Rising Numbers of Federal Employees Face Shrinking Job Opportunities Amid Budget Cuts

Following his dismissal from the Food and Drug Administration in February, Matt Minich joined many scientists who, after leaving federal service, seek employment within academia.

At 38 years old, Minich was part of a large wave of probationary employees let go during the early phase of the previous administration. These initial layoffs foreshadowed further disruptions as the newly established Department of Government Efficiency, led by tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, aggressively reduced workforce numbers, froze expenditures, and canceled government contracts across numerous agencies.

Shortly after accepting a scientist role at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in March, Minich’s new program lost its federal grant support. Having focused on minimizing the health risks associated with tobacco, Minich wryly noted that he had experienced being cut loose by federal funding twice.

“I’m effectively twice rejected by federal government support,” he reflected in a recent interview.

Minich remains actively searching for employment. Like hundreds of thousands of other displaced civil servants entering an increasingly saturated job market, he is encountering a sharp decline in available opportunities due to significant cutbacks in academic grants, consulting contracts, and direct service roles.

Additionally, several states that previously offered employment avenues for former federal workers have reduced hiring, and traditional private-sector contractors are also scaling back. Experts anticipate the situation will deteriorate further as additional layoffs occur, voluntary resignations increase, and employees on administrative leave reach their maximum allowable duration.