About the NIST Alternative Personnel Management System (APMS)
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General Information
The NIST Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1987 established the NIST Personnel Management Demonstration Project to demonstrate an alternative personnel management system. The Demonstration Project became a permanent system on March 7, 1996, through the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995. It is now referred to as the NIST Alternative Personnel Management System (APMS).The APMS is founded on the concepts of market sensitivity and competitiveness, pay for performance, administrative simplicity, management flexibility, budget neutrality, and government-wide applicability. The goals are to improve hiring of high-quality personnel and to more effectively compensate and retain high performers.
The APMS established objectives in pay, position classification, recruitment, qualifications examination, retention, performance management, employee development, and employee relations. The APMS was designed to recruit and retain quality staff; make compensation more competitive; link pay to performance; simplify position classification; streamline processing; improve the staffing process and get new hires aboard faster; increase the manager's role and accountability in personnel management; and facilitate adoption of the system by other agencies.
Basic System Features
Recruiting: NIST competes more effectively in the labor market through agency-based hiring (authorizes NIST to create its own candidate registers instead of using OPM registers); expanded direct-hiring for hard-to-fill positions; greater management involvement in recruiting and hiring; flexible entry salaries; recruiting allowances; and more flexible paid advertising.
Retention: NIST retains good performers more effectively through pay-for-performance, the higher pay potential of broad banding, supervisory differentials, and retention allowances.
Classification: NIST has simplified, accelerated, and improved the classification process through broad banding, generic NIST-specific classification standards, automated position descriptions, and delegation of authority to line managers.
Performance Appraisal: To more effectively support pay-for-performance, NIST uses a 6-level rating system.
Administration: NIST has streamlined the personnel administrative process through reduction of paperwork, automation of personnel processes, and delegation.
Line Management Authority: NIST has strengthened the manager's role in personnel management through delegation of authority and accountability.
All NIST employees, except wage-grade employees and the NIST Director, are included in the APMS. The APMS is managed by the Personnel Management Board (PMB) and chaired by the NIST Deputy Director. The Operating Unit Directors are the voting members.
Career Paths and Pay Bands
The most noticeable difference between the NIST APMS and the General Schedule (GS) system used by other agencies is that NIST positions are classified according to career path and pay band, instead of by GS grade. Career paths are categories of occupations grouped by similarities in work, qualification requirements, pay ranges, and career progression. The four career paths that arose from this philosophy are Scientific and Engineering (ZP), Scientific and Engineering Technician (ZT), Administrative (ZA), and Support (ZS). A pay band encompasses a broader salary and classification range than does a General Schedule (GS) grade. A single band usually covers the same range as two or more grades. For this reason, pay banding is often referred to as "broadbanding." Click here to view the NIST Career Path Chart. (Adobe Acrobat Reader required. Get Acrobat Reader.)
Listing of NIST Occupational Series
Scientific and Engineering (ZP) Positions:
| Job Series |
Job Title |
| ZP-0101 |
Social Scientist |
| ZP-0110 |
Economist |
| ZP-0185 |
Social Worker |
| ZP-0199 |
Student Trainee (Social Science) |
| ZP-0399 |
Student Trainee (Computer Specialist) |
| ZP-0401 |
Biologist |
| ZP-0403 |
Microbiologist |
| ZP-0499 |
Student Trainee (Biological Science) |
| ZP-0601 |
Health Specialist |
| ZP-0690 |
Industrial Hygienist |
| ZP-0801 |
General Engineer |
| ZP-0803 |
Safety Engineer |
| ZP-0804 |
Fire Protection Engineer |
| ZP-0806 |
Materials Engineer |
| ZP-0808 |
Architect |
| ZP-0810 |
Civil Engineer |
| ZP-0819 |
Environmental Engineer |
| ZP-0830 |
Mechanical Engineer |
| ZP-0840 |
Nuclear Engineer |
| ZP-0850 |
Electrical Engineer |
| ZP-0854 |
Computer Engineer |
| ZP-0855 |
Electronics Engineer |
| ZP-0858 |
Biomedical Engineer |
| ZP-0892 |
Ceramics Engineer |
| ZP-0893 |
Chemical Engineer |
| ZP-0896 |
Industrial Engineer |
| ZP-0899 |
Student Trainee (Engineering) |
| ZP-1301 |
Physical Scientist |
| ZP-1306 |
Health Physicist |
| ZP-1310 |
Physicist |
| ZP-1320 |
Chemist |
| ZP-1321 |
Metallurgist |
| ZP-1330 |
Astronomer |
| ZP-1350 |
Geologist |
| ZP-1360 |
Oceanographer |
| ZP-1372 |
Geodesist |
| ZP-1384 |
Textile Technologist |
| ZP-1399 |
Student Trainee (Physical Science) |
| ZP-1515 |
Operations Research Analyst |
| ZP-1520 |
Mathematician |
| ZP-1529 |
Mathematical Statistician |
| ZP-1530 |
Statistician |
| ZP-1550 |
Computer Scientist |
| ZP-1599 |
Student Trainee (Mathematics) |
| ZP-2210 |
Information Technology Specialist |
| ZP-2299 |
Student Trainee (IT Specialist) |
Administrative (ZA) Positions:
| Job Series |
Job Title |
| ZA-0018 |
Safety and Occupational Health Spec. |
| ZA-0080 |
Security Specialist |
| ZA-0081 |
Fire Chief |
| ZA-0099 |
Student Trainee (General) |
| ZA-0170 |
Historian |
| ZA-0180 |
Counseling Psychologist |
| ZA-0201 |
Human Resources Specialist |
| ZA-0260 |
Equal Employment Specialist |
| ZA-0299 |
Student Trainee (HR Specialist) |
| ZA-0301 |
Administrative Specialist |
| ZA-0340 |
Program Manager |
| ZA-0341 |
Administrative Officer |
| ZA-0342 |
Support Services Specialist |
| ZA-0343 |
Management and Program Analyst |
| ZA-0391 |
Telecommunications Specialist |
| ZA-0399 |
Student Trainee (Administration) |
| ZA-0501 |
Financial Administration Specialist |
| ZA-0505 |
Financial Manager |
| ZA-0510 |
Accountant |
| ZA-0560 |
Budget Analyst |
| ZA-0599 |
Student Trainee (Financial Management) |
| ZA-0670 |
Health System Administrator |
| ZA-0671 |
Health System Specialist |
| ZA-0685 |
Public Health Analyst |
| ZA-1001 |
Information Specialist |
| ZA-1020 |
Illustrator |
| ZA-1035 |
Public Affairs Specialist |
| ZA-1060 |
Photographer |
| ZA-1071 |
Audio-Visual Production Specialist |
| ZA-1082 |
Writer-Editor |
| ZA-1083 |
Technical Writer-Editor |
| ZA-1084 |
Visual Information Specialist |
| ZA-1099 |
Student Trainee (Information) |
| ZA-1101 |
General Business Specialist |
| ZA-1102 |
Contract Specialist |
| ZA-1104 |
Property Disposal Specialist |
| ZA-1140 |
Trade Specialist |
| ZA-1150 |
Industrial Specialist |
| ZA-1160 |
Financial Analyst |
| ZA-1199 |
Student Trainee (Business) |
| ZA-1410 |
Librarian |
| ZA-1412 |
Technical Information Specialist |
| ZA-1420 |
Archivist |
| ZA-1499 |
Student Trainee (Librarian) |
| ZA-1601 |
General Facilities Manager |
| ZA-1640 |
Facility Operations Specialist |
| ZA-1654 |
Printing Services Specialist |
| ZA-1701 |
Education Specialist |
| ZA-1720 |
Education Program Specialist |
| ZA-1725 |
Public Health Educator |
| ZA-1730 |
Education Research Analyst |
| ZA-1740 |
Educational Services Specialist |
| ZA-2001 |
Supply Specialist |
| ZA-2003 |
Supply Management Specialist |
| ZA-2010 |
Inventory Management Specialist |
| ZA-2050 |
Cataloging Specialist |
| ZA-2101 |
Travel Management Specialist |
| ZA-2130 |
Traffic Management Specialist |
| ZA-2150 |
Transportation Officer |
Support (ZS) Positions:
| Job Series |
Job Title |
| ZS-0081 |
Firefighter |
| ZS-0083 |
Police Officer |
| ZS-0085 |
Security Guard |
| ZS-0086 |
Security Assistant |
| ZS-0203 |
Human Resources Assistant (OA) |
| ZS-0279 |
Student Trainee (Personnel Clerk) |
| ZS-0303 |
Administrative Support Assistant |
| ZS-0304 |
Information Receptionist |
| ZS-0305 |
Mail and File Clerk |
| ZS-0309 |
Correspondence Assistant |
| ZS-0318 |
Secretary |
| ZS-0326 |
Office Automation Assistant |
| ZS-0335 |
Computer Assistant |
| ZS-0342 |
Support Services Assistant |
| ZS-0344 |
Management Assistant |
| ZS-0350 |
Equipment Operator |
| ZS-0351 |
Printing Assistant |
| ZS-0357 |
Coding Assistant |
| ZS-0361 |
Equal Opportunity Assistant |
| ZS-0379 |
Student Trainee (Clerk) |
| ZS-0382 |
Telephone Operator |
| ZS-0394 |
Communications Assistant |
| ZS-0503 |
Financial Assistant |
| ZS-0525 |
Accounting Technician |
| ZS-0544 |
Civilian Pay Technician |
| ZS-0561 |
Budget Assistant |
| ZS-0579 |
Student Trainee (Financial Clerk) |
| ZS-1021 |
Office Draftsman |
| ZS-1087 |
Editorial Assistant |
| ZS-1105 |
Purchasing Agent |
| ZS-1106 |
Procurement Technician |
| ZS-1107 |
Property Disposal Technician |
| ZS-1411 |
Library Technician |
| ZS-1479 |
Student Trainee (Library Aid) |
| ZS-2005 |
Supply Technician |
| ZS-2102 |
Transportation Assistant |
Scientific and Engineering Technician (ZT) Positions:
| Job Series |
Job Title |
| ZT-0019 |
Safety Technician |
| ZT-0181 |
Psychology Technician |
| ZT-0332 |
Computer Operator |
| ZT-0404 |
Biological Technician |
| ZT-0479 |
Student Trainee (Biological Science) |
| ZT-0802 |
Engineering Technician |
| ZT-0809 |
Construction Representative |
| ZT-0818 |
Engineering Draftsman |
| ZT-0856 |
Electronics Technician |
| ZT-0879 |
Student Trainee (Engineering) |
| ZT-0895 |
Industrial Engineering Technician |
| ZT-1311 |
Physical Science Technician |
| ZT-1379 |
Student Trainee (Physical Science) |
| ZT-1521 |
Mathematics Technician |
| ZT-1579 |
Student Trainee (Mathematics) |
| ZT-1670 |
Equipment Specialist |
Pay Ranges
The pay range for each band is generally equivalent to the pay range of the GS grades in the band, including GS locality pay rates. Supervisors have an additional range above the nonsupervisory ceiling of a band which they can move into through pay-for-performance. Click here to view the NIST Career Path Chart.
