Appointment types
The Federal Government offers various types of federal employment to suit the different needs of a diverse and dynamic workforce. Searching for the type of employment that is right for you is easy on USAJOBS.
Multiple
A job with multiple appointment types usually means there is more than one position that can be filled and the appointment types may vary.
Permanent
Permanent appointments have no set time-limit. A job that is not a temporary or time-limited appointment.
Temporary
Temporary appointments have a set time-limit and include the following:
- Detail – A temporary assignment to another job. You must be a current federal employee to apply to detail jobs.
- Intermittent - Occurring at irregular intervals; not continuous or steady.
- Term – A job that may last one to four years. Term appointments may be used for project work, extraordinary workload, scheduled cancellation of a position, reorganization, uncertainty of future funding, or contracting out of the function.
- Temporary – A job that will last no longer than one year.
- Seasonal – An annually recurring job that may last six months or more in one year.
- Summer – A job available during the summer months and is usually for students.
Student
- Internship – A job for current students (paid and unpaid) to learn about federal careers while remaining in school.
- Recent graduate – A job for recent graduates seeking a career development program.
- Presidential Management Fellows - This is a leadership development program accepting entry level advanced degree candidates in the Fall of each year.