A Research Strategy
for the 1990s2, Erich Bretthauer, assistant administrator for the Office of
Research and Development states,
Mounting evidence suggests that we are facing a new generation of
environmental problems - problems that threaten not just isolated
areas, but global ecological resources; not just the health of certain
individuals, but our ability to sustain life on this planet. Coping with
these problems will require a fundamental change in bur approach to
environmental protection. We must develop the capabilities to antici-
pate and!prevent pollution, rather than simply controlling and cleaning
up after it has been generated.
The new strategy identifies the following major research and develop-
ment priorities:
A nationwide integrated Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
Program (EMAP) to monitor the baseline condition of and trends in our
ecosystems.
2 For more detailed information on ORD's long-term strategy for environmental
research arid development, see Protecting the Environment: A Research
Strategy for the 1990s, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Draft,
April 1989.
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ORD Workforce '91
Long-term research to develop new tools and strategies for pollution
prevention, including mechanisms to involve industry, state and local
governments, communities, and individuals.
Development of a national data base on the extent and nature of
human exposure to pollution in the U.S.
Substantially increased support for the growth and maintenance of
an academic environmental research community.
Increased effort to understand the relationship between health and
multiple exposures to low levels of many different pollutants.
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Office of Research and Development
ORD Organization
EPA's research and development
mission Is carried out by the
Office of Research and Develop-
ment under the direction of an
Assistant Administrator. The
ORD organizational structure
divides the overall research and
development agenda into offices
that have responsibilities for
major research functions. Those
major functions are Monitoring arid
Quality Assurance, Environmental
Engineering, Environmental
Processes, Health Research,
Health and Environmental Assess-
ment, Technology Transfer,
Funding of Exploratory Research,
and the Management and Adminis-
tration of the overall program.
Of the 9 ORD offices, 5 are
program offices which manage the
16 laboratories and 5 field offices
where EPA carries out much of its
environmental research and
development.
A list of ORD's offices, laboratories
and field sites, and a map of their
locations, are included in this
report as Figure 1.
Figure 1. Office of Research and Development facility locations.
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ORD Workforce'91
ABBREVIATION
ORD OFFICES, LABORATORIES, AND FIELD SITES
NAME
IOAA
SORDORTP
SORDOCINC
ORPM
OER
Office of the Senior ORD Official, Research Triangle Park, NC
Office of the Senior ORD Official, Cincinnati, OH
Office of Research Program Management
Office of Exploratory Research
OTTRS
CERICINC
OMMSQA
EMSL LV
WARRENTON
EMSLCIKC
AREAL RTP
'* OEETD
AEERLRTP
RRELCINC
EDISON
OEPER
ERLADA
ERL ATHENS
ERLCORVALLIS
ERLDULUTH
MONTICELLO
GROSSEILE
ERL GULF BREEZE
ERL NARRAGANSETT
NEWPORT
OHR
HERLRTP
OHEA
ECAO CINC
ECAO RTP
EAG
HHAG
Office of Technology Transfer and Regulatory Support
Center for Environmental Research Information, Cincinnati, OH
Office of Modeling, Monitoring Systems and Quality Assurance
Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory, Las Vegas, NV
Field Site: Environmental Photographic Interpretation Center, Warrenton, VA
Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH
Atmospheric Research and Exposure Assessment Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC
Office of Environmental Engineering and Technology Demonstration
Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC
Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH
Field Site: Releases Control Branch, Edison, NJ
Office of Environmental Processes and Effects Research
Environmental Research Laboratory, Ada, OK
Environmental Research Laboratory, Athens, GA
Environmental Research Laboratory, Corvallis, OR
Environmental Research Laboratory, Duluth, MN
Field Site: Ecological Research Station, Monticello, MN
Field Site: Large Lakes Research Station, Grosse lie, Ml
Environmental Research Laboratory, Gulf Breeze, FL
Environmental Research Laboratory, Narragansett, Rl
Field Site: Pacific Ecosystems Branch, Newport, OR
Office of Health Research
Health Effects Research Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC
Office of Health and Environmental Assessment
Environmental Criteria and Assessment Office, Cincinnati, OH
Environmental Criteria and Assessment Office, ResearchTriangle Park, NC
Exposure Assessment Group, Washington, D. C.
Human Health Assessment Group, Washington, D. C.
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Of flea of Research and Development
Missions of the ORD Laboratories
Each of the ORD laboratories performs specialized research related to
carrying out the overall science program of the Office of Research and
Development.
Office of Modeling, Monitoring Systems and Quality Assurance (OMMSQA)
Environmental Monitoring
Systems Laboratory,
Las Vegas, NV
Environmental Monitoring
Systems Laboratory,
Cincinnati, OH
Atmospheric Research and
Exposure Assessment
Laboratory, Research Triangle
Park, NC
Conduct basic and applied research and technology transfer on the
measurement and monitoring of pollutants in all parts of the
environment, including quantifying human and ecological exposures to
environmental pollutants on a local to global scale.
Conduct research on the development and application of
analytical methods, quality assurance procedures and reference materi-
als for environmental assessments. Emerging biotechnological research
on the occurrence, transport and fate of microbial pathogens in environ-
mental media.
Conduct research, technical assistance and technology transfer on the
chemical and physical processes in the atmosphere, including mobile
source and biogenic activities; ecological exposure from climate and the
atmosphere; and models, measurement, and monitoring studies needed
to support research and regulatory activities involving the air media.
Office of Environmental Engineering and Technology Demonstration
Air and Energy Engineering
Research Laboratory,
Research Triangle Park, NC
Risk Reduction Engineering
Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH
Conduct research to identify and develop emission reduction approaches
for stationary air pollution sources, which pose risks to public health and
the environment, including emission estimating techniques.
Conduct research to develop and demonstrate engineered approaches
and technologies for the prevention, treatment, and control of wastes,
contamination in drinking water, and pollution in surface waters and on
the land.
Office of Environmental Processes and Effects Research
Environmental Research
Laboratory, Ada, OK
Conduct and manage research, and provide technical assistance and
technology transfer on the chemical, physical, and biological structure
and processes of the subsurface environment, biogeochemical interac-
tions, and linkages to other environmental media.
Environmental Research
Laboratory, Athens, GA
Conduct and 'manage research, and provide technical assistance to
predict the transformation, speciation, and transport of chemicals across
and within environmental media in order to assess potential human and
ecological exposures and risks.
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ORD Worlsforce'91
Environmental Research
Laboratory, Corvallis, OR
Environmental Research
Laboratory, Duluth, MN
Environmental Research
Laboratory, Gulf Breeze, FL
Environmental Research
Laboratory, Narragansett, Rl
Conduct and manage research on terrestrial, watershed, and landscape
ecology; terrestrial ecotoxicology; ecological statistics; and comparative
ecological risk assessment.
Conduct cause/effect research in aquatic toxicology and ecology in
lakes, streams, wetlands and the Great Lakes, including predicting and
assessing the effects of pollutant and polluting activities on freshwater
ecological resources.
Conduct and manage research on the near-coastal environment with
emphasis on coastal wetlands and estuaries, including the study and
modeling of lexicological, disease, and microbial processes.
Conduct and manage marine, coastal, and estuarine ecological risk
assessment research, including the study of the effects of estuarine and
marine disposal and discharge of complex wastes, dredged materials
and other wastes.
Office of Health Research
Health Effects Research
laboratory, Research Triangle
"'ark.NC
Conduct and manage lexicological, clinical, and epidemiological research
on the human health effects resulting from exposure to environmental
pollutants and to provide related technical support and technology
transfer, including biological assays, predictive models, and extrapolation
methods for health risk assessments.
Office of Health and Environmental Assessment
Environmental Criteria
and Assessment Office,
Cincinnati, OH
Environmental Criteria and
Assessment Office, Research
Triangle Park, NC
Exposure Assessment Group,
Washington, D.C.
Human Health Assessment
Group, Washington, D.C.
Assess and interpret scientific information for risk-based regulatory
decision-making related to health and environmental effects of single
chemicals and complex exposures, including chemical mixtures.
Assess and interpret scientific information in support of risk-based
regulatory decision-making by the EPA Administrator, especially for air-
related standards and issues.
Provide state-of-the-art methodology, guidance, and procedures for
exposure determinations; ensure quality and consistency in the Agency's
scientific risk assessments; and provide independent assessments of
exposure and recommendations.
Assess and interpret scientific information in the health risk assessment
process, including preparation and review of health risks studies on
environmental agents that are suspect carcinogens, mutagens, or
reproductive or developmental toxins; development of new risk assess-
ment methodologies.
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CHflca of Research and Development
ORD Operations: Onsite
and Off site
In addition to the research and
development conducted In ORD
facilities, defined as "onslte" for the
purposes of this report, much
scientific and engineering Investi-
gation Is performed offsite for ORD
under contracts, assistance
agreements (such as cooperative
agreements and grants), and
Interagency agreements, I.e.,
transactions with other Federal
agencies. This research and
development activity, conducted by
personnel who work at corporation
laboratories or by scientists and
graduate students who work In
university laboratories, termed
"offslte", Is extremely Important to
the overall ORD effort. A compari-
son of the financial obligations, I.e.,
expenditures, which ORD commit-
ted In FY1990 to onslte and offslte
activities, demonstrates that ORD
spent 41 percent of Its budget on
offslte research and 59 percent for
onslte research and development.
The extent to which ORD supports
offslte and onslte research and
development activities Is portrayed
In Table 1 and Figure 2.
TABLE 1. ORD FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS - FY 1990 (IN THOUSANDS)
Offslts
Total
Intramural Rersourcss
Extramural Resources
Total
Percent
$140,778
110,789
$251 ,567
59%
173,285
$173fS6S
41%
$140,778
284,074
$424,852
100%
Figure 2. ORD financial obligations - FY 1990.
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ORD Workforce '91
Intramural and Extramural
EPA defines as "intramural" a
person who is directly hired by the
Agency as a Federal employee,
including Public Health Service
Commissioned Officers. "Extramu-
ral" personnel are those who work
on EPA- financed activities under
contracts, cooperative agree-
ments, grants, and Inter-agency
agreements. Inter-agency agree-
ments are transactions with other
Federal and State agencies.
This report provides Information on
both intramural and extramural
personnel to demonstrate how
these two components of the
workforce complement and
supplement each other. The
Federal Government has defined
in specific terms the kinds of
activities that only Federal employ-
ees can implement. Except for
these proscribed activities, extra-
mural personnel may be con-
tracted to perform the same
activities that intramural employ-
ees carry out. In most cases, EPA
has contracted for extramural
services because of the Federal
policy encouraging extramural
activity or because the Agency
was not given enough Federal
positions to do the work. Conse-
quently, the report provides
Information on both types of
employees to depict a complete
representation of the onsite ORD
workforce.
With the exception of the previous
table and chart, all subsequent
references In this report to "extra-
mural" personnel are to onsite,
extramural workers.
Table 1 illustrates the importance
to ORD of the extramural
workforce to EPA's research and
development mission. In FY1990,
ORD obligated $284,074,0003 in
combined onsite and offsite
extramural services, a figure that
represents 67 percent of the total
$424,852,000 obligated.
ORD Workforce '91 concentrates
on the ORD onsite workforce, I.e.,
the people who work In an QRD-
managed EPA facility carrying out
the research and development
mission for iPA. Within that
context, this report will describe in
general terms the men and women
of ORD and what they do.
3 Readers interested in more detailed information on ORD financial activities are referred to the document "Summary
SISSS8 1 Rnancial Activity, FY 1987-1989", issued in July 1990. This analysis, currently being revised to include
FY 1990 data, is scheduled for publication in the summer of 1991.
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ORD Workforce'91
Section 2
Workforce Highlights
This section summarizes the attributes that describes ORD's workforce
for those readers who may not wish to review the more detailed informa-
tion contained in subsequent sections of ORD Workforce '91.
Workforce Characteristics
In describing the ORD workforce, available data elements were selected
that most accurately and reliably describes the characteristics and
capabilities of the 4,027 intramural and extramural personnel working on-
site.
Academic Degrees The level of education is a primary descriptive
indicator of the formal preparation employees have for conducting and
supporting scientific research and managing operations.
Academic Discipline The discipline in which the academic degree is
obtained points to the correlation between the type of research and
development and the staff's academic preparation to carry out that
research.
PhDs and Graduate Engineers The data collected contains com-
plete information on the academic credentials of the 4,027 intramural
and extramural men and women who conduct and support ORD's
mission. On the assumption that scientists and engineers with
advanced degrees most often define research and development policy
and manage and conduct much of the research and development, the
report focuses specifically on this distinct group in a number of the
tables. Other tables describe personnel with other academic degree
levels and disciplines, all of whom play important roles in ORD's
operations.
Activities This element describes the kind of activities people
undertake, and how much of their time they spend in them. This
involvement is expressed in workyears1 in four major areas:
Management and Planning, Science and Engineering, Support to
Science and Engineering, and Administration. Each major activity
has sub-activities that further define what people do.
Compensation ORD federal employees' pay is determined by their
grade level in the federal system. Because the data provided by the
extramural employees were incomplete, it is not possible to make
comparisons in compensation between intramural and extramural
employees in similar kinds of activities.
1 A workyear is equivalent to the amount of time a full-time person spends working
in a year (2,080 hours). Workyear calculations are derived from the percentage
of time employees indicated in their survey questionnaires that they spend on
specific activities.
11
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Office of Research and Development
Demographic Information This information, derived primarily from
the EPA human resources and payroll data base (EPAYS), allows
analyses of the intramural workforce age, gender distribution, years of
service, retirement eligibility, minority classification, Job series, and
other factors. Most of this information is not available for the extramu-
ral workforce.
Organization To demonstrate various dimensions of the workforce,
the data are arrayed in different tables with data aggregated for all of
ORD, for ORD offices, and for the laboratories.
Intramural and Extramural Where appropriate, comparisons are
made between these two major groups of employees who conduct
ORD's business in order to focus on similarities, differences, and
complementarities of the two.
ORD 1991 Workforce Highlights
The following workforce highlights represent a summaiy of the extensive
information contained in the subsequent sections of the report and the
tables of the Appendix.2
Workforce Structure and Distribution
In the fall pf 1990, there were 4,027 intramural and extramural em-
ployees working onsite in the ORD offices and laboratories.
1,907 part-time and full-time intramural employees carried out re-
search and development and related activities.
In addition, 190 temporary Stay-in-School (SIS) intramural employees
worked in ORD sites. Because of the transient nature of their employ-
ment, they are not included in the count of the intramural workforce in
this report.
Of the 1,930 part-time and full-time onsite extramural personnel who
carried out or supported research and development, 1,805 returned
survey questionnaires from which data are provided in this report.
Of the 1,907 intramural employees, under the Federal government
classification system, 1,254 are Professionals, 231 are Administrative,
181 are Technical, 223 are Clerical, and 18 are Others, (wage grade,
experts, etc.)
71 (4 percent) of the 1,907 intramural staff is part-time, while 281
(16 percent) of the 1,805 extramural is part-time.
Of the 3,712 person combined intramural and extramural workforce in
the ORD laboratories, 49 percent of the workforce is intramural and 51
percent is extramural.
Headquarters' offices have proportionately fewer extramural person-
nel, ranging from no extramural people in the Office of Health Re-
search, to 18 (25 percent) extramural people in the Office of Research
Program Management.
2 The Workforce '91 Appendix consists of 112 tables containing data from the
survey, many of which are used in this report; the Appendix is for limited
internal use,
12
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ORD Workforce '91
Characteristics of the ORD Workforce
75 percent of the intramural and 63 percent of the extramural workforce
has bachelors, masters, or doctoral degrees.
The intramural workforce has a larger percentage of advanced degrees
than the extramural workforce (545, or 70 percent of the PhDs, and 445,
or 56 percent of the masters degrees).
Approximately 62 percent of the combined intramural and extramural
workforce has completed studies in engineering and the sciences.
The intramural and extramural workforces have similar percentages of
people in each major field of study, such as Chemistry, Engineering,
Earth Sciences, Life Sciences, etc.
97 percent of the individuals with doctoral degrees are in the GS/GM 12
through 15 grades, representing an annual salary range of $37,300 to
$80,100.
95 percent of the intramural graduate engineers (PhDs or Masters in
Engineering) are in the grade/salary range of GS/GM 12 through 15.
Approximately 50 percent of the 478 intramural PhD scientists are grade
13 or below; 44 percent of the graduate 187 graduate engineers are
grade 13 or below.
Men represent roughly two-thirds of the intramural workforce; 82 percent
are in the professional occupations and 8 percent are in administrative
management.
Women represent one-third of the intramural workforce; 33 percent of the
women are in professional occupations and 20 percent are in administra-
tive management. Of the women employed by ORD, 47 percent are in
clerical occupations.
The 247 minority employees represent 13 percent of the intramural
workforce; 115 minority employees (47 percent of the total) are in
professional occupations and 33 (13 percent) are in administration.
Approximately one-third of the minorities employed by ORD are in
clerical positions.
Of the 1,254 professional intramural positions, 83 percent are occupied
by males, 17 percent by females. Minorities represent 9 percent of the
professional positions.
As of FY1992, approximately 304 employees, or 9 percent of the
intramural workforce, will be eligible for retirement. This number includes
255 who were eligible in FY 1990, plus 49 who became eligible in 1991.
By FY 1996,16 percent of the current ORD intramural workforce will be
eligible for retirement.
Approximately 39 percent of the intramural chemists, earth scientists,
engineers, and physicists will be eligible for retirement in the next
6 years.
13 percent of the intramural workforce is age 35 or below.
Roughly 40 percent of the workforce is between ages 40 and 50; 17 per-
cent of the workforce is currently over the age of 55.
Some 23 percent of the intramural workforce has less than 10 years of
federal service; approximately 31 percent of the intramural scientific and
engineering workforce has less than 10 years of federal service.
About 41 percent of the intramural workforce has more than 20 years of
federal service, compared to 35 percent of the scientific and engineering
workforce.
13
-------
Office of Research and Development
Work Activity Distribution
The intramural workforce spends 62 percent of its time in support of
science-related activities.
84 percent of the intramural workyears and 96 percent of the
extramural workyears are in ORD laboratories. Conversely, 16
percent of the intramural and 4 percent of the extramural workyears
are in Headquarters.
71 percent of the intramural activities and 75 percent of the extramural
activities are science-related.
22 percent of the intramural and 22 percent of the ejctramural activities
are for administrative support.
50 percent of the Headquarters intramural activity and 3 percent of the
Headquarters extramural activity is in Management, Policy Develop-
ment and Program Planning, and Administration.
256 staff workyears are committed to managing ORD extramural
activities, representing 14 percent the 1,806 intramural workyears.
60 percent of the 256 workyears are in extramural management
oversight; 40 percent are administrative activities related to extramu-
ral management.
973 intramural employees (approximately 51 percent) report some
activity related to extramural management.
63 percent of the 1,061 intramural workforce responses (672) report
spending between 1 and 24 percent of the time on extramural activi-
ties, while only 48 (5 percent) of the responses indicate spending 75
to 100 percent of the time in managing extramural activities.
Science and Engineering Workforce
PhD Science and Graduate Engineers represent roughly 25 percent of
the entire ORD workforce of 3,712.
Approximately 70 percent of the PhD Scientists and 72 percent of the
Graduate Engineers are intramural resources.
Graduate Engineers represent roughly 28 percent of the ORD
workforce; Chemists represent 17 percent of the ORD scientist and
graduate engineer workforce.
Approximately 77 percent of the total PhD Scientist and Graduate
Engineer workyears is dedicated to science and engineering func-
tions. Intramural resources contribute 71 percent of the workyears;
extramural accounts for 29 percent.
Extramural Management Workforce
472 responses of the 649 intramural Scientists and Graduate Engi-
neers (73 percent) report significant extramural management activity,
although 338 of these responses (72 percent) indicate that they spend
less than 25 percent in this activity. Only 13 responses (3 percent)
indicate spending more than 75 percent of the time on extramural
management.
14
-------
ORD Workforce '91
Section 3
Workforce Structure and Distribution
As of late summer 1990, the ORD combined onsite workforce numbered
approximately 4,027 full and part-time, intramural and extramural person-
nel. This figure consists of 2,097 intramural employees, including the
190 student employees working part-time throughout ORD under the
"stay-in-school" (SIS) program. Due to the transient nature of that portion
of the workforce, the SIS employees are not included in the intramural
workforce count for the remainder of this study. Consequently, the
number of intramural personnel used in the ORD Workforce '91 is 1,907.
ORD offices and laboratories reported that 1,930 extramural personnel
worked onsite in September and October 1990, when the survey ques-
tionnaires were distributed to the workforce. A total of 1,805 extramural
employees returned questionnaires, for a 94 percent response rate.
Accordingly, the extramural figure used in the tables, charts and analyses
of this report is 1,805, the number of extramural personnel for whom
questionnaires and data were received.
Occupation categories used to define the intramural workforce include
the standard Federal Government groupings of Professional, Administra-
tive, Technical, Clerical and Other (PATCO). Professional and Adminis-
trative employees are comprised of the following: Senior Executive
Service members; Science and Technical employees in grades GS-16
and above; General Management employees; and General Schedule
employees in professional and administrative management series as
designated by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Commis-
sioned Officers in the Public Health Service on assignment to ORD are
classified in the same occupational specialties as those used for direct
hires. Technical and clerical employees include all General Schedule
employees in OPM-designated clerical and technical series. "Other"
includes Wage Grade employees, experts, and consultants.
15
-------
Offtca of Research and Development
Data concerning the intramural
workforce are shown in Table 2.
The distribution of the workforce in
terms of part-time and full-time
employment is reflected in Table 3.
1
TABLE 2. INTRAMURAL STAFFING BY TYPE OF POSITION
Category Number
Professional 1,254*
1 Administrative 231
Technical 181
: Clerical 223
I Other 18
Total 1,907
Percent
66
12
19
12
1
100
* Includes 57 Public Health Services Commissioned Officers assigned to ORD.
Summary:
Approximately 78 percent of the Intramural workforce occupies
professional or administrative management positions.
A staff of 422, or 22 percent of the workforce, provides clerical and
technical support to the scientific and engineering staff.
Source: ORD Workforce '91, Appendix, Tables I-A, I-B
TABLE 3. SURVEY RESPONDENTS
I
Intramural Workforce
Extramural Workforce
Total
Part-Time
71
281
352
Full-Time
1,836
1,524
3,360
Total
1,907
1,805
3,715!
Percent
51
49
100
Summary:
The intramural resources represent 55 percent of the full-time workforce
and roughly 20 percent of the part-time workforce.
The extramural resources represent 45 percent of the full-time workforce
and 80 percent of the part-time workforce.
In those cases where part-time employees failed to note their weekly
hours worked* their time was computed at .5 workyear, otherwise their
workyears were calculated on the percentage of a year they actually
worked. \
Source: ORD Workforce '91, Appendix, Table I-C
16
-------
ORD Workforce'91
Although the overall workforce is
51 percent intramural and 49
percent extramural, some varia-
tions are present among the many
EPA operating units. Table 4
shows the proportion of intramural
to extramural resources in each
ORD laboratory. Figure 3 deals
with Headquarters Offices and
Figure 4 displays information by
office.
NO-OFFICE
IOAA-HQ
ORPM-HQ
OER-HQ
OTTRS-HQ
OMMSQA-HQ
OEETD-HQ
OEPER-HQ
OHR-HQ
OHEA-HQ
ORD HO TOTAL
Figure 3. Workforce composition (Headquarters Offices).
EPA PERCENT
J EXTRAMURAL PERCENT
OFFICE/LAB
OMMSQA AREAL-RTP
EMSLCINC
EMSL-LV
OEETD AEERP-RTP
RREL-CINC
OEPER ERL-Ada
ERL-Athens
ERL-Corvallis
ERL-Duluth
ERL- GuB Breeze
ERL-Narragansett
OHR HERL-RTP
OHEA ECAO-CINC
ECAO-RTP
EAG
HHAG
LAB TOTALS
Figure 4. Workforce composition (Laboratories).
17
-------
Office of Research and Development
As indicated in Table 4, the
workforce composition varies
significantly throughout ORD's
facilities. Extramural resources
include contract personnel, indi-
viduals conducting research under
cooperative agreements, employ-
ees from other government
agencies working under
Interagency Agreements and
Intergovernmental Personnel
Agreements, Senior Environmental
Employees, and fellowship recipi-
ents. Working with such a variety
of people in each of these groups
requires special management
expertise. In addition, the intramu-
ral workforce consists of individu-
als employed under a wide range
of appointment authorities, requir-
ing a working knowledge of each
of those systems.
i
. .. ,, ..
, ..,-. ..' :.
: ' .
TABLE 4. WORKFORCE COMPOSITION BY LABORATORY . r
Intramural
Personnel
Headquarters IQAA HQ
OEETDHQ
OEPERHQ
OERHQ
OHEAHQ
OHRHQ
OMMSQAHQ
ORPM HQ
OTTRSHQ
Total
OMMSQA AREAL-RTP
EMSL-CINC
EMSL-LV
I
1
OEETD AEERL-RTP
RREL-CINC
OEPER ERL-Ada
ERL-Athens
ERL-Corvallis
ERL-Du!uth
ERL-Gulf Breeze
ERL-Narragansett
OHR HERL-RTP
OHEA ECAO-CINC
ECAO-RTP
EAG
HHAG
ORD Total
Summary:
No.
28
30
32
16
30
14
36
47
77
310
168
116
157
99
261
60
77
73
90
56
82
240
41
29
16
32
1,907
%
66
96
96
72
76
93
83
71
91
83
48
56
30
67
67
45
45
24
44
44
39
52
82
72
91
91
51
Extramural
Personnel
No.
14
1
1
6
9
1
7
19
7
65
181
90
355
48
128
71
93
227
112
70
125
216
9
11
1
3
1,805
%
33
3
3..
27
23:
,6
,16
28
8
17
51
43
69
32
32
54
54
75
55
55
60
47
18
27
5
8
49
ORD
Total
No.
42
31
33
22
39
15
43 ...
66
84
375
349
206
512
147
389
131
170
300
202
126
207
456
50
40
17
35
3,712
%
11
8
9
6
10
4
11
18
22
100
10
6
15
4
12
4
5
9
6
4
6
17
2
1
1
1
100
Headquarters Offices, responsible for program management and policy
development, maintain a higher percentage of Intramural personnel than
the field laboratories.
Laboratories and field offices average 51 percent Intramural to 49 percent
extramural resources, ranging from 100 percent Intramural in the Office of
Health Research to 75 percent extramural at the Environmental Research
Laboratory, Gorvallls, and 69 percent at the Environmental Monitoring
Systems Laboratory, Las Vegas.
i
Source: ORD Workforce '91, Appendix, Tables I-C, I-D, I-E
18
-------
ORD Workforce'91
The complicated nature of the
workforce adds to the flexibility of
ORD site managers, but also
contributes to the complexity of
human resources management
within ORD. Combined with the
special set of challenges associ-
ated with directing a geographi-
cally distant group of facilities,
ORD management needs accurate
and detailed information concern-
ing its workforce to ensure that
sufficient resources are available,
now arid in the future, to carry out
its scientific, engineering, and
support missions.
The remainder of this report
describes key characteristics of the
intramural and onsite extramural
components of the ORD
workforce, including:
academic backgrounds and
fields of study;
compensation for the intramural
workforce;
representation of women and
minorities in the intramural
workforce;
age and retirement eligibility
statistics;
the workload distribution;
the nature of the science and
engineering workforce; and
the characteristics of those
individuals in the intramural
workforce who are responsible
for extramural management.
19
-------
-------
ORD Workforce'91
Section 4
Characteristics of the ORD Workforce
Education Levels
In light of the leadership role of
ORD in scientific and technical
aspects of environmental analysis,
the educational characteristics of
the overall ORD workforce are of
particular significance. Table 5
and Figure 5 provide an overview
of the education levels reported by
the ORD workforce.
As indicated in Table 5, ORD has
a highly educated workforce.
Overall, 69 percent of the ORD
workforce has earned at least a
4-year degree.
In comparison with the available
education statistics concerning the
EPA workforce and the Federal
Service, both components of the
ORD workforce reflect substan-
tially higher levels of formal
education (Table 6). The percent-
ages of individuals with doctoral
degrees were considerably higher
in the ORD workforce.
This section provides information about key characteristics of the ORD
workforce. The combined intramural and extramural ORD workforce is
depicted with regard to education level and academic disciplines. The
intramural workforce is characterized by grade level-compensation, race,
gender, retirement eligibility, and years of Federal service. This informa-
tion may be useful in identifying significant strengths or weaknesses in the
workforce in relation to future research requirements.
TABLE 5. EDUCATION LEVELS
No Degree/
PhDs Masters Bachelors Other No Response Total
No. %
Intramural 545 70
% of Intramural 29
Extramural 233 30
% of Extramural 13
No. %
.445 56
23
347 44
19
No. %
434 43
23
560 57
31
No. %
65 37
3
113 63
6
No. %
418 43
22
552 57
31
No. %
1907 51
100
1805 49
100
Total 778 100 792 100 994 100 178 100 970 100 3712 100
%OfTotaI 21 21 27 5 26 100
Summary:
Approximately 75 percent of the intramural and 63 percent of the
extramural workforce has bachelors, masters or doctoral degrees.
PhDs represent 29 percent of the intramural and 13 percent of the
extramural workforce; overall, 21 percent of the ORD workforce has a
doctoral degree.
The intramural workforce has 70 percent of the PhDs and 5@ percent of
the masters degrees.
Source: ORD Workforce '91, Appendix, Table II-A
Degree Type
Intramural Personnel
Extramural Personnel
ORD Total
Figure 5. Education levels.
21
-------
Office of Research and Development
Academic Disciplines
Detailed information concerning
the academic disciplines of the
ORD workforce was collected
using a list of 750 specific fields of
study. This information can be
useful at the individual laboratory
and office levels to identify the
availability of individuals with
specific academic backgrounds to
support existing and planned
research programs. In addition,
the data can assist ORD managers
in Identifying possible recruiting
and assistance objectives. Major
fields of study identified by mem-
bers of the intramural and extra-
mural workforce are summarized
in Table 7.
In general, the areas of academic
specialization reflected by extra-
mural personnel tend to mirror
those of ORD intramural staff.
Data collected during the
workforce study included specific
academic disciplines and areas of
specialization which will be made
available to ORD management for.
resource planning and response to
existing requirements. For ex-
ample, within the intramural
workforce, over 30 individuals
identified'their academic disci-
plines within "Analytical Chemis-
try." Over 140 areas of specializa-
tion were identified by these
individuals, including: electroana-
lytlcal analyses of water for trace
metals; optical spectroscopy with
Inductively coupled plasma source;
gas chromatography/mass spec-
trometry of environmental pollut-
ants; and aerosol chemistry and
physics.
TABLE 6. COMPARISION OF EDUCATION LEVELS - ORD-EPA-FEDERAL
SERVICE
; PERCENTAGE OF THE WORKFORCE POPULATION
ORD*
PhD
Masters
Bachelor
Other
Intramural
29
23
23
25
Extramural
13
19
31
37
Total
21
21
27
31
EPA**
7
23
32
38
Federal Service**
32t
68
Total
100
100
100
100
100
Summary:
Approximately 69 percent of the ORD workforce has a 4-year degree or
more compared to the Agency's 62 percent and the Federal Service's 32
percent.
Slightly more than one-fifth of the ORD workforce has doctoral degrees
compared to the Agency's 7 percent.
Sources: * ORD Workforce '91, Appendix, Table II-A
** OHRM Report, "EPA Workforce Snapshots", December 1989
t Includes Bachelors, Masters, and PhD Degrees
TABLE 7. ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES
ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES FOR HIGHEST DEGREE LISTED
Intramural Extramural ORD
Personnel Personnel Total
No! % No. % No. %
Academic Discipline
Chemistry
Engineering
Earth Sciences
Life Sciences I
Math/Physics ;
Other and No Response
255
287
72
622
61
610
13
15
4
33
3
32
175
168
137
487
74
764
"10
9
8
27
4
42
430
455
209
1.T09
135
1,374
11
12
6
30
4
37
Total
1,907 100
1,805 100
3,712 100
Summary:
Approximately 62 percent of the workforce has completed studies in
engineering fields and the sciences.
The intramural and extramural percentages lor each major Held of study
are relatively similar.
Individuals, who have studied life sciences, constitute roughly 30 percent
of the ORD workforce.
Source: ORD Workforce '91, Appendix, Table II-B
22
-------
ORD Workforce '91
Grade Structure And
Compensation
Workforce compensation issues
are a key concern for management
in its ongoing efforts to recruit,
train, and retain a highly skilled,
scientific and engineering
workforce. Data comparing the
salary levels of the intramural
workforce in relation to education
levels are shown in Table 8.
Because insufficient data were
provided by extramural personnel,
it is not possible to compare
compensation of the intramural
and extramural personnel for
similar levels of academic prepara-
tion and types of activity.
TABLE 8. GRADE DISTRIBUTION BY EDUCATION
INTRAMURAL PERSONNEL ONLY
Grade
Education
PhDs
Graduate Engineers
Masters
Bachelors
Other
None Reported
Total
Percentage of Workforce
Under 12
13
10
66
167
56
367
679
36
12-13
224
73
129
178
5
42
651
34
14-15
213
77
97
82
3
9
481
25
Over 15
1
1
1
0
0
0
3
<1
PHS
12
22
20
3
0
0
57
3
SES
15
4
10
3
1
0
33
2
Total
478
187
323
433
65
418
1,904*
100
* Total number should be 1,907; three employees have invalid grades in the database.
tion levels seem proportional to
educational achievements within
the intramural workforce. The
numbers of individuals with
advanced degrees in the "below
Grade 12" levels indicate that there
may be some difficulty recruiting or
retaining individuals with doctoral
or graduate engineering degrees
at below the Grade 12 level.
Summary:
Approximately 97 percent of the individuals with doctoral degrees are in
the GS/GM12 through 15 grades, representing an annual salary range of
$37.3Kto $80.1 K.
Roughly 95 percent of the graduate engineers (PhDs or Masters in
Engineering) are in the grade/salary range of GS/GM 12 through SES.
Approximately 50 percent of the PhDs are grade 13 or below; 44 percent
of the graduate engineers are grade 13 or below.
Approximately 62 percent of the individuals in grades 12 and below
(annual salary range of $11K to $48K) have no format degree.
Source: ORD Workforce '91, Appendix, Table II-C
23
-------
Office of Research and Development
Race - Gender
Federal managers are responsible
for ensuring that historically under-
represented groups receive equal
opportunity for employment within
the government. Recent studies
indicate that women and minorities
are under-represented groups
within the sciences and engineer-
ing. ORD management has an
expressed goal of identifying
opportunities for hiring women and
minorities in the ORD scientific and
engineering workforce.
Tables 9 and 10 and Figure 6
present the race-gender distribu-
tion of the intramural workforce by
appointment authority and educa-
tion level
TABLE 9. WORKFORCE COMPOSITION BY RACE, GENDIER, AND
APPOINTMENT AUTHORITY
I
Male
Professional
Administrative
Technical
Clerical
Other
Total
Percent
White
961
89
78
8
10
1,146
60
Minority
80
10
12
5
2
109
6
Intramural Personnel
Female Total
White
178
109
70
152
5
514
27
Minority Workforce
35
23
21
58
1
138
7
1254
231
181
223
18
1,907
100
Total
Female
213
132
91
210
6
652
34
Minority
115
33
33
63
3
247
13
Summary:
Men represent roughly two-thirds of the workforce; 82 percent are in the
professional occupations and 8 percent are in administrative
management.
Women represent one-third of the workforce; 33 percent of the women are
in professional occupations and 20 percent are in administration. Of the
women employed by ORD, 32 percent are in clerical occupations.
Minorities represent approximately 13 percent of the workforce; 47
percent are in professional occupations and 13 percent are in
administration. Approximately one-third of the minorities employed by
ORD are in clerical occupations.
Of the professional positions available, 83 percent are occupied by males,
17 percent by females. Minorities represent 9 percent of the professional
positions.
Source: ORD Workforce '91, Appendix, Table II-D
DEGREETYPE
White Male
Minority Male
White Female
Minority Female
ORD Total
Figure 6. Workforce composition by gender, race, and education.
24
-------
ORD Workforce'91
Minorities represent approximately
13 percent (6 percent male; 7
percent female) of the ORD
intramural workforce compared to
25 percent (7 percent male; 18
percent female) for the EPA
workforce as a whole. Forty-seven
percent of the minority personnel
are in professional positions.
Women represent approximately
34 percent of the ORD workforce,
compared to 48 percent for the
total EPA workforce and 42
percent government-wide. Thirty-
three percent of women employ-
ees within ORD are in professional
positions. EPA statistics indicate
that women and minorities make
up roughly one-third of the profes-
sional scientific and engineering
workforce. In ORD, women and
minorities represent 21 percent of
the professional scientific and
engineering workforce.
TABLE 10. WORKFORCE COMPOSITION BY RACE, GENDER, AND
EDUCATION
Intramural Personnel
PhDs*
Graduate Engineers**
Masters!
Bachelors
Other
Total
Percent
Mi
White
381
154
239
268
104
1,146
60
He
Minority
24
19
16
29
21
109
6
Fi!
White
63
13
65
102
271
514
27
Tiale
Minority
11
1
4
35
87
138
7
Total
Workforce
479
187
324
434
483
1,907
100
Total
Female
74
14
69
137
358
652
34
Minority
35
20
20
64
108
247
13
* PhDs in other than engineering disciplines.
** PhDs or masters in engineering.
t Masters in other than engineering disciplines.
Summary:
Men represent roughly two-thirds of the ORD workforce; approximately
66 percent have advanced degrees.
Women represent one-third of the ORD workforce; approximately 20
percent have advanced degrees.
Minorities represent 13 percent of the ORD workforce; approximately
30 percent have advanced degrees.
According to OPM publication Federal Civilian Workforce Statistics 1987
and OHRM's EPA Workforce Snapshots, December, 1989, women and
minorities represent 49 percent of the Agency's workforce, and over 42
percent of the Federal workforce.
Source: ORD Workforce '91, Appendix, Table ll-E
25
-------
Office of Research and Development
Table 11 and Figure 7 present
Information concerning the grade
structure of the ORD intramural
workforce.
As indicated in Tables 10 and 11,
the grade structure within the ORD
intramural workforce roughly
parallels the education levels, e.g.
approximately 23 percent of the
women have advanced degrees
and approximately 30 percent of
the women are in paygrades 12
and above.
TABLE 11. GRADE STRUCTURE BY RACE AND GENDER
f
Intramural Personnel
Male
Grade
Under 12
12-13
14-15
Over 15
PHS
SES
Other
Total
Percent of Total
White
188
468
400
3
55
30
2
1,146
60
Minority
41
40
27
0
1
0
0
109
6
Female
White
339
123
48
0
1
2
1
514
27
Minority
111
20
6
0
0
0
1
138
7
Total
Workfoniie
679
651
481
3
57
32
4
1,907
100
Total
Female
450
143
54
0
1
2
2
652
34
Total
Minority
152
60
33
0
1
0
1
247
13
Summary:
Approximately 82 percent of the men are in paygrades 12 and above.
Approximately 31 percent of the women are in paygrades 12 and above.
Approximately 38 percent of the minorities are in payg,rades 12 and
above.
Source: ORD Workforce '91, Appendix, Table II-F
RACE/GENDER*
White Male
Minority Male
White Female
Minortity Female
ORD Total
* Categories of 1 percent or less of the total are not represented on this chart.
Figure 7. Workforce grade structure by gender/race.
26
-------
OBD Workforce'91
Retirement Eligibility
The turnover rate in the workforce
is a significant factor in evaluating
an organization's capacity for long-
term performance and in designing
recruitment, training, and develop-
ment plans. ORDhasalow
turnover rate; in Fiscal Year 1989 it
was approximately 5 percent.
According to OHRM's EPA
Workforce Snapshots, December
19891, ORD experienced a 1
percent actual loss of personnel
due to retirement in FY 1988;
OHRM also indicates that the
Agency's retirement eligibility rate
parallels ORD at 5 percent.
Projected retirement eligibility rates
for groups of individuals with
specific skills can provide manage-
ment with the information it needs
to respond effectively to changing
missions. Tables 12 and 13 display
retirement eligibility data for the
ORD intramural workforce by
education level and area of
academic specialization.
As indicated in Table 12, the next
six years represent some potential
for a gradual change in the compo-
sition of the ORD workforce. ORD
senior managers plan to assess
laboratory and mission-specific
information to determine the
strategic impact of projected
retirement eligibility on its mission.
TABLE 12. RETIREMENT ELIGIBILITY BY DEGREE
Intramural Personnel
Cumulative
Retirement Eligibility* During Fiscal Year Retirement
Highest 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 Eligibility
Workforce No. % No.% No.% No.% No.% No.% Jto,
PhDs"
Graduate Engrst
Masters^
Bachelors
Other
Total
Percent
479
187
324
434
483
1,907*
44
38
47
68
58
255
13
11
g
6
15
8
49
3
10
3
9
17
12
51
3
13
6
11
12
23
65
3
12
8
8
16
19
63
3
12
4
7
17
19
59
3
102
68
88
145
139
542
21
36
27
33
29
28
* Retirement Eligibility based on OPM criteria:
Age Minimum Years of Service
55 or over 30
60 or over 20
62 or over 5
** PhDs in other than engineering disciplines.
t PhDs or masters in engineering.
tf Masters in other than engineering disciplines.
Summary:
AsofFY 1992, roughly 16 percent of the ORD workforce will be eligible lor
retirement. This includes roughly 255 individuals who were eligible for
retirement prior to 1991.
By 1986,36 percent of the graduate engineers in the workforce will be
eligible for retirement; roughly 3 percent of those become retirement
eligible in 1995.
By 1996,33 percent of individuals with bachelors degrees will become
retirement eligible.
Source: ORD Workforce '91, Appendix, Table II-M
1 For readers interested in these and other data about the EPA workforce, the document "EPA WORKFORCE SNAPSHOTS,
What Does EPA's Workforce Look Like?", December 1989, contains much information on the Agency's human resources
for FY '89. This document is produced by and available from the EPA Office of Human Resources Management.
27
-------
Offlc* of Research and Development
Table 13 identifies the retirement
eligible population by academic
discipline. Table 14 identifies the
retirement eligibility of intramural
scientists and graduate engineers.
Approximately 541 positions could
become vacant due to voluntary
retirement eligibility over the next
5 years, representing a potential
turnover of 28 percent of the
current 1 ,907 intramural employ-
ees. Approximately 50 percent of
these positions are presently
scientist/engineer positions.
Because of the considerable
increase in the Senior Executive
Service (SES) pay scale, which
went into effect in FY 1 991 , ORD
SES employees may retire in
larger numbers beginning in FY
1994. Few of the 31 SES employ-
ees are expected to retire in FY
'91 , '92, or '93 because of the
formula for calculating retirement
benefits for Federal Government
employees.
.
' '
" ' '
TABLE 13. RETIREMENT ELIGIBILITY BY ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE
Retirement Eligibility* In Fiscal Year
Academic
Discipline
Chemistry
Earth Sciences
Engineering
Life Sciences
Mathematics
Physics
Social Science
Space Science
Other
Total
Percent
Workforce
255
72
i 287
622
33
28
59
; 1
550
1,907
1991
No. %
54
g
59
56
5
4
4
1
63
255
13
1992
NO.%
7
2
14
17
0
1
0
0
7
48
3
1993
No.%
13
2
5
17
0
1
1
0
12
51
3
1994
No.%
17
2 ::
10
12
1
1
1
0
21
65
3
1995
No.%
10
1
14
14
2
2
3
0
17
63
3
1996
Mo.%
10
2
7
16
3
:, 0
1
0
20
59
3
Cumulative
Retirement
Eligibility
Na
111
18
109
132
11
9
10
1
140
541
ฐA
44
25
38
21
33
32
. 17
100
25
28
* Retirement Eligibility based on OPM criteria:
Age Minimum Years of Service
55 or over
60 or over
62 or over
Summary:
30
20
5
Approximately 39 percent of the intramural chemists, earth scientists,
engineers and physicists will be eligible lor retirement within the next 6
In the publication "EPA Workforce
Snapshots, What Does the EPA
Workforce Look Like?", December
1989,5 percent of all EPA employ-
ees were eligible for voluntary
retirement; 11 percent were
eligible government-wide.
years. This equates to 249 potential position vacancies.
Approximately 26 percent of the individuals with academic backgrounds In
other than science and engineering disciplines will be eligible for retirement
within the next 5 years. This equates to 141 potential position vacancies.
Source: ORD Workforce '91, Appendix, Table ll-N
TABLE 14. RETIREMENT ELIGIBILITY OF PhDs IN THE SCIENCES AND
GRADUATE ENGINEERS .
. . , Cumulative
Retirement Eligibility in Rscal Year Retirement
Academic 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 Eligibility
Discipline Workforce No. % No.% No.% No.% No.% pto.% No., %_
Sciences
Chemistry 255 18 2 2 4 2 2 30 12
Earth Sciences 72 1 0 0 1 0 0 23
Life Sciences 622 20 8 8 7 8 9 60 10
Mathematics 33 0 0 0 0 0 1 13
Physics 29 0 0 0 1 0 0 13
Graduate Engineers
Engineering [ 187 38 9 3 6 8 4 68 36
Total lil9877~~19 li19 18 16 162
Percent 621221 14
Source: ORD Workforce '91, Appendix, Table II-O
\
28
-------
ORD Workforce'91
Age and Years of Federal
Service
Although the projected retirement
eligibility figures are predictable,
many factors affect employees'
decisions to retire. ORD managers
will evaluate this information
concerning the age and years of
federal service within the workforce
to determine the potential impact on
ORD staff related to any changes
that might occur in the retirement
system.
Table 15 shows the age distribution
of the ORD intramural workforce.
The data indicate that ORD is an
experienced workforce. Figures for
the total EPA workforce show the
average age of the EPA employee
to be 39, as compared to 42 for
ORD and the Federal Government
overall. Table 16 shows the years
of federal service present within
ORD, identifying the years of
federal service within the scientific
and engineering workforce.
Overall, ORD has a relatively stable
intramural workforce. Specific
information concerning occupa-
tional skills in relation to years of
federal seivice and experience will
be evaluated by ORD managers in
developing strategies to meet future
research requirements. The
average number of years of service
in EPA is 8 years, and the average
years of service of EPA employees
in the Federal Government is 12
years. Government-wide, the
average years of federal service is
13 years.
TABLE 15. AGE DISTRIBUTION
Age Interval
Under 26
26-30
31 -35
36-40
41 - 45
46-50
51 -55
Over 55
Intramural Personnel
Number of Individuals
42
83
131
247
362
396
330
316
Percentage of Workforce
2
4
7
13
19
21
17
17
Total
1,907
100
Summary:
13 percent of the Intramural workforce is age 35 or below.
Approximately 40 percent of the workforce is between ages 40 and 50;
approximately 17 percent of the workforce is currently over the age of 55.
Source: ORD Workforce '91, Appendix, Table ll-l
TABLE 16. YEARS OF FEDERAL SERVICE
Intramural Personnel
Years of Federal Service
Education
Under5 5-9 10-14 15-19 20-25 Over25 TOTAL
PhDs Scientists*
Graduate Engineers'*
Masters
Bachelors
Associates
Other
68
26
35
50
2
40
94
19
44
33
4
27
90
20
49
46
9
56
85
31
56
57
9
68
90
46
68
111
14
121
52
45
72
137
24
109
479
187
324
434
62
421
Total
221
221
270
306
450 439 1,907
* PhDs in chemistry, earth sciences, life sciences, matfiemafrcs, and physics.
" PhDs or masters In engineering.
Summary:
Approximately 23 percent of the intramural workforce has less than 10
years of federal seivice; approximately 31 percent of the intramural
scientific and engineering workforce has less than 10 years of federal
service.
Approximately 30 percent of the intramural workforce has between 10 and
20 years of service compared to 31 percent of the scientific and
engineering workforce.
Approximately 41 percent of the intramural workforce has more than 20
years of federal service compared to 35 percent of the scientific and
engineering workforce.
Source: ORD Workforce '91, Appendix, Tables II-J, II-K
29
-------
-------
ORD Workforce'91
Section 5
Work Activity Distribution
To assess the degree of success in managing human resources, it is
important to understand the functions that the workforce performs in
support of the overall mission of the organization. The ORD Workforce
survey questionnaire asked each intramural and extramural employee to
review his work activity and classify it in terms of major function, identify-
ing the percentage of time dedicated to each function. These functions
include Management, Science and Engineering, Technical Support to
Science, and Administration.
Tables 17 through 20 list each of the activities identified in the question-
naires distributed to the intramural and extramural workforce and the
workyears reported in support of each of the activities. The tables contain
the workyears reported in support of each of the activities by total
workforce, headquarters, and laboratory personnel. Tables 17 and 18
show the activity distribution of the intramural workforce. Summaries of
the activity definitions by function follow Tables 18 (intramural) and 20
(extramural).
Definitions were provided to assist respondents in properly identifying the
nature of their work activity. For example, the majority of headquarters
staff reported their time in support of the activities listed within the man-
agement function; the majority of the scientists and graduate engineers
reported their time in support of the activities listed within the science and
engineering function. Note that the design of the questionnaires allowed
each individual to report management and support activities related to a
specific function (Management, Policy Development and Program Plan-
ning; Science and Engineering; Technical Support to Science; and
Administrative) within that category. For example, a supervisory scientist
within a laboratory reports all work activity within the Science and Engi-
neering category, including bench science activity, technical assistance,
and the performance of general management responsibilities as the
branch supervisor.
The survey questionnaire also allowed respondents to indicate if they
spent their time in more than one category, and how much of the time was
spent in each. By assuming that a full-time employee represents one
workyear, conclusions can be reached about how many workyears are
spent on each of the categories. Some tables count the number of
responses instead of the number of people responding; in these cases the
number of responses exceed, for example, the 1,907 intramural employ-
ees. Other tables count the number of people responding, so that the total
number equals the 1,907 intramural personnel.
The overall pattern reflected in this section suggests an integrated,
mutually supportive workforce. Both intramural and extramural personnel
contribute significantly to the science and engineering activities within
ORD. The extramural workforce contributes proportionately more time to
the technical support of science, while the intramural group contributes
more effort in the policy and planning area. Both intramural and extramu-
ral resources contribute significantly to the performance of all activities.
31
-------
Office of Research and Development
Intramural Workforce
Summary observations on the activity distribution within the intramural
workforce are as follows:
The total intramural workforce spends the majority of its time in
support of science-related activities (62 percent).
Laboratory workyears represent 84 percent of the workyears reported;
71 percent of the Laboratory activity is within science-related
activities; ;
9 percent of the Laboratory activity is in overall management and
policy development and program planning;
20 percent of the Laboratory activity is administrative support.
Headquarters workyears represent the remaining 16 percent of the
intramural workforce;
49 percent of the Headquarters activity is in management and
policy development and program planning;
40 percent of the Headquarters activity is dedicated to performing
administrative functions;
Science activities reported by Headquarters personnel are primarily
limited to Technology Transfer and Technical Assistance tasks.
INTRAMURAL WORKFORCE .
ACTIVITY DISTRIBUTION
SUPPLEMENTAL DEFINITIONS
FOR TABLES 17 AND 18
The following supplemental
definitions are provided to assist
the reader in the interpretation of
Tables 17 and 18. To avoid
repetition, definitions that are
common to each of the four
functions are not repeated after
their initial definition.
1. MANAGEMENT, POLICY
DEVELOPMENT AND
PROGRAM PLANNING:
This function applies primarily to
EPA personnel who plan, develop,
analyze, and review ORD policies,
programs and procedures and
provide technical review and
guidance. It includes Office
Directors, Laboratory Directors,
Headquarters Scientists and
Engineers, and Policy and Pro-
gram Analysts.
Research Management - Those
activities related to technical
program initiation, strategic focus,
and senior management oversight.
General Management
Responsibilities; - Ongoing
nontechnical management activity,
including supervision, performance
evaluations, administrative
requirements and other executive
responsibilities.
Science Policy/Program Devel-
opment and Technical Evalua-
tion - Technical program develop-
ment and evaluation activities
related to ORD's scientific and
regulatory mission support
functions.
Program Planning and Opera-
tions - Nontechnical activities
concerning research and resource
issues, data analysis, manage-
ment evaluation, and accountabil-
ity. Activity in this category
provides support to the Congres-
sional budget process and ORD's
research committees.
32
-------
ORO Workforce '91
Extramural Management - Techni-
cal and administrative activities
associated with the management of
contracts, grants, cooperative, and
interagency agreements.
Technology Transfer - Technical
activities that provide direct support
to the development and dissemina-
tion of scientific information to
potential users.- This does not
include technical document editing
or production.
Technical Assistance - Technical
activities in response to client (EPA
Program/Regional Offices, Federal/
State Agencies or Foreign Govern-
ments) requests for program or
project support.
2. SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING:
This function applies primarily to
Laboratory Scientists and Engi-
neers who plan, develop, and
implement science projects.
Science and Engineering Man-
agement - Technical supervisory
project management, oversight,
direction, and quality assurance
planning.
Bench Science/Engineering/
Modeling - "Hands-on" experimen-
tal project design, implementation,
and analyses. This includes
developmental ADP support
activities.
Scientific Analysis and Interpre-
tation - Analysis and interpretation
of scientific data, such as OHEA's
scientific assessment activities, for
the purposes of drafting environ-
mental protection regulations.
These activities include analysis,
synthesis, and interpretation of
scientific information and the
technical preparation of scientific
documents.
Technology Transfer - Technical
activities that provide direct support
to the development and dissemina-
tion of scientific information to
potential users. This may include
the preparation of technical docu-
ment editing or production.
TABLE 17. FUNCTIONS AND ACTIVITIES REPORTED BY THE TOTAL
INTRAMURAL WORKFORCE
Wortcyears %
Management, Policy Development and Program Planning Functions
Research Management
General Management Responsibilities
Science Policy/Program Development and Technical Evaluation
Program Planning and Operations
Extramural Management
Technical Oversight and Project Direction
Administrative Tasks
Technology Transfer
Technical Assistance
Other
Subtotal
Science and Engineering Functions
Science and Engineering Management
General Management Responsibilities
Bench Science, Engineering, Modeling
Scientific Analysis and Interpretation
Extramural Management
Technical Oversight and Project Direction
Administrative Tasks
Technology Transfer
Technical Assistance
Quality Assurance
Other
Subtotal
Technical Support to Science Functions
Support to Bench Science and Engineering
General Management Responsibilities
Support to Technology Transfer
Support to Technical Assistance
Support to Scientific Analysis and Interpretation
Extramural Management
Technical Oversight and Project Direction
Administrative Tasks
Quality Assurance
Other
Subtotal
Administrative Functions
General Management Responsibilities
Administrative Support Functions
Facilities Planning and Maintenance
ADP Support
Fiscal Management, Budgeting and Accounting
Document Production
Secretarial/Clerical Support
Personnel Support
Health and Safety and Environmental Compliance
Supplies
General Administrative Support
Extramural Management
Technical Oversight and Project Direction
Administrative Tasks
Other
Subtotal
38
52
60
61
34
(21)
(13)
19
21
7
292
141
70
309
70
180
(116)
(64)
59
92
17
16
954
125
7
6
6
4
17
(10)
(7)
19
14
198
22
345
(24)
(18)
(55)
(36)
(127)
(24)
(12)
(12)
(37)
24
(7)
(17)
25
416
2
3
3
3
2
(1)
(1)
1
1
<1
15
8
4
17
4
10
(6)
(3)
3
5
1
1
53
7
<1
0
0
0
1
(<1)
(<1)
1
1
10
1
19
(D
0)
(3)
(2)
(7)
d)
(1)
(D
(2)
1
(
-------
Offlca of Research and Development
Technical Assistance - Technical
activities in response to client [EPA
Program/Regional Offices, Fed-
eral/State Agencies or Foreign '
Governments] requests for pro-
gram or project support.
Quality Assurance - Planning,
development, and Implementing
science and engineering research
projects focused primarily on
quality assurance, as well as time
spent on these activities for all
scientific projects.
3. TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO
SCIENCE:
This function applies primarily to
Laboratory Technicians who
support the implementation of
science projects.
Support to Bench Science/
Engineering -Technical support
to "hands-on" experimental project
design, implementation, and
analyses. This includes opera-
tional ADP support activities.
Support to Scientific Analysis
and Interpretation, Technology
Transfer, Technical Assistance,
and Quality Assurance - These
activities support the six sub-
categories of activity described in
part 2, above.
4. ADMINISTRATIVE:
This activity includes all ORD
administrative overhead activities
supporting the operational require-
ments of headquarters and labora-
tories. ADP and extramural
management support categories
provide direct support to adminis- ,
trative activity, not research related
activities. The "supplies" catego-
ries designed to include all,
workloads associated with main-
taining physical custody of office
and laboratory supplies, including
the distribution of supplies. The
categories within this function are
self-explanatory and do not require
further definition.
TABLE 18. FUNCTIONS AND ACTIVITIES REPORTED BY THE INTRA-
MURAL WORKFORCE - HEADQUARTERS/LABORATORIES
Heat-quarters Laboratories
Wtyr % Wkyr %
Management, Policy Development and Program Planning Functions
Research Management
General Management Responsibilities
Science Policy/Program Development and Technical Evaluation
Program Planning and Operations
Extramural Management
Technical Oversight and Project Direction
Administrative Tasks
Technology Transfer
Technical Assistance
Other
Subtotal
Science and Engineering Functions
Science and Engineering Management
General Management Responsibilities
Bench Science, Engineering, Modeling
Extramural Management
Technical Oversight and Project Direction
Administrative Tasks
Technology Trahsfer
Technical Assis|ance
Quality Assurance
Scientific Analysis and Interpretation*
Other
Subtotal
Technical Support to Science Functions
: Support to Bench Science and Engineering
General Management Responsibilities
Extramural Management
Technical Oversight and Project Direction
Administrative Tasks
Quality Assurance
Other
Subtotal
Administrative Functions
General Management Responsibilities
Administrative Support Functions
Facilities Planning and Maintenance
ADP Support
Fiscal Management, Budgeting and Accounting
Document Production
Secretarial/Clerical Support
Personnel Support
Health and Safety and Environmental Compliance
Supplies
"" General Administrative Support
Extramural Management
Technical Oversight and Project Direction
Administrative Tasks
, Other
Subtotal
11
22
35
39
16
(10)
(6)
10
9
6
147
2
1
1
4
(3)
(1)
8
5
4
<1
26
<1
1
2
(1)
(1)
2
0
4
7
95
(2)
(5)
(18)
(14)
(34)
(8)
.(2)
(3)
(10)
8
(3)
(5)
7
117
4
8
12
13
5
(3)
(2)
3
3
2
50
1
<1
<1
1
(1)
(<1)
3
2
1
<1
9
<1
<1
1
(<1)
(<1)
1
0
1
2
32
(D
(2)
(6)
(5)
(12)
(3)
(D
(1)
(3)
3
0)
(2)
2
40
27
30
25
22
19
(11)
(8)
10
13
2
148
139
68
308
185
(122)
(63)
51
87
16
66
16
936
124
7
16
(10)
(6)
17
17
181
15
250
(22)
(14)
(37)
(23)
(93)
(17)
(10)
(10)
(26)
17
(5)
(12)
18
300
2
2
2
1
1
(1)
(<1)
1
1
<)
9
9
4
20
12
(8)
(4)
3
6
1
4
1
60
8
<1
1
(1)
(<1)
1
1
12
1
16
(D
(1)
(2)
(1)
(6)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(2)
1
(1)
1
19
Total*
293 100 11,565 100
*Does not match Table 17 total of 1,860 due to rounding.
34
-------
ORD Workforce '91
EXTRAMURAL WORKFORCE
ACTIVITY DISTRIBUTION
SUPPLEMENTAL DEFINITIONS
FOR TABLES 19 AND 20
The following supplemental
definitions are provided to assist
the reader in the interpretation of
Tables 19 and 20. To avoid
repetition, definitions that are
common to each of the four
functions are not repeated after
their initial definition.
1. SUPPORT TO MANAGEMENT,
POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND
PROGRAM PLANNING:
This function applies primarily to
EXTRAMURAL personnel who
support the planning, develop-
ment, analyses, and review of
ORD's policies, programs, and
procedures. It includes headquar-
ters and laboratory Scientists and
Engineers and Policy and Program
and Systems Analysts.
Management Consulting -
Support to technical program
initiation, development, and
management evaluation.
ADP Support - Support to MIS
development and technical pro-
gram development of environmen-
tal data systems.
General Management Responsi-
bilities - Ongoing nontechnical
management activity including:
supervision, performance evalua-
tions, administrative requirements,
and other executive responsibili-
ties.
Technology Transfer - Technical
activities that provide direct
support to the development and
dissemination of scientific informa-
tion to potential users. This does
not include technical document
editing or production.
Technical Assistance - Technical
activities that support response to
client (EPA Program/Regional
Offices, Federal/State Agencies or
Foreign Governments) request for
program or project support.
TABLE 19. FUNCTIONS AND ACTIVITIES REPORTED BY THE TOTAL ORD
EXTRAMURAL WORKFORCE
Support to Management, Policy Development
and Program Planning Functions
Management Consulting
ADP Support
General Management Responsibilities
Technology Transfer
Technical Assistance
Other
Science
Science Management
General Management Responsibilities
Bench Science, Engineering, Modeling
Scientific Analysis and Interpretation
Technology Transfer
Technical Assistance
Quality Assurance
Other
Subtotal
Subtotal
Technical Support to Science Functions
Support to Bench Science and Engineering
Quality Assurance
General Management Responsibilities
Support to Technology Transfer
Support to Technical Assistance
Support to Scientific Analysis and Interpretation
Other
Subtotal
Administrative Functions
Administrative Support Functions
Facilities Planning and Maintenance
ADP Support
Accounting
Document Production
Clerical Support
Personnel Support
Health and Safety and Environmental Compliance
Supplies .
General Management Responsibilities
Other
Subtotal
Workvears
10
11
6
4
10
3
44
47
30
245
144
43
47
74
7
637
308
43
29
55
77
87
15
614
329
(48)
(66)
(15)
(47)
(120)
(10)
(8)
(10)
13
33
375
ฐA
3
2
15
9
3
3
4
<1
38
18
3
2
3
5
5
1
37
20
(3)
(4)
(1)
(3)
(7)
(1)
(<1)
0)
1
2
22
Total
1,670*
100
* Extramural Workforce = 1,805; less 133 workyears adjustment for part-time employees,
calculated by using the number of hours provided on the questionnaires; total = 1,670
extramural workyears.
Source: ORD Workforce '91, Appendix, Tables IH-F, G, H, I
35
-------
Off Ico of Research and Development
2. SCIENCE:
This function applies primarily to
Extramural Laboratory Scientists
and Engineers who develop and
Implement science projects.
Science and Engineering Man-
agement - Technical supervisory
project management, oversight,
direction, and quality assurance
planning.
Bench Science/Engineering/
Modeling - "Hands-on" experi-
mental project design, Implementa-
tion, and analyses. This Includes
project developmental ADP
support activities.
3. TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO
SCIENCE:
This function applies primarily to
Extramural Laboratory Technicians
who support the Implementation of
science projects.
Support to Bench Science/
Engineering - Technical support
to "hands-on" experimental project
design, Implementation, and
analyses.
Quality Assurance - Technical
activities associated with the
Implementation of quality assur-
ance plans.
4. ADMINISTRATIVE:
The function Includes administra-
tive overhead activities supporting
the operational requirements of
headquarters and laboratories.
This does not Include offslte
extramural genera! and administra-
tive personnel who support the on-
stte extramural workforce. The
ADP support category provides
direct support to administrative
activity, not research related
activities. The "supplies" category
Is designed to Include all
workloads associated with main-
taining physical custody of office
and laboratory supplies, including
distribution of the supplies. The
categories within this function are
self explanatory and not require
further definition.
TABLE 20. FUNCTIONS AND ACTIVITIES REPORTED BY THE EXTRA-
MURAL WORKFORCE- HEADQUARTERS/LABORATORIES
Support to Management, Policy Development
and Program Planning Functions
Management Consulting
ADP Support
General Management Responsibilities
Technology transfer
Technical Assistance
Headquarters laboratories
Wkyr % Wkyr %
1 2
0 0
Total
* Does not match Table 19 totals due to rounding.
9
11
6
4
10
1
1
<1
<1
1
Other
Subtotal
Science and Engineering Functions
Science Management
General Management Responsibilities
Bench Science, Engineering, Modeling
Scientific Analysis and Interpretation
Technology Transfer
Technical Assistance
Quality Assurance
Other !
Subtotal
Technical Support to Science Functions
Support to Technology Transfer
Support to Technical Assistance '
Support to Scientific Analysis and Interpretation
Support to Bench Science/Engineering
Quality Assurance
General Management Responsibilities
Other '
Subtotal
Administrative Functions
Administrative) Support Functions
Facilities Planning/Maintenance
ADP Support
Accounting
Document Production
Clerical Support
Personnel Support
Health and Safety/Environmental Compliance
Supplies |
General Management Responsibilities
Other ;
Subtotal
0
2
0
0
0
<1
<1
0
0
0
-------
ORD Workforce'91
Extramural Workforce
Summary observations concerning
the workload distribution within the
extramural workforce are as
follows:
The majority of the total extra-
mural workforce reported
science-related activities (75
percent);
Laboratory work/ears represent
96 percent of the extramural
workyears reported;
78 percent of the Laboratory
workyears reported support
science-related activities;
20 percent of the Laboratory
workyears reported support
administrative activities;
Headquarters workyears
represent the remaining 4
percent of extramural workyears
reported;
91 percent of the Headquar-
ters workyears reported are
dedicated to management
support (3 percent) and
administrative activities (88
percent);
9 percent of the Headquar-
ters workyears are dedicated
to the technical support to
science functions.
Total ORD Workforce
Table 21 arrays the distribution of
intramural and extramural
workyears reported in support of
each major function. The overall
pattern reflected in this table
suggests an integrated, mutually
supportive workforce. Both
intramural and extramural person-
nel contribute significantly to the
science and engineering activities
within ORD. The extramural
workforce contributes proportion-
ately more time to the technical
support of science, while the
TABLE: 21. ALLOCATION OF WORKYEARS BY MAJOR ACTIVITY
Total ORD Workforce
Management Technical
& Policy Science & Support to
Development Engineering Science Administration Total
%of
%of %of Tech %of %of
Mgmt Science Support Admin Total
Intramural* 295 953 198 416 1,862
87 60 24 58 53
% of Intramural
Workforce 16 51 11 22 100
Extramural*
44
13
614 375 1,671
40 76 42 47
% of Extramural
Workforce 3
38
37
22
100
Total 339 1,591 812 791
100 100 100 100 100
% Of Total 10 45 23 22 100
Workforce
* Rounding error explains variance from Tables 21 and 82, footings and notes.
Summary:
The largest percentage of workyears In support of management functions
Is performed by the Intramural workforce (87 percent).
The largest percentage of workyears In technical support of science Is
performed by the extramural workforce (76 percent).
The Intramural workforce carries out approximately 60 percent of the
bench science and administrative activities, while the extramural
personnel perform 40 percent.
51 percent of the Intramural and 38 percent of the extramural workyears
are dedicated to science and engineering.
Source: ORD Workforce '91, Appendix, Table III-K
37
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Office of Research and Development
Intramural workforce contributes
more effort In the policy and
planning area. Both intramural
and extramural resources contrib-
ute significantly to the performance
of all activities.
The precise pattern of combined
Intramural/extramural activity can
be expected to vary among offices
and laboratories due to differing
management styles and program
requirements. Laboratory-specific
information will be provided to
ORD managers to use in evaluat-
ing current workload distribution in
relation to projected requirements.
The number of individuals report-
Ing specified levels of support of
the four major ORD functions are
displayed in Table 22.
As indicated in Table 20, the
majority of individuals report that
their work activity is concentrated
in a single functional area. Of the
intramural workforce of 1,907,
1,669 spend 75 to 100 percent of
their time in support of one of the
major functions.
The total numbers of individuals
reporting activity in a specific
function does not match the total
number of individuals in the
workforce. Approximately 22
percent of the ORD workforce
crosses "functional lines"; for
example, some individuals perform
major program management duties
as well as science and
engineering.
TABLE 22. DISTRIBUTION OF INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPATION IN MAJOR
ACTIVITIES
Number of Individuals Reporting
Management, Policy Development
and Program Planning
Intramural
Extramural
Total
Science and Engineering
Intramural
Extramural
Total
Technical Support to Science
: Intramural
Extramural
Total
Administrative
Intramural
Extramural
Total
Percent of Work Devoted to Activity
1-24 25-49
75-100 Total
101
77
67
31
53
7
235
22
456
137
178
98
257
593
65 61 99 890 1,115
60 74 105 557 796
125
135
204 1447 1,911
78
92
40
39
123
161
517
318
820
170
128
162 678 1,138
99
81
39
33
32
65
383
327
553
506
180
72
97
710 1,059
Summary:
Approximately 86 percent of the Intramural workforce spends 75 to 100
percent of their efforts supporting one of the four major ORD functions.
Approximately 71 percent of the extramural workforce spends 75 to 100
percent of their efforts In support of one of the four major ORD functions.
Roughly 22 percent of the onsite workforce reports involvement in more
than one major activity.
Individuals performing science and engineering functions have the
greatest numbers of people in the 75 to 100 percent category.
Source: ORD Workforce '91, Appendix, Tables III-K, III-L, III-M
38
-------
ORD Workforce'91
Of the four major functions re-
ported, Science and Engineering
reflects the highest proportion of
individuals reporting concentrated
effort. Overall, the work activity
distributions indicate a complex
allocation between intramural and
extramural personnel.
By reorganizing the workyears
reported in support of the four
major functional areas, it is pos-
sible to look at the work distribution
as it relates to five major themes:
science program design and
management;
science operations and quality
assurance;
technology transfer and techni-
cal assistance;
general management; and
other support.
Table 23 summarizes the total
workforce activity as it relates to
these themes.
Overall, direct science-related
activities account for approximately
two-thirds of the total reported
workyears. ORD activity appears
to be dominated by science
program design, science opera-
tions, and the transfer of technical
information.
TABLE 23. ALLOCATION OF WORKYEARS BY MAJOR THEMES
Workforce Category
Intramural Extramural Total Percentage
Science Program Design and Management
Science Operations and Quality Assurance
Technology Transferflechnical Assistance
General Management
Other
531
556
191
151
431
57
912
236
78
387
588
1,468
427
229
818
17
. 42
12
6
23
Total*
1,860* 1,670 3,530
100
* See footing notes in Tables 17 and 19.
39
-------
-------
OfiD Workforce '91
Sections
Science and Engineering Workforce
Although all components of the ORD workforce are significant to the
accomplishment of the ORD mission, the scientific and engineering
workforce constitutes the core of the organization's research capability.
ORD's mission includes a substantial requirement for expertise in the
engineering disciplines. The need for effective risk management and
technology development requires maintaining an effective engineering
workforce within ORD. Therefore, graduate engineers are a significant
component of the ORD workforce and this analysis.
This section addresses the performance of scientific activity from two
perspectives. First, the characteristics of individuals with doctoral
degrees in the sciences, and masters and doctoral degrees in engineer-
ing are analyzed and their work efforts assessed. Second, the charac-
teristics of those individuals who reported work activity within bench
science, engineering, and modeling are analyzed. These data can be of
value to ORD management in developing strategies to meet existing and
planned research requirements.
Scientists and Graduate
Engineers
For this analysis, scientists are
defined as individuals who have
earned doctoral degrees in chem-
istry, life sciences, earth sciences,
mathematics, and physics. Gradu-
ate engineers are individuals who
have earned masters or doctoral
degrees in engineering. Table 24
shows the numbers of scientists
and graduate engineers within the
ORD workforce.
In the fall of 1990, the Scientist/
Graduate Engineering workforce
totalled 923,71 percent of whom
were intramural resources and
29 percent extramural resources.
TABLE 24. SCIENCE WORKFORCE BY EDUCATION LEVEL
Discipline
PhD Scientists* Graduate Engineers* Total
Number % Number % Number
Intramural 462 70 187 72 649 70
% of Intramural 71 29 100
Extramural 200 30 74 28 274 30
% of Extramural 73 27 100
Total
% of Total
662 100
72
281 100
28
923 100
100
* PhD scientists limited to PhDs in Chemistry, Life Sciences, Earth Sciences,
Mathematics, Physics; Graduate Engineers include PhDs and Masters in Engineering.
Summary:
PhD Scientists and Graduate Engineers represent roughly 25 percent of
the entire ORD workforce of 3,712.
Approximately 70 percent of the PhD Scientists and 72 percent of the
Graduate Engineers are intramural resources.
Source: ORD Workforce '91, Appendix, Table IV-A
41
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Office of Research and Development
Table 25 summarizes the distribu-
tion of academic specialization of
scientists and graduate engineers
within the ORD workforce.
Scientists and graduate engineers
represent roughly 34 percent of the
ORD workforce. As indicated in
Table 25, approximately 46
percent of the scientists within the
ORD workforce have doctoral
degrees in the life sciences.
TABLE 25. DISTRIBUTION OF PhD SCIENTISTS AND GRADUATE
ENGINEERS BY ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE
Intramural
Discipline
Chemistry
Earth Sciences
Life Sciences
Mathematics
Physics
Subtotal
Engineering
Total
Number %
103
20
322
6
11
462
187
649
16
3
50
1
2
71
29
100
Extramural
Number %
53
31
100
10
6
200
74
274
19
11
36
4
2
73
27
100
Total
Number %
156
51
422
16
17
662
261
923
17
6
46
2
2
72
28
100
Summary:
Approximately 46 percent of the scientific and engineering workforce
have doctoral degrees In the life sciences. Almost 76 percent of those are
Intramural resources.
i
Graduate Engineers represent roughly 28 percent of th& ORD workforce;
approximately 72 percent of those are Intramural resources.
Chemists represent 17 percent of the ORD PhD scientist and graduate
engineer workforce.
Source: ORD Workforce '91, Appendix, Table IV-B
42
-------
ORD Workforce '91
Workyears Reported by
Scientists and Graduate
Engineers
Table 26 and Figure 8 array
reported workyears of the scientific
and engineering staff by area of
activity and provide insight into
how the scientific and engineering ,
workforce is deployed in support of
the ORD mission.
The science/engineering workforce
within ORD spends the majority of
available workyears (77 percent)
dedicated to direct involvement in
Science and Engineering. A total
of 16 percent of its efforts is
devoted to Management and
Policy Development and Program
Planning. A total of 79 percent of
the extramural scientific group
effort is concentrated in Science
and Engineering, in comparison to
77 percent of the intramural total.
TABLE 26. WORKYEAR DISTRIBUTION FOR PhD SCIENTISTS AND
GRADUATE ENGINEERS
Management Technical
& Policy Science & Support to
Development Engineering Science Administration Total
Intramural*
% of Intramural
Workforce
Extramural
% of Extramural
Workforce
Total
% of Total
Workforce
135
21
12
5
147
16
%of
Mgmt
92
8
100
%of %ofTech
493
77
201
79
694
77
Science
8
71
1
34
29
13
42
100
5
Support
19 l
81
100
%of
Admin
7
54
1
6
46
2
13
100
1
643
100
253
100
896
100
%of
Total
72
28
100
Summary:
Approximately 77 percent of the total workyears is dedicated to science
and engineering functions. Intramural resources contribute roughly 72
percent of the workyears; extramural resources account for the remaining
28 percent.
Management functions account for approximately 16 percent of the
scientists and engineers efforts; 92 percent of the management workyears
is intramural. Scientists and engineers spend roughly 5 percent of their
workyears on technical support or general administrative functions.
Intramural scientific/engineering resources represent approximately 70
percent of the workyears as well as 72 percent of the total workforce
numbers (Table 24).
Source: ORD Workforce '91, Appendix, Tables IV-C through J
Figure 8. Workyear distribution of scientists/graduate engineers.
43
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Office of Research and Development
Because the scientists and engi-
neers devote the majority of their
time to Science and Engineering,
the following table analyzes the
performance of that activity more
closely.
Table 27 and Figure 9 array the
detailed allocation of workyears
reported in Science and
Engineering.
TABLE 27. WORKFORCE DISTRIBUTION WITHIN SCIENCE AND
ENGINEERING FUNCTION - PhD SCIENTISTS AND GRADUATE
ENGINEERS
Intramural
Science and Engineering Management
General Management
Bench Science/Engineering/Modeling
Extramural Management
a. Technical Oversight
b. Administrative
Technology Transfer
Technical Assistance
Scientific Analysis and Intrepretation
Other
No.
80
39
165
82
(55)
(27)
24
42
46
8
%
16
8
34
17
(11)
(6)
5
9
9
2
Extramural
No.
22
12
77
12
11
49
10
%
11
6
40
._
6
6
35
5
Total
No.
102
51
242
82
(55)
(27)
36
53
95
18
%
15
8
36
12
(8)
(4)
5
8
14
3
Total
486 100
193 W
679 100
Summary:
36 percent ol the Science and Engineering effort Is dedicated to bench
science, engineering, and modeling; this represents wughly one-third of
the Intramural Science and Engineering workyears antl 40 percent of the
extramural Science and Engineering workyears.
Science and Engineering Management represents 15 percent of the
workyears dedicated to Science and Engineering functions.
Approximately 82 workyears of effort are expended by Intramural
scientists snd engineers on the management of extramural science.
27 percent of the Science and Engineering workyears are dedicated to
Technology Transfer, Technical Assistance, and Scientific Analysis &
Interpretation.
^^^^^^^^^^^mmMsimmmfmmm^^^mm^^^fmmm^^mm^^^^m^i^^ffai^^smammmMiJmiai^^mmm^^mmmi^Kmm
SOUKS: ORD Workforce '91, Appendix, Tables IV-D, IV-H
44
-------
ORD Workforce '91
Of the total workyears reported in
support of Science and, Engineer-
ing functions, 36 percent of this
effort is dedicated to the conduct of
bench science and engineering
and 15 percent is for science and
engineering management. This
equates to approximately 165
workyears of effort by the intramu-
ral workforce and 77 workyears of
effort by the extramural workforce.
A total of 16 percent of the intra-
mural workyears and 11 percent of
the extramural workyears is
allocated to Science and Engineer-
ing Management. An additional
20 percent of the intramural work-
years is dedicated to general
management and extramural
management responsibilities.
Table 28 displays the numbers of
scientists and graduate engineers
who report specific levels of
activity in support of Science and
Engineering functions.
TABLE 28. PhD SCIENTISTS AND GRADUATE ENGINEERS REPORTING
WORKYEARS IN BENCH SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
Number of Individuals Reporting
Science and Engineering
Percent of Work Devoted to Activity
75-100 Total
Intramural
Extramural
146
66
102
40
84
35
72
38
404
179
Total
212
142
119
110 583
Summary:
Roughly 37 percent of the 923 scientists and engineers did not report any
activity in bench science and engineering; this includes 38 percent of the
intramural and 35 percent of the extramural, scientists, and engineers.
Roughly 39 percent of the scientists and engineers reported 50 to 100
percent activity in bench science and engineering; approximately 68
percent of those were intramural scientists and engineers.
Source: ORD Workforce '91, Appendix, Table IV-K
Figure 9. Workyear distribution of scientists and engineers within science and engineering.
45
-------
Office of Research and Development
Scientific Activity Within
the Total Workforce
As noted in Section 5 of this report,
approximately 47 percent of both
the intramural and extramural
work/ears reported was allocated
to Science and Engineering
functions, for a total of over 1,591
workyears. Scientists and gradu-
ate engineers contribute approxi-
mately 583 workyears of effort in
support of Science and Engineer-
ing, or roughly 37 percent of the
total ORD science and engineering
activity.
Another dimension to understand-
ing the ORD scientific workforce is
through analysis of the number of
the individuals who report any time
devoted to the performance of
Science and Engineering
functions (Table 29).
TABLE 29. INDIVIDUALS REPORTING WORKYEARS IN BENCH SCIENCE:
AND ENGINEERING
Number of Individuals Reporting
Total ORD Workforce
Percent of Workforce Devoted to Activity
1-24 25-49 5JtZ4 75-100
Science and Engineering
Intramural
Extramural
251 161 151 152' ' 715
179 136 , ,115 . 122. .552
Total
430
297
2136
274 1,267
Summary:
Approximately one-third of the workforce reports somฎ activity within
bench science. (1,267/3,712)
Approximately 56 percent of the individuals reporting science activity is
intramural; the remaining 44 percent is extramural.
Approximately 540, or roughly 15 percent of the workforce, reports a
significant portion of their workload as bench science/engineering;
roughly 56 percent of those individuals are intramural resources.
Source: ORD Workforce '91, Appendix, Table IV-L
46
-------
ORD Workforce '91
The data indicate that a substantial
number of people have some
involvement in bench science,
engineering, and modeling.
However, less than 16 percent of
the intramural staff report spending
more than 50 percent of their
efforts on bench science. Roughly
20 percent of the workforce
spends less than 50 percent of the
time performing bench science
activity.
Table 30 identifies the academic
disciplines of those individuals
reporting workyears in support of
bench science, engineering, and
modeling.
Table 31 narrows the focus of
analysis to identify the number of
individuals by education level who
devote 50 percent or more to their
workyear to bench science,
engineering, and modeling.
TABLE 30. ACADEMIC BACKGROUNDS OF INDIVIDUALS REPORTING
BENCH SCIENCE/ENGINEERING/MODELING
Discipline of Individuals
Reporting Levels of Activity:
Total ORD Workforce
Percent of Work Devoted to Activity
H4 2543 50-74 75-100 Total
Chemistry
Earth Sciences
Engineering
Life Sciences
Other
73
52
96
156
53
54
36
43
133
31
68
14
33
124
27
47
12
29
154
32
242
114
201
567
143
19
9
16
45
11
Total
430
297
266 274 1,267
100
Summary:
Individuals with a life science background constitute 45 percent of the
individuals working on bench science/engineering/modeling; chemists
represent an additional 19 percent.
Engineering disciplines represent 16 percent of the individuals reporting
this activity.
Source: ORD Workforce '91, Appendix, Table IV-M
TABLE 31. EDUCATION LEVELS OF INDIVIDUALS REPORTING MORE
THAN 50 PERCENT OF THEIR TIME IN BENCH SCIENCE
Total ORD Workforce
PhD Masters Bachelors Other Total
Intramural
Extramural
141
65
64
59
90
79
8
34
303
237
Total
206
123
42 540
Summary:
Approximately 38 percent of the individuals working on bench science
has a doctoral degree; 31 percent of the individuals contributing to
science/engineering has at least a bachelors as their highest degree.
8 percent of the individuals reporting a significant portion of their time in
bench science/engineering has less than a 4-year degree.
Source: ORD Workforce '91, Appendix, Table IV-L
47
-------
-------
QRD Workforce'91
Section 7
Extramural Management Workforce
Extramural Management includes the planning, administration and
evaluation of contracts, cooperative agreements/grants, and interagency
agreements. Extramural activities ($284,074,000) accounted for approxi-
mately two-thirds of ORD's FY 1990 obligations of $424,852,000. A total
of 39 percent ($110,789,000) of the extramural activities are performed
onsite and the balance ($173,285,000) is conducted offsite.
Extramural Managers are ORD intramural employees who assume a
variety of responsibilities in the management of contracts, cooperative
agreements/grants, and interagency agreements. They serve as Project
Officers, Work Assignment Managers, Delivery Order Project Officers,
and other support roles to provide technical oversight and administrative
management of extramural activities. A total of 973 individuals, or 51
percent of the ORD intramural workforce, report extramural manage-
ment activity. The survey questionnaires show that 88 responses were
in more than 1 of the 4 major activity categories. Because respondents
could register a percentage of time spent in more than one category, the
data provided in the tables relate the number of responses. The total
number of responses from intramural personnel reporting extramural
management is 1,061.
The research conducted by onsite and offsite extramural personnel is
critically linked to the intramural research program. Due to this high level
of technical integration and involvement, many of ORD's workforce
provide a significant amount of support to extramural management
activities. This is often a collateral duty to their intramural activities. In
some instances, the majority of an individual's activities is dedicated to
extramural management
The survey questionnaires show that about one-half of the intramural
workforce is involved either in managing extramural activities or adminis-
tratively supporting the management of extramural activities. The
majority, 63 percent, spend less than 25 percent of their time on extra-
mural management. Conversely, only 15 percent of the responses
indicated spending more than 50 percent of time on extramural manage-
ment. Most of those who manage extramural activities are over 35, tend
to be government employees with more than 10 years of federal service,
and are GS-12 grade or higher. Seventy-three percent of the responses
listing extramural management were from ORD intramural personnel who
also listed science and engineering as their primary activity. The data
indicate that many ORD scientists and engineers conduct science, but
also manage extramural activities as well.
49
-------
Office of Research and Development
Workyear Distribution
ORD Extramural Managers
Based on the findings of this
survey, ORD allocates 256
workyears to the management of
extramural activities. This repre-
sents 14 percent of the total ORD
intramural workyears (1,860).
Oversight/technical direction
accounts for 60 percent of the 256
extramural management
workyears, while the 102
workyears of Administrative
activities comprise the remaining
40 percent of the effort of manag-
ing extramural affairs.
Table 32 shows the distribution
of intramural workyears reported
in support of extramural
management.
Scientists and Graduate Engi-
neers as Extramural Managers
The Scientists and Graduate
Engineers workyears dedicated to
extramural management repre-
sents 38 percent of the total 256
for extramural management.
Oversight/technical direction
accounts for 67 percent of the 97
extramural management
workyears, and Administrative
activities comprise the remaining
33 percent.
Table 33 shows the distribution of
workyears for scientists and
engineers in support of extramural
management.
TABLE 32. INTRAMURAL WORKYEARS ALLOCATED TO EXTRAMURAL
MANAGEMENT
Oversight and
Major Activity Category Direction*
Management
21
Science and Engineering 1 1 6
Technical Suppi
Administration
Total
Percentage
rtto Science 10
7
154
of Total 60
Administrative
14
64
7
17
102
40
Total
35
180
17
24
256
100
Source; ORD Workforce '91, Appendix A, Tables V-A through D
TABLE 33. SCIENTISTS AND GRADUATE ENGINEERS*" - INTRAMURAL.
WORKYEARS ALLOCATED TO EXTRAMURAL MANAGEMENT
Major Activity Category
Management
Science and Engineering
Technical Support to Science
Administration
Total
Percentage of Total
i
Oversight and
Direction*
9
55
0
1
65
67
Administrative
5
27
0
0
32
33
Total
14
82
0
1
97
100
Source: ORD Workforce '91, Appendix A, Tables V-A through E
* Each major activity category contains an extramural management subcategory which
includes the, oversight of extramural activities or administrative support to extramural
management
** PhD scientists limited to PhDs in Chemistry, Life Sciences, Earth Sciences, Mathemat-
ics, Physics; Graduate Engineers include PhDs and Masters in Engineering.
50
-------
ORD Workforce '91
Activity Level Distribution
ORD Extramural Managers
Table 34 shows the numbers of
individuals within the intramural
workforce who reported specific
levels of activity in support of
extramural management for each
of the four major functions within
ORD (Management, Science and
Engineering, Technical Support to
Science, and Administration).
A total of 973 individuals, or 51
percent of the ORD intramural
workforce report extramural
management activity in 1,061
responses (employees could
report activities in more than one
category; there are 88 more
responses than there are respon-
dents). A total of 63 percent, or
672 of the responses, indicate
carrying out activities which take 1
to 24 percent of their time dedi-
cated to extramural management.
By contrast, only 48 of the re-
sponses were from individuals
who report over 75 percent of their
time dedicated to extramural
management.
Scientists and Graduate
Engineers in Extramural
Management
Table 35 shows the numbers of
scientists and engineers within
the intramural workforce who
reported specific levels of activity
in support of extramural manage-
ment for each of the four major
functions within ORD (Manage-
ment, Science and Engineering,
Technical Support to Science, and
Administration).
TABLE 34. INTRAMURAL PARTICIPATION IN EXTRAMURAL
MANAGEMENT
Percent of Work Devoted to Activity
Major Activity Category
Management
Science and Engineering
Technical Support to Science
Administration
Total
Percentage of Total
1-24
163
387
50
72
672
63
25-49
25
174
14
,22
235
22
50-74
5
84
8
9
106
10
75-100
7
34
3
4
48
5
Total
200
679
75
107
1,061
100
Source; ORD Workforce '91, Appendix A, rabies V-l through P
TABLE 35. SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS - DISTRIBUTION OF INDIVIDUAL
PARTICIPATION IN EXTRAMURAL MANAGEMENT
Percentage of Workyear
Major Activity Category
Management
Science and Engineering
Technical Support to Science
Administration
25-49 50-74 75-100 Total
11 01 100
83 26 12 358
0 00 6
1 0 0 8
88
237
6
7
Total
Percentage of Total
338
72
95
20
26
6
13
3
472
100
Source: ORD Workforce '91, Appendix A, Tables V-E through H
51
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Offlca of Research and Development
A total of 472, or 73 percent of the
679 responses from Intramural
Scientists and Graduate Engi-
neers, report some significant
extramural management activity.
This represents 44 percent of the
total ORD responses Indicating
time spent on extramural manage-
ment. A total of 358 responses, or
72 percent of the Scientists and
Graduate Engineers, report 1 to 24
percent of their time as being
dedicated to extramural manage-
ment. Notably, only 13 of the
roiponaoa, or 3 percent, report
over 70 percent of their time
dedicated to extramural man-
agement.
Involvement In Extramural
Management
ORD Intramural employees who
reported activities In managing
extramural activities were asked to
Indicate the type of extramural
management from the following
categories: Project Officer for
Contracts, Project Officer for
Cooperative Agreements, Project
Officer for Inter-Agency Agree-
ments, Work Assignment Man-
ager, Delivery Order Project
Officer, Assistant Delivery Order
ProJQOt Off tear for Contracts, Grant
Agreement Coordinator, and
Assistant Delivery Order Project
Officer for Inter-Agency Agree-
ments. A total of 37 percent of the
respondents stated that they are
involved in more than one of these
types of activities.
There were 1,868 responses to the
types of extramural management
listed above. Many Indicated
Involvement In more than one type,
such as being both a Delivery
Order Project Officer and a Project
Officer for a contract.
The Information from the survey
provides a profile on the character-
istics of the ORD Intramural
workforce who manage extramural
activities:
Thirty percent of the responses
listed Work Assignment Man-
ager, 24 percent were for
Project Officers for Cooperative
Agreements, 19 percent of the
responses were as Project
Officers for Contracts, 15
percent wore for Project Officers
for Inter-Agency Agreements,
and the remaining 13 percent of
the responses were distributed
among the other categories.
Only 1 percent of the responses
were for Assistant Delivery
Order Project Officers for Inter-
Agency Agreements, Because
many respondents listed more
than one type of extramural
management activity, thusฉ
percentages reftr to the number
of responses, net th@ number of
personnel under the GS12
grade; 90 percent of the re-
sponses were from staff at the
GS 12 level and above; 84
percent of the total extramural
management responses were
from respondents In grades GS
12 to GS 15; 6 percent were
from the Commissioned Corps
and grades over GS-15.
Seventy-threw percent of the
responses Indicating extramural
management activities were
from Intramural personnel who
listed their primary activities In
Science and Engineering; 17
percent of the responses were
under Management. Six
percent of the responses were
In Administrative activities, and
three percent; were In Technical
Support to Science activities.
Ninety-two percent of the 1,868
responses were from Intramural
employees older than 35 years
of age.
Thi data reveil that the ORD
employees who manage extramu-
ral activities are by and large
the
responses were from Intramural
employees who have more than
10 years of federal service.
Only 10 percent of the re-
sponses were from Intramural
neers who fall Into the GS 12 to 15
grades, I.e., mid-to-uppar grade
range of the workforce. Ae shown
In previous tables In this section,
the managers of extramural
amounts of time In such activities,
but only 18 percent of those
Involved spend 50 percent or more
of their time managing extramural
activities.
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ORD Workforce '91
Section 8
Methodology - Data Quality
ORD WORKFORCE '91 Is an update of a survey of the onsite ORD
workforce conducted during July through September 1989. The first
ORD workforce study produced a report, ORD Workforce '89 (WF'89).
Because the Information provided by the survey proved useful, ORD
senior management decided to conduct another survey to update the
Workforce '89 report. Consequently, a second survey was carried out In
the fall of 1990, the data was collected and analyzed In ฉarly 1990, and
ORD Workforce '91 (WF'91) was produced In the summer of 1991.
Human resources Information for any large organization changes con-
stantly. Therefore, readers should be aware that the data collected In
survey questionnaires Is the equivalent of taking a snapshot photograph
of the workforce at the time the questionnaires are filled out. Even
before the data can be entered Into the computer and analyzed, some of
thi data change due to promotions, retirements, transfers, reorganiza-
tions, etc, ORD Workforce '91 Is ง snapshot taken In thฉ fall of 1990.
The two survey questionnaires used to gather workforce data In 1989,
one for thi Intramural employees and onง for extramural personnel, were
modified to Incorporate suggestions from an ORD steering committee
and other Interested stiff. For the WF'91 survey, the Intramural ques-
tionnaires (IMQs) were printed by computer utilizing the data that ORD
employees had provided In thi WF'89 study. Using a special software
application, data were Imported from the computer data base and
questionnaires wire printed by computers for each of the 1,878 EPA
employees In thi 1983 data bast.
A download from thi EPA EPAYi personnel data baii on Aug. 14,
1ง80, furnlshid mori current Intramural demography Information to
replace the 1989 data. Intramural personnel were askid to eerreet or
modify thi Information printed on their questionnaires. In essence, for
the Intramural staff, the questionnaire was a turnaround document for
validation and correction. A total of 99 percent of the ORD employees
responded to thi survey. For those few Intramural ฉmployeis for whom
a questionnaire was not received, the 1989 data base provided adequate
Information.
Because of Paperwork Reduction Act legislation and sensitivity to
Confidential Business Information data, extramural data from the WF'89
project were not available for updating. Blank questionnaires were sent
to all onsite extramural personnel. Even though most of the extramural
employees had filled out a questionnaire during the 1989 survey, they
were askod to fill out and return a questionnaire again. As a credit to
both the extramural personnel and their supervisors, as well as to the
ORD WF'91 Survey Representatives In each office and laboratory, 94
percent of the extramural personnel voluntarily responded to the survey.
Of the 1,930 onsite extramural employees, 1,805 responded with all or
partial Information.
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Office of Research and Development
Only 35 percent of the extramural staff provided salary information,
making it impractical to compare levels of compensation between
intramural arid extramural personnel with similar academic credentials
who have similar responsibilities. Such data would have been useful in
determining Federal competitiveness at various grade and occupation
levels. Some contractors for EPA have corporate policies prohibiting
their employees from providing salary information because they consider
it to be Confidential Business Information.
A number of measures were taken to ensure the quality and accuracy of
the data submitted in the questionnaires. Each intramural and extramu-
ral employee corrected or filled out a questionnaire, which was reviewed
and initialed by their supervisor. WF91 Representatives were asked to
review and count the questionnaires prior to forwarding the completed
questionnaires to the WF91 Project Manager in ORD/Headquarters.
Each Representative and each Office Director or Laboratory Director
signed a Certificate of Quality Control that accompanied the returned
questionnaires.
For the purposes of this study, "onsite workforce" is defined as individu-
als working in ORD's facilities in support of its mission. This workforce
encompasses 1,907 EPA employees and Public Health Service Officers
assigned to ORD; 190 summer hires and "stay-in-school" student em-
ployees; and approximately ,1,805 extramural personnel, including
contractors, grantees, and individuals working under cooperative and
interagency agreements. Questionnaires and data were collected on
1,805 extramural staff.
An analysis bf available personnel data indicates a fairly wide-spread
distribution of these nonresponses by organization. Therefore, there
should be no significant effect on summary statistics presented for any
individual organization.
Any questions concerning the data provided in this study should be
directed to:
I
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development
400 M. Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20460
ATTN: Director, Office of Research Program Management
(RD-674)
Telephone:
(202) 382-7500
54
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