National Nuclear Security Administration: Reductions to Federal Workforce

The National Nuclear Security Administration currently has its largest workload since the Cold War. It's overseeing a $200 billion, two-decade-long effort to modernize nuclear weapons and infrastructure.

We previously found that NNSA faced challenges recruiting and retaining skilled federal staff to meet its mission. In 2024, NNSA committed to rebuilding its workforce.

But in this Q&A, we reported that NNSA—in response to presidential directives in FY 2025—halted workforce planning and limited hiring. At the same time, employee separations increased significantly.

Consequently, NNSA has seen a 12% decrease in its federal staff since FY 2025.

Close-up of a person cutting the word jobs on paper with scissors

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) oversees a $25 billion annual budget and approximately 70,000 management and operating contractor personnel to maintain the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile and nuclear nonproliferation efforts. NNSA took steps to build its federal workforce to meet mission needs in 2024, with its workforce peaking at 1,991 early in fiscal year 2025. However, since then through the second quarter of fiscal year 2026, NNSA has reduced its federal workforce by 236 employees—or 11.9 percent. These reductions have impacted NNSA’s mission critical workforce, including occupations like nuclear engineers and contract specialists.

Number of National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Federal Employees and Annual Appropriations, Fiscal Year (FY) 2023–FY 2026 Quarter (Q) 2

Note: The Federal Salaries and Expenses appropriation account funds the salaries, benefits, and other related expenses for most of NNSA’s federal workforce.

The reduction of NNSA’s workforce occurred because of two primary reasons: (1) very limited hiring and (2) employee separations—primarily employees choosing to retire or resign. Hiring was limited during the second quarter of fiscal year 2025 through the first quarter of fiscal year 2026.