College graduates, students, and experienced professionals who are
interested in a career at the Department of Labor are invited to apply. Most
Federal employees obtain jobs through competitive procedures. However, there
are a number of Federal-wide special authorities and programs DOL may use to
hire eligible, qualified applicants outside of the competitive process. You may
be eligible for one or more of them. Keep in mind, however, that the use of
these authorities is not mandatory. They include:
Outstanding Scholar
Authority
Outstanding Scholar is a special hiring authority
established for entry-level administrative positions at the GS-5 and GS-7 grade
entry-levels. The purpose of the authority is to provide a mechanism to appoint
minorities to Federal positions. This authority can be used only for specific
series and job titles listed below.
You are considered an Outstanding Scholar if you have acquired a
grade point average of 3.45 or higher, on a 4.0 scale, for all undergraduate
course work completed towards your bachelor's degree; or graduated in the upper
ten percent of your undergraduate class of your college or university, or major
college or university subdivision.
DOL Major Occupations for which the Outstanding Scholar
Appointment may be used:
- Safety and Occupational Health Specialist
- Manpower Development Specialist
- Workforce Development Specialist
- Workers' Compensation Claims Examiner
- Wage and Hour Compliance Specialist
- Criminal Investigator
- Economist
- Computer Specialist
- Personnel Management Specialist
- Program/Management Analyst
Bilingual/Bicultural Hiring
Authority
The Bilingual/Bicultural is also a special hiring authority. Under
the Bilingual/Bicultural authority, if you have Spanish language proficiency or
knowledge of Hispanic culture, you may be appointed to a position for which you
qualify if the job requires such knowledge and ability.
Veterans Readjustment
Appointments (VRA)
DOL is committed to providing employment and job advancement
opportunities for qualified disabled, Vietnam, and post-Vietnam era veterans.
The Veterans Readjustment Appointment (VRA) program allows certain eligible
Vietnam veterans and Post-Vietnam-era veterans to be appointed noncompetitively
to Federal civilian jobs which lead to competitive status and career or
career-conditional tenure upon satisfactory completion of 2 years of service,
education, or training. Under another special hiring authority, if you are a 30
percent or more disabled veteran, you may be hired noncompetitively for any
position and grade level for which you qualify in the competitive service.
Employment of Persons with
Disabilities/Selective Placement
DOL welcomes and encourages applications from persons with
physical and mental disabilities and will reasonably accommodate the needs of
those persons. Another special hiring authority may be used when considering
certain persons with disabilities (those with severe physical, cognitive or
emotional disability or a history of such disabilities or are perceived as
having such disabilities). This authority provides a unique opportunity to
demonstrate the potential to successfully perform the essential duties of a
position with and without workplace accommodations.
Presidential Management Intern Program
The Presidential Management Intern (PMI)
Program was established by Executive Order in 1977. It provides a
special means of entry into the Federal Service for recipients of graduate
degrees. These individuals must also have a clear interest in, and a commitment
to, a career in the analysis and management of public policies and programs.
Career development is emphasized and, as an intern, you would be exposed to a
variety of work assignments, seminars, discussion groups, career counseling and
other activities. Each year, the Department provides job opportunities for
PMI's.
This program is managed by the U.S. Office of Personnel
Management. Applications for the Presidential Management Intern
Program can be obtained from your graduate school or placement office.
Student Educational
Employment Program
Most DOL Agencies participate in the federal-wide Student
Educational Employment Program. This program was created to attract
talented students to Federal public service. It is available to all levels of
students: high school, vocational and technical, associate degree,
baccalaureate degree, graduate degree, and professional degree. Students may be
hired into this program at any time during the year. However, we make the most
use of the program during the summer. This program has two components: 1)
student temporary employment and 2) student career experience.
(1) Student Temporary Employment Component
Job opportunities under this component offer you temporary
employment. Employment can range from summer jobs to positions that can last
for as long as you are a student. These employment opportunities need not
necessarily be related to your academic field of study. Students become
eligible for life, health and certain other benefits after one year of
employment.
(2) Student Career Experience Component
This component offers you valuable work experience directly
related to your academic field of study. It provides formal periods of work and
study while you are attending school. You may be eligible for conversion to
permanent employment under this component after successfully completing your
education and meeting certain work requirements.
To be eligible under this program, you must
be:
- At least 16 years of age.
- A student enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a
degree-seeking student (diploma, certificate, etc.)
- Taking at least half-time academic or vocational and technical
course load in an accredited high school, technical or vocational school,
2-year or 4-year college or university, graduate or professional school.
- A U.S. citizen or a national (resident of American Samoa or
Swains Island). U.S. citizenship is required for conversion to permanent
employment under the Student Career Experience Component.
For additional information on any of the above programs, contact a
DOL Human Resource Office or visit the Office of Personnel Management's website
at
http://www.usajobs.opm.gov
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