Where do I start?

Government Careers & Training

Government jobs exist at the federal, state, county, and city levels. Each has its own hiring process. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) helps establish personnel policies for much of the federal civilian workforce. USAJOBS lists many federal job openings. Individual agencies generally make hiring decisions.

You do not need to register with OPM or obtain an OPM certificate simply because you became a U.S. citizen.

Choose a career path

What kind of government work interests you?

Pick one to see who hires, whether OPM is involved, where to search, and what to check. Your choice isn't saved.

Federal civilian employmentJobs with federal departments and agencies, such as NASA or Veterans Affairs.Civilian work supporting the militaryCivilian jobs with the Army, Navy, Air Force, and other Defense organizations.Uniformed military serviceJoining the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, or Coast Guard.State governmentJobs with your state's agencies, such as transportation, health, or parks.County or city governmentJobs with your county, city, or town — from libraries to water utilities.Public schools or universitiesTeaching, support, and staff jobs at public school districts, colleges, and universities.Government contractor employmentJobs with private companies that do work under government contracts.I am not sure yetExplore your options before choosing a path.

Choose an option above to see who hires, whether OPM is involved, where to search, and what to check.

Security Clearance ReadinessFor jobs that need a clearance: how sponsorship works, preparing for the SF-86, and what to gather early. Naturalized citizens can qualify.Open the guide

Learn, plan, and find official pages

OPM vs. USAJOBS vs. the hiring agency

What OPM, USAJOBS, and the hiring agency each do
Who	What you use it for	Official site
OPMOffice of Personnel Management	Understand federal personnel policies, qualification standards, pay systems, benefits, and workforce development.	U.S. Office of Personnel Management (opm.gov)(opens opm.gov in a new tab)
USAJOBSusajobs.gov	Search many federal openings, build a profile, upload application materials, apply, and track applications.	USAJOBS (usajobs.gov)(opens usajobs.gov in a new tab)
Hiring agencyThe department or office that posted the job	Defines the position, evaluates applicants, and generally makes the hiring decision.	USAJOBS Help: How does the application process work?(opens usajobshelp.opm.gov in a new tab)

Example: an engineering job at NASA

This is a made-up example to show who does what. It is not a real job opening.

USAJOBSMaria searches USAJOBS for "aerospace engineer" and finds an opening posted by NASA.
YouShe reads "This job is open to" and sees that it is open to the public, so U.S. citizens may apply.
OPM standardsShe checks the education and specialized experience requirements. For federal jobs, these are often based on OPM qualification standards.
USAJOBSShe tailors her résumé, starts her application on USAJOBS, and is sent to the agency's application system to answer its questions and submit.
NASAAfter the announcement closes, NASA reviews applications, decides who is eligible and qualified, interviews, and selects a candidate.
NASAIf selected, Maria gets a tentative job offer. The offer becomes final only after her background investigation is complete.

Sources and accuracy

Explore freely — no sign-in. We never ask for Social Security numbers, immigration documents, military records, or security clearance information, and the finder never uses your precise location.

Citizen Navigator is an independent educational resource and is not affiliated with OPM or any government agency. Requirements vary by employer and position; consult the official announcement.

Ready for federal jobs? Follow the eight Federal Job Application Lessons