Great Paying Government Jobs

Great Paying Government Jobs
by Seth Fiegerman
Friday, February 5, 2010
provided by

Looking for a cool new career? Then start looking at government jobs.


Associated Press

Forbes recently reported that the government will be hiring 600,000 more employees during the next four years. If that's not reason enough, USA Today reported that the number of government employees earning six-figure salaries has increased too. So, get your resume ready!


Here is our mix of some of the highest-paying (and coolest-sounding) jobs currently being offered in government. Even if you are perfectly content in your current line of work, just the job descriptions for these positions are worth checking out.




Special Agent, FBI

I believe any position with the FBI at the end of it just has to sound so much cooler. But Special Agent already sounds pretty sweet.

The FBI is currently accepting applications for this position through the end of September this year. According to the job description, "As an FBI Special Agent you may work on matters including terrorism, foreign counterintelligence, cyber crime, organized crime, white-collar crime, public corruption, civil rights violations, financial crime, bribery, bank robbery, extortion, kidnapping, air piracy, interstate criminal activity, fugitive and drug-trafficking matters, and other violations of federal statutes."
Annual Salary: $57,000 and $74,000

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Supervisory IT Specialist, FBI

This position may not sound quite as spectacular as Special Agency but 1) It’s still at the FBI and 2) It pays more than $100,000. This job "includes the procurement of equipment, hardware/software maintenance, training, design changes, long range planning, and all other system integration within the division." The FBI started accepting applications for this position earlier this week and will only continue to do so through Feb. 16, so hurry up.
Annual Salary: $123,000 and $155,000



Aerospace Engineer, Department of Transportation

To all the engineers out there who may have been labeled as nerds in college (or anytime thereafter), may I suggest you try out to be an aerospace engineer? This job entails designing and developing civil aircrafts, but you’re bound to get some good stories while working here, which you can use later at parties. The Department of Transportation just started accepting applications for this position earlier in the week and will continue to do so through Feb. 23.
Annual Salary: $91,000 and $141,000



Writer/Editor, Securities and Exchange Commission

For all the struggling journalists out there. We found a position as a writer and editor at the Securities and Exchange Commission that pays as much as $171,000. What do you have to do? Just proofread and update materials related to the financial services industry. Not too shabby. They are currently accepting applications from now through Feb. 8, so hurry up!
Annual Salary: $96,000 - $171,000




Archaeologist, Department of the Interior

Maybe I just have a secret fascination with Indiana Jones, but for whatever reason, the idea of being an archaeologist has always appealed to me. According to the job description, "You will provide expert advice, assistance, and guidance for preservation, public interpretation, and research related to archeological resources in the United States and beyond. The duties will involve work regarding units of the National Park system, as well as archaeological projects, programs, and resources related to other Federal agencies, Indian tribes, and other public agencies." The Department of the Interior is accepting applications until Feb. 15.
Annual Salary: $73,000 and $113,000



Wildlife Biologist, Department of Agriculture

Wildlife Biologist is a pretty sweet job title, but the person who gets hired by this position also gets the title of Grizzly Bear Habitat Coordinator. According to the job description, the employee acts as "a principle liaison for grizzly bear management among the Forest Service's Northern Region, Rocky Mountain Region, and Intermountain Region." The Department of Agriculture is accepting applications until Feb. 12.
Annual Salary: $68,000 and $89,000



Intelligence Officer, Defense Intelligence Agency

Finally, a job for all you James Bond wannabes out there. According to the job description, the Intelligence Officer "monitors/conductsfull-cycle complex national level operations... Projects worked include those which develop counter-Intelligence concerns, or are conducted in high threat areas such as those areas with limited safe haven or official U.S. representations." You can take your time deciding about this position. The Defense Intelligence Agency is accepting applications through January 2011.
Annual Salary: $89,000 and $136,000




Fire Management Officer, Department of Agriculture

The person who gets this position has the all-important task of controlling fire. You're like Prometheus, except you make a nice paycheck. The Fire Management Officer "coordinates and directs fire prevention, detection, and suppression operations." The Department of Agriculture is accepting applications until June 4.
Annual Salary: $67,000 and $104,000



Patent Examiner, Patent and Trademark Office

Albert Einstein started out doing this, and look how well it turned out for him. The Patent Examiner analyzes incoming applications, so you're bound to get some interesting reading. We've written before about some of the craziest inventions that have been patented, and that doesn't even begin to touch on the ideas that are actually too crazy to be patented. The Patent and Trademark Office is hiring for this position until Feb. 16.
Annual Salary: $69,000 and $90,000



Airplane Pilot, Department of Agriculture

There are plenty of openings for pilots across the country. Unfortunately, many of these positions do not pay very well, but if you're the kind of person who has always wanted to fly, then perhaps the position will make up for the paycheck.
Annual Salary: $46,000 and $67,000

typical of our government. you can make more digging up old bones or protecting bear habitats than you can protecting our nations security

hey ? where are those infrastructure technician jobs ? those roads aren't going to just build themselves

c/thru wrote:

hey ? where are those infrastructure technician jobs ? those roads aren't going to just build themselves

It takes a village to raze a highway.

Wait a minute. I think I said that wrong...

c/thru wrote:

hey ? where are those infrastructure technician jobs ? those roads aren't going to just build themselves

they are going to illegal mexicans under the table so they aren't listed.