Federal Background Investigations

Federal Background Investigations

Federal Background Investigations

Various types of professionals like military veterans, college students and former corporate executives can gain federal employment. The United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) works with federal agencies and organizations to create and publish job qualification criteria for federal jobs. Standard criteria helps to increase the likelihood that published job qualification requirements are equitable, accurate and effectively help federal hiring managers attract quality personnel.

Work and Academic Qualifications

Federal employees must be:

  • A United States citizen
  • Registered national or
  • Lawfully admitted registered immigrant alien

Research, scientific and certain other professional jobs in career fields like:

  • Psychology
  • Engineering
  • Biology
  • Healthcare
  • Accounting

require federal employees to have a college degree in their specific area of work. Generally, General Schedule (GS)-5 through GS-7 jobs do not require applicants to have a college degree. On the job training and hands on work experience are often sufficient at these job levels.