Best Places to Work in the Federal Governement
66.7
#18 of 35

National Science Foundation

Mission: To promote the progress of science; advance the national health, prosperity and welfare; and secure the national defense.

Scores and Rankings

Save as PDFSave as PDF

Index ScoreScoreRank of 35
 66.718
Best in Class ScoresScoreRank (out of varied totals)
Employee Skills/Mission Match79.0 15  of  34
Strategic Management55.8 24  of  34
Teamwork63.3 25  of  34
Effective Leadership54.6 21  of  34
Effective Leadership - Empowerment49.2 21  of  34
Effective Leadership - Fairness54.7 18  of  34
Effective Leadership - Leaders48.8 21  of  34
Effective Leadership - Supervisors62.9 25  of  34
Performance Based Rewards and Advancement49.3 19  of  34
Training and Development61.5 13  of  34
Support for Diversity58.1 20  of  34
Pay62.1 18  of  34
Family Friendly Culture and Benefits47.5 8  of  34
Work/Life Balance56.9 29  of  34
Index Score20102009200720052003
 71.676.774.474.065.7
Best in Class Scores20102009200720052003
Employee Skills/Mission Match81.182.781.680.879.3
Strategic Management58.267.064.363.263.6
Teamwork65.777.173.672.467.7
Effective Leadership59.363.860.758.652.8
Performance Based Rewards and Advancement55.661.560.654.351.4
Training and Development64.971.368.466.163.9
Support for Diversity59.470.067.467.261.9
Pay71.174.071.9No dataNo data
Family Friendly Culture and Benefits54.3No dataNo dataNo dataNo data
Work/Life Balance60.768.366.065.967.4
Best in Class Scores20102009200720052003
Employee Skills/Mission Match81.182.781.680.879.3
Strategic Management58.267.064.363.263.6
Teamwork65.777.173.672.467.7
Effective Leadership59.363.860.758.652.8
Performance Based Rewards and Advancement55.661.560.654.351.4
Training and Development64.971.368.466.163.9
Support for Diversity59.470.067.467.261.9
Pay71.174.071.9No dataNo data
Family Friendly Culture and Benefits54.3No dataNo dataNo dataNo data
Work/Life Balance60.768.366.065.967.4
Scores by DemographicScoreRank (out of varied totals)
Female68.1 6  of  11
Male74.0 2  of  12
40 and over69.8 3  of  12
Under 4075.0 3  of  11
Asian75.6 3  of  5
Black or African-American62.3 7  of  10
Hispanic or LatinoNo data No data
Multi-racialNo data No data
White73.3 3  of  11
American Indian or Native AmericanNo data No data
Scores by Demographic20102009200720052003
Female73.4No dataNo dataNo dataNo data
Male76.4No dataNo dataNo dataNo data
40 and over74.975.5No dataNo dataNo data
Under 4072.078.7No dataNo dataNo data
AsianNo dataNo dataNo dataNo dataNo data
Black or African-American69.1No dataNo dataNo dataNo data
Hispanic or LatinoNo data77.8No dataNo dataNo data
Multi-racialNo data76.8No dataNo dataNo data
White77.175.9No dataNo dataNo data
American Indian or Native AmericanNo data76.9No dataNo dataNo data
Scores by Demographic20102009200720052003
Female73.4No dataNo dataNo dataNo data
Male76.4No dataNo dataNo dataNo data
40 and over74.975.5No dataNo dataNo data
Under 4072.078.7No dataNo dataNo data
AsianNo dataNo dataNo dataNo dataNo data
Black or African-American69.1No dataNo dataNo dataNo data
Hispanic or LatinoNo data77.8No dataNo dataNo data
Multi-racialNo data76.8No dataNo dataNo data
White77.175.9No dataNo dataNo data
American Indian or Native AmericanNo data76.9No dataNo dataNo data

Staff/Manager Alignment

Score: -20

Less Aligned / Less Satisfied: Agencies in this group have Best Places Index scores that fall short of government-wide norms, as well as less-than-normal alignment between staff and managers on key workforce issues. These agencies should examine and understand the areas of high disconnect between staff and managers to ensure that managers understand staff issues and are prepared to support related agency changes efforts.

Trends

Index ScoresBest in Class Scores
 




YearNational Science Foundation Index ScoreSmall Agency High Performing AverageSmall Agency Average Index ScoreSmall Agency Low Performing Average
200365.7
200574.076.263.049.3
200774.477.262.443.7
200976.779.265.142.5
201071.684.868.850.3
201166.783.666.951.0

Comparative Data — Small Agency Averages

High Performing Average Scores200320052007200920102011
High Performing Average - Employee Skills84.885.185.285.286.2
High Performing Average - Management68.968.773.571.673.7
High Performing Average - Teamwork77.977.880.576.481.5
High Performing Average - Leadership61.063.066.667.973.9
High Performing Average - Rewards and Advancement56.158.662.761.565.0
High Performing Average - Training and Development73.572.474.372.773.7
High Performing Average - Support for Diversity68.468.470.967.070.8
High Performing Average - Pay74.475.278.675.6
High Performing Average - Family Friendly53.352.8
High Performing Average - Work/Life Balance74.577.180.078.178.4
Average Index Scores200320052007200920102011
Average for Employee Skills74.077.678.878.778.2
Average for Management59.858.860.660.660.8
Average for Teamwork70.871.372.867.067.7
Average for Leadership52.352.254.057.258.0
Average for Rewards and Advancement47.848.750.351.850.8
Average for Training and Development61.859.660.461.159.2
Average for Support for Diversity58.158.061.357.659.5
Average for Pay63.062.267.362.3
Average for Family Friendly41.238.7
Average for Work/Life Balance67.967.367.266.264.3
Low Performing Average Score200320052007200920102011
Low Performing Average - Employee Skills55.569.769.171.770.3
Low Performing Average - Management50.945.342.748.350.3
Low Performing Average - Teamwork63.562.561.254.456.9
Low Performing Average - Leadership43.039.037.545.546.5
Low Performing Average - Rewards and Advancement39.735.933.640.339.3
Low Performing Average - Training and Development51.844.542.044.644.0
Low Performing Average - Support for Diversity49.645.347.047.449.8
Low Performing Average - Pay53.751.955.747.7
Low Performing Average - Family Friendly25.824.3
Low Performing Average - Work/Life Balance60.455.252.753.349.3

Workforce Size and Trends

Number of Employees 

187

The number of mission-criticial jobs the National Science Foundation is expected to hire by the end of September 2012. Learn More at Where the Jobs Are 2009 »

Number of Employees in 2001: 1,063

Number of Employees in 2002: 1,069

Number of Employees in 2003: 1,082

Number of Employees in 2004: 1,098

Number of Employees in 2005: 1,094

Number of Employees in 2006: 1,087

Number of Employees in 2007: 1,102

Number of Employees in 2008: 1,148

Number of Employees in 2009: 1,180

Employees joined (2010): 75

Percentage joined (2010): 6.30%

Average joined (2005-2010): 83

Employees left (2010): 78

Percentage left (2010): 6.50%

Average left (2005-2010): 82

Rookie ratio (percentage of workforce with less than three years of service): 9.60%

More About the Agency

Headquartered in Arlington, VA

Other Locations: small international offices

http://www.nsf.gov/

Male/Female Demographics Ethiniciy Demographics

Demographics source: FedScope, OPM

The Best Places to Work rankings — the most comprehensive and authoritative rating of employee satisfaction and commitment in the federal government — are produced by the Partnership for Public Service.

Complete List of Agencies and Subcomponents