Phone screen consisted of skills-based inquiry. In-person interview occurred within a week. This consisted of skills-based and behavioral questions, previous work examples. Hiring manager and work leader were different people. Offer came within a week.
Interviewers were nice people. However, the work leader redirected the interview focus from my strengths to his weaknesses. I had no idea a person could be that weak in their core competency and still hold a job. Civil servant attitudes ranged from embracing change to total apathy. Many employees are 3rd party contractors, and their professional opinions and rational thinking are often trumped by the aforementioned apathy or egos.
Any job tools required beyond computer, pencil, and paper requires several layers of approval, regardless of importance or urgency. Although contract workers make up a majority of the workforce, they are not allowed to attend any federally funded training related to group effectiveness, team work, etc. They are expected to be fully-trained experts at everything.
Advice: Ask how decisions are made, and examples of recent decisions. Ask how many times the same problem has been attacked, and how previous solutions are different from or similar to current projects. Ask for examples of previously solved problems that reoccurred. Also, ask what the organizations biggest concerns are and how they are solving them.
If you want to collect a paycheck and "go with the flow", this is the place for you. Just watch your back and document everything. People disappear for no apparent reason, followed by lame explanations (manager ejected after a year on the job due to "skills mismatch" with no prior discussion or notice).