Federal Recruitment

Federal hiring is guided by rules and regulations informed by the Merit System, which ensures that selections are made based on an applicant’s qualifications, skills, and ability to perform the job, rather than on personal connections or political affiliation.

Open positions are announced on usajobs.gov, where agencies outline the duties, required qualifications, pay scale, and assessment process for each position. Potential candidates can search through job announcements by location, occupation, salary, and other attributes.

Current job announcements by agency

Current job announcements by location

The number of federal job announcements has fluctuated significantly over time due to changing Executive and Legislative Branch priorities. Historically, periods of expansion in federal programs have led to increased hiring activity. Efforts to reduce the size of government have often resulted in slowing or paused hiring activity.

In January 2025, the Administration implemented a government-wide federal hiring freeze that halted most civilian hiring across executive agencies, with limited exemptions for roles in national security, public safety, and essential support.

Job announcements over time