Requirements
Conditions of employment
- You must be a United States Citizen or National.
- You must successfully pass a security/background investigation and drug screening.
- You may be required to complete a trial/probationary period. See “Additional Information” section for specific details.
- Selective Service registration is required, see the "Additional Information" section for full details.
- A Pathways Recent Graduate Participant Agreement is required.
- A USA Hire assessment is required. An email will be sent with additional information after you submit your application. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement to complete the assessment.
- Under Pathways Recent Graduate regulations, you are eligible only if you have graduated from an academic program of study or earned your degree within the last two years (or 6 years for veterans).
Qualifications
To qualify for the position of Human Resources Specialist (Recent Graduate), GS-0201-7/9 you must meet both the eligibility requirements for the Pathways Recent Graduate Program and the minimum qualifications for the grade level(s) for which you apply.
Pathways Recent Graduate Eligibility
You must meet one of the following requirements:
- Have completed, within the previous two years, a qualifying associate's, bachelor's, master's, professional, doctoral, vocational, or technical degree, certificate, or other qualifying postsecondary credential from an accredited educational institution.
OR
- Be a preference-eligible veteran whose military service prevented you from applying during the standard eligibility period. In this case, eligibility may extend up to six years after completing the qualifying degree or certificate. You must submit a DD-214 documenting the qualifying period of military service.
You do not need a degree in Human Resources to qualify for this position.
We Welcome Applicants from Many Backgrounds!
We encourage applicants from a wide variety of academic disciplines to apply, provided they meet the qualification requirements. Successful Human Resources Specialists come from many educational backgrounds, bringing diverse perspectives and experiences to the profession.
Relevant experience may have been gained through:
- Coursework
- Internships
- Student employment
- Full-time or part-time work
- Military service
- Volunteer service
- Apprenticeships
- Research projects
- Leadership roles in student organizations
- Community involvement
- Other academic, professional, or life experiences that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to succeed
If selected, you will receive formal training, structured on-the-job learning, mentoring from experienced HR professionals, and ongoing professional development to help you build a successful career in federal human resources.
Strong candidates typically demonstrate:
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Sound judgment, integrity, and attention to detail
- Strong customer service and interpersonal skills
- Ability to learn new systems, technology, policies, and procedures
- Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
- Initiative, adaptability, and a commitment to public service
Grade-specific requirements
Applicants must meet Minimum Qualifications for the grade level(s) for which they are applying.
Applicants may qualify at the
GS-7 level based on one of the following:
Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-5 level that demonstrates experience performing administrative or human resources-related work, such as assisting with personnel actions, staffing activities, document preparation, records management, customer service, maintaining data, or performing similar support functions.
OR
Education: One full year of graduate education or Superior Academic Achievement: A bachelor's degree, AND meet one of the following:
- Grade point average of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) for all undergraduate coursework or courses completed in the last two years of undergraduate study.
- Grade point average of 3.45 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) for all courses in your major field of study, or those courses in your major completed in the last two years of undergraduate study.
- Class standing in the upper one-third of your graduating class, college, university, or major subdivision.
- Membership in a national honor society (other than freshman honor societies) recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies;
OR
Combination: A combination of qualifying graduate education and specialized experience.
Applicants may qualify at the
GS-9 level based on one of the following:
Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-7 level that demonstrates experience supporting recruitment, staffing, personnel administration, HR advisory services, organizational management, business operations, or related administrative work involving research, analysis, customer service, document preparation, or process improvement.
OR
Education: Two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree, or a master's, LL.B., or J.D.
OR
Combination: A combination of qualifying graduate education and specialized experience.
You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/07/2026.
Your resume must clearly demonstrate how you meet the qualification requirements and support your responses to the assessment questionnaire. Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating. See the
Required Documents section for important information about resume requirements.
Education
If you are using education to qualify for this position, you must submit a copy of your college transcript. An unofficial transcript that includes your degree, courses completed, grades earned, completion date (if applicable), and semester or quarter hours is acceptable at the time of application. Official transcripts will be required before entering on duty if selected.
Graduate Education: One academic year of graduate education is the number of credit hours your institution considers equivalent to one year of full-time study. If your institution does not define one academic year, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) will be considered equivalent to one year of full-time graduate study.
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications; applicants' resumes and supporting documentation should only reflect education received from schools accredited by such institutions. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home.If a relevant course is not clearly qualifying (e.g., special topic, seminar, research, thesis, obscure or misleading course title, etc.), please submit an official course syllabus and/or detailed course description from the university/college for that particular course to ensure you are properly evaluated. Provide all relevant transcripts, not just your most recent one.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet Minimum Qualifications, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program, or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. Failure to provide such documentation with your application will result in lost consideration. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
Additional information
Additional selections may be made from this announcement.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.
If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments.
Probationary or Trial Period (as applicable): As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
1) your performance and conduct;
2) the needs and interests of the agency;
3) whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
4) whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. More information can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/media/1425556/dl?inline.
DOJ Reasonable Accommodation Policy: Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. The DOJ Reasonable Accommodation policy can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/reasonable-accommodation#policy
Selective Service:If you were born male, on or after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Additional information is found at:www.sss.gov.
Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: The Fair Chance Act prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOJ employee or Federal contractor acting on its behalf has violated your rights under this Act, you may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to
Note: In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201(b) certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance Act.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Required Documents
It is your responsibility to carefully review the list of required documents below and submit the necessary documentation based on your eligibility.
Disability Letter (Schedule A), Disability Letter (VA), Resume, and Transcript
You must submit a copy of your current transcripts with major being pursued for proof of education and enrollment. If you are not currently enrolled but have been accepted for future enrollment you must submit a copy of your acceptance letter with your application.
Resume - All Applicants: You must submit a resume (a two page or less resume is required) containing the following pieces of information for each job entry listed in your employment history:
- Official position title,
- Employer name and contact information,
- Start and end dates (including month and year),
- Indicate full-time or number of hours worked per week if part-time, and
- A list of duties performed and accomplishments.
If you leave out important information, we may not be able to credit your experience, and you may be rated ineligible.
The following documents are ACCEPTED for this vacancy:
- Cover Letter
- DD-214/ Statement of Service
- Disability Letter (Schedule A)
- Disability Letter (VA)
- Supporting documentation
- Performance Appraisal
- Reasonable Accommodation Documentation
- Resume
- SF-15
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
- Transcript
These are documents that may be required for some applicants, based on what eligibility you are applying for or if you are using education to qualify. The list below provides additional information describing common documents that are accepted and provides a link to learn more about the specific details of that type of documentation.
- Veterans Preference:When claiming a veteran-related preference eligibility, you must submit specific documents based on the type of preference claimed. You may need to submit any of the following forms: SF-15 (Application of 10-point Veterans Preference), DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), and a VA Disability Letter. Please see USAJOBS Veterans Preference for more details.
- Transcripts & Education:When using education to qualify, please submit an official or unofficial transcript from your institution that shows full credit hours and course information. Avoid submitting protected PDF files as these may contain security features that prevent DOJ from viewing the document.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.