system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
What’s job security like for biology phds in government? (Eg working for CDC or NIH)

And when I refer to jobs I’m really talking about staff scientist jobs.
gpt
Job security in federal scientific GS jobs is very good. Typically they cannot fire you without cause and you have to be given opportunities to complete corrective action before then if the "cause" is just that you're not great at your job. Promotion pathways are also clearly laid out, though that doesn't mean they're guaranteed.

It is also easier to get another GS job once you're already a fed, so if you're at NIH and decide you want to move to Atlanta, your chances of getting a CDC job are much higher than they would be if you were applying as a member of the public.

When/if there are budget cuts to your agency, they do everything they can to avoid laying off good people. So they'll do hiring freezes, early retirements, furloughs, cutting consultants, and pursuing for-cause firing of underperforming staff before they lay someone off. And if you are going to be or have been laid off (which is rare!), you're basically given top preference for any other federal job that you're qualified for for some period of time.