One of the major thrusts of the Philippine Statistical System (PSS) is to strengthen the capability of statistical human resources in the country. To give impetus to this thrust, the Executive Board of the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) as specified in its Resolution No. 12, Series of 2006 has approved the establishment of a Scientific Career System (SCS) for Statisticians following the rules and regulations of the Philippine Scientific Career System. (http://scs.dost.gov.ph/index.php)

The scientific career system for statisticians (SCSS) is the system of recruitment, career progression, recognition and reward of scientists in the public service specifically designed for statisticians.  This is also a means of developing a pool of highly qualified and productive statisticians in the country.

Career Options for Statisticians

Statisticians in the government service have the option to pursue a career path along the career executive service or the scientific career system. To opt for the latter, a statistician has to follow the Scientific Career System (SCS) for Statisticians. There are five (5) ranks under the SCS. The ranks and their corresponding salary grades are as follows:

Scientist Rank	Salary Grade
Scientist 1	SG 26
Scientist II	SG 27
Scientist III	SG 28
Scientist IV	SG 29
Scientist V	SG 30

On the other hand, there are six ranks under the career executive service. Those who would like to pursue this path need to pass the eligibility requirements for the examination administered by either the Career Executive Service Board or the Civil Service Commission. The ranks and their corresponding salary grades are as follows:

CESO Rank	Salary Grade
CESO VI	SG 25
CESO V	SG 26
CESO IV	SG 27
CESO III	SG 28
CESO II	SG 29
CESO I	SG 30

The SCS provides that a government employee in a non-executive (third level) position can be a scientist and obtain a salary grade upgrading equivalent to his scientist rank after all the SCS requirements have been complied with. In contrast, a CESE or a CSEE eligible occupying a non-executive position cannot get a salary grade upgrade equivalent to an executive position without a promotion.

The establishment of the Scientific Career System for Statisticians augurs well for statisticians who wish to pursue the scientific career system. Thus, for statisticians who wish to seek conferment of the desired scientist rank, the process starts from the agency/department where he/she is affiliated.

Qualification Standards

• Presently employed with permanent appointment in any government agency;
• Completion of at least master’s degree in Statistics or related program;
• If a statistician is a master’s degree holder and applying for the rank of Scientist I to IV, he/she should have at least ten (10) years of productive scholarship and professional R&D work in statistics;
• If a statistician is a doctorate degree holder, and applying for the rank of Scientist I to IV, he/she should have at least five (5) years of productive scholarship and professional R&D work in statistics;
• A nominee’s scientific accomplishments will be considered and evaluated for conferment if he/she has met the requisite number of discoveries/utility models or ISI publications, and has accumulated the following points:
1. With not less than 80% coming from Part IIA of application and evaluation form (SCS 01) which dwell on discoveries, inventions, major research papers, book articles, technologies, other scientific findings, etc. and
2. Not more than 20% from Part IIB of SCS 01 which concerns the scientific and professional standing.

For Admission:

• Scientist I - Should have at least one (1) Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) Publication/Discovery/Utility Model (registered and adopted) and must garner at least 50 points total (minimum 40 points in Part IIA and maximum 10 points in Part B of SCS 01, within ten (10) years immediately preceding date of application)
• Scientist II - Should have at least three (3) ISI Publications/Discoveries/Utility Models (registered and adopted) and must garner at least 110 points* (minimum 88 points in Part IIA and maximum 22 points in Part B of SCS 01, within ten (10) years immediately preceding date of application).

For Promotion to a Higher Rank:

A nominee from the date of last conferment may be upgraded to one (1) rank higher, if within the ACTIVE PERIOD he/she has met the requisite number of ISI Publications/Discoveries/ Utility Models (registered and adopted), and accumulated the following minimum points, with not less than 80% coming from Part IIA (Discoveries, inventions, major research papers, book articles, technologies, other scientific findings, etc.) and not more than 20% from Part IIB (Scientific and Professional Standing):

• Scientist II – Should have at least two (2) ISI Publications/Discoveries/ Utility Models as Scientist I and must garner at least 60 points**(new scientific accomplishments within the active period) in scientific accomplishments.
• Scientist III – Should have at least three (3) ISI Publications/Discoveries/ Utility Models as Scientist II and must garner at least 70 points**(new scientific accomplishments within the active period) in scientific accomplishments.
• Scientist IV – Should have at least four (4) ISI Publications/Discoveries/ Utility Models as Scientist III and must garner at least 80 points **(new scientific accomplishments within the active period) in scientific accomplishments.
• Scientist V – Completion of doctoral degree in Statistics and ten (10) years of productive scholarship and professional R&D work beyond the doctorate. Should have at least five (5) ISI Publications/Discoveries/Utility Models as Scientist IV and must garner at least 90 points**(new scientific accomplishments within the active period) in scientific accomplishments.
  

No application will be considered if the applicant (i) has retired from the government service; (ii) applied for conferment/ upgrading in rank six (6) months before retirement, whether voluntary or compulsory; and (iii) is on extension period beyond compulsory retirement.

Application Process

1. Fill up of SCS 01 and compile all the documents as proof of claim mentioned in Part II of the form and other application requirements. Presentation of these documents should be properly organized. All written and published works must be reproduced in their entirety. At least seven (7) copies of these documents must be prepared.
2. The applicant should forward his or her application to his/her department/agency head. If approved, the application should be forwarded to the department/agency-based Scientific Career Evaluation Committee (SCEC) for evaluation. If the department/agency has no SCEC, the application may be submitted to the Philippine Statistical System-wide SCEC housed at SRTC.
3. The SCEC shall review the completeness of the documents submitted, validate authenticity, and evaluate whether the productive work is statistical or statistics-related. The applicant may be called by the SCEC to provide clarifications if necessary.
4. The SCEC shall perform preliminary evaluation in terms of productive scholarship and R&D work in statistics. The applicant should garner a minimum of 50 pre-screened points for Scientist I and 110 points for Scientist II in order to be recommended for nomination. The head of the department/agency and the applicant shall be informed by the SCEC of the results of their evaluation.
5. If the applicant passed the evaluation, the department/agency head shall endorse the application to the DOST-based Scientific Career Council (SCC). The endorsement includes the result of the SCEC evaluation and recommendation.