Federal & State Government Jobs

Open Opportunities is a government-wide program offering professional development opportunities to current federal employees and internships to students. The program facilitates collaboration and knowledge sharing across the federal government.

An opportunity is an experience-based learning assignment with any agency across the federal government. Opportunities offer current Federal employees a way to develop and grow their professional skills and experience — all while keeping their current Federal job. Agencies benefit too, because opportunities are a great way to get extra help, learn from other agencies, and develop, engage and retain employees.

The program offers a wide variety of real-world projects to work on for students looking for internships.

Learn more and begin your search: https://www.usajobs.gov/search/results/?wt=15320&p=1

There are many opportunities to enter or develop your career in public service by way of fellowships. These worthwhile programs serve as entry points into government for professionals of almost all career tracks and levels of experience. MAPS has compiled and arranged a list of selected fellowships for the benefit of our members and the general public.

Explore Junior or Entry-Level Fellowships: /resources/public-service-fellowships-young-professionals

Explore Mid-career and Senior Fellowships: /resources/public-service-fellowships-mid-career-to-senior-professionals

The Federal government offers many exciting job opportunities, but they can be difficult to find, track and navigate, complicated by short application windows and information scattered across hundreds of different webpages.

The GoGovernment Federal Internship Finder, created by the Partnership for Public Service, will simplify your search for federal opportunities. The tool compiles publicly accessible information about professional and academic opportunities in government for students and recent graduates into one centralized place.

You can navigate the GoGovernment Federal Internship Finder here: https://www.paynefellows.org/

The Federal Government offers unique hiring paths to help hire individuals that represent our diverse society. Hiring paths include the general public of U.S. citizens, current or former Federal employees, veterans, military spouses, national guard and reserves, students and recent graduates, senior executives, individuals with a disability, family of overseas employees, Native Americans, and Peace Corps & AmeriCorps volunteers.

To find additional information about Federal Government job openings, internships, and fellowships, visit the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on USAJOBS.

The Federal employment and application process is different from the private sector in many regards, and can be highly specific and obscure to most first-time applicants. OPM shares helpful information clarifying common myths about the hiring process.

For additional support consider visiting GoGovernment, an initiative of the Partnership for Public Service that is designed to be your guide as you consider, apply, and secure federal employment.

Apart from career positions in the Federal government, applicants interested in serving in a political appointment in the current administration may apply for these non-career positions and should check back for active application processes and endorsement procedures.

Employment opportunities with the U.S. House of Representatives and their Committees can be found at https://www.house.gov/employment, while opportunities with the U.S. Senate Offices and Committees can be found at https://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/visiting/h_multi_sections_and_teasers/employment.htm.

Browse state and local government jobs to explore other branches or levels of government employment.

Civic Match by Work for America is a nonpartisan program connecting federal workers and campaign staff with meaningful roles in state and local governments across the country: https://www.workforamerica.org/civicmatch

Civil Service Strong: People, organizations, and communities across the country join together to ensure civil servants have resources if they are targeted or attacked. Check back as resources come online and for monitoring of threats to the civil service.

FedSupport, a project of the Partnership for Public Service, curates resources on a wide range of timely topics in response to the latest civil service news and developments.

Unemployment Compensation For Federal Employees (UCFE) provides unemployment compensation for federal employees who have lost their employment at no fault of their own. Claims should be filed in the state where the employee’s last official duty station was located, with limited exceptions. See https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/unemployment-insurance and https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/docs/factsheet/UCFE_FactSheet.pdf.

Open to Work: a guide to writing an Open to Work post on LinkedIn — https://thejobhopper.substack.com/p/when-and-how-to-use-open-to-work

Federal News Network has advice on appeals, unemployment, health benefits, and life insurance for terminated probationary employees: https://federalnewsnetwork.com/hiring-retention/2025/02/there-is-help-for-probationary-employees-who-were-terminated/

Maryland has a resource directory for federal workers, including unemployment insurance benefits, career guidance, and reemployment support: https://www.dllr.state.md.us/federalworkers/. Maryland’s American Job Centers provide job listings, referrals to training programs, placement services, resume assistance, and workshops: https://labor.maryland.gov/county/

Virginia Career Works has helpful information on transitioning from the federal government, with tips and resources for federal employees who may be returning to the civilian workforce, plus free services including job listings, resume help, career coaching, and training programs: https://virginiacareerworks.com/