AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships

Fellowship Support: 2012-13 Stipend

Stipend levels for AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellows reflect the fundamental fact that the fellowships are not offers of employment, and that their educational value to the Fellows include dimensions not usually found in the latter. Consequently, stipend levels are not structured to be competitive with salaries for full-time employment.

• AAAS-sponsored Congressional Fellowships and Revelle Fellowship
• Partner Scientific Society-sponsored Congressional Fellowships
• Executive Branch Stipends for Fellows whose stipends are administered by AAAS
• Executive Branch Salaries for Fellows Hired Directly by Agency

AAAS-sponsored Congressional and Revelle Fellowships:

These are one-year professional development and public service opportunities, and the stipends are administered by AAAS. The 2012-13 stipends (September 2012 through August 2013) are based on an equivalent of the federal general schedule (GS) Grade 12 Step 1 established by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for the DC/MD/VA-area in the January before the fellowship start date, which is $74,872.

Partner Scientific Society-sponsored Congressional Fellowships:

These are one-year professional development and pubic service opportunities, and the stipends are administered by the sponsoring scientific societies. The 2012-13 stipends (September 2012 through August 2013) are determined by the individual societies according to funding availability. Stipends range from $55,000 to more than $85,000. Benefits also vary by society.

Check with the individual societies for details on their stipend levels and benefits. To view a listing of partner scientific societies that sponsor Congressional Fellowships, click here.

Executive Branch Stipends for Fellows whose stipends are administered by AAAS:

Fellows who receive their stipends via AAAS are compensated according to the following levels that take into consideration previous experience and salary.

Level 1: Fellows with 0-7 years of post-doctorate, full-time employment (for engineers with a master's degree, 3-7 years professional engineering employment) who do not meet any of the criteria stated below receive a stipend based on an equivalent of the federal general schedule (GS) Grade 12 Step 1, established by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for the DC/MD/VA-area in the January before the fellowship start date. Renewing Fellows in this category receive a stipend equivalent to the GS Grade 12 Step 2 established by OPM in the January before the fellowship start date.

The 2012-13 first-year, level 1 fellowship stipend is $74,872, and the second-year, level 1 stipend is $77,368.

Level 2:Fellows with more than seven years of post-doctorate, full-time employment (engineers with a master's degree, 7-15 years professional engineering employment) orwhose prior salary (exclusive of benefits) was equal to, or more than, the first-year Level 2 stipend, receive a stipend equivalent to GS Grade 12 Step 5, established by in the January before the fellowship start date. Renewing Fellows in this category receive a stipend equivalent to GS Grade 12 Step 6, established by OPM in the January before the fellowship start date.

The 2012-13 first-year, level 2 fellowship stipend is $84,855, and the second-year, level 2 stipend is $87,350.

Level 3:Fellows who have more than 15 years of post-doctorate, full-time employment (engineers with a master's degree, 15 years or more professional engineering employment) or whose prior salary (exclusive of benefits) was equal to, or higher than, the Level 3 stipend, receive a stipend equivalent to GS Grade 12 Step 10 established by OPM for the DC/MD/VA-area in the January before the fellowship start date. Renewing Fellows in this category will receive a stipend equivalent to another step increase from GS Grade 12 Step 10.

The 2012-13 first-year, level 3 fellowship stipend is $97,333, and the second-year, level 3 stipend is $99,829.

Determination: The length of post degree experience will be determined as of the first day of the fellowship (September 1). If, in accordance with the foregoing guidelines, a new Fellow believes he/she qualifies for a higher stipend level than initially offered, it will be his/her responsibility to provide supporting documentation to that effect. Final determination of the stipend level will be made by AAAS. Once determined, the Fellow's stipend level will not change during the fellowship tenure.

In some exceptional cases second-year stipends administered via AAAS may be increased beyond the amounts noted above at the request of the hosting office and agency, based on significant increase in responsibilities, confirmation of the availability of funding and the approval of AAAS.

Fellows with prior AAAS Fellowship experience, Congressional or Executive Branch, will receive the equivalent of the step increase in the first-year of their new fellowship.

Executive Branch Salaries for Fellows Hired Directly by Agency:

Salaries for Fellows hired directly as temporary civil service employees are determined by their hosting agency and may differ from the stipend levels for fellowships administered by AAAS (i.e. stipend funding allocated by agencies and provided to Fellows by AAAS via grants, contracts and other funding agreements). In no cases will the salary for Fellows hired directly by agencies be below the GS Grade 12 Step 1 for first-year Fellows or below the GS Grade 12 Step 2 for second-year Fellows.

The federal government maintains its own procedures for evaluating appropriate civil service classifications for positions, as well as the experience, education, and skills of the individuals who fill them. Many agency human resources personnel have collaborated to conform to the AAAS-designated stipend levels. In some cases the agency determination will be based on previous salary only and not years of experience. Therefore, it is possible that AAAS Fellows hired directly by their hosting agency may not qualify for salaries at the GS Grade 12 Step 5 or Step 10, as federal agencies are unlikely to offer salaries at those levels unless a Fellow demonstrates that he/she would experience a decrease in salary. Direct-hire Fellows who believe they qualify for compensation at a higher level should contact their program manager.