Overview
Education, learning and development careers in federal government focus on helping people build the knowledge and skills they need to succeed. Beyond K-12 education, these roles can focus on a wide range of learners including adult learners, federal employees, incarcerated individuals, the public and more! These roles strengthen public institutions by improving access to learning, supporting effective instruction and ensuring programs are designed to effectively help individuals.
For students and job seekers, this field offers a wide range of entry points, including classroom teaching, curriculum support, training and professional development, youth services, museum education and program coordination. These careers are a strong fit for those who want to make learning more accessible, meaningful and effective across their communities.
What You Might Work On
In the federal government, professionals in this field often:
- Provide direct instruction and care to students in military-associated classrooms
- Design and deliver training materials for adult and professional learning programs
- Provide assistance to schools, districts and agencies to strengthen instructional quality and student services
- Collaborate with educators, administrators and researchers to advance high-quality learning opportunities nationwide
Is This a Good Fit?
While roles and responsibilities vary, you might enjoy this field if you:
- Enjoy helping people learn new skills and understand complex concepts
- Can think creatively about communication styles
- Are comfortable collaborating with and adapting to varied audiences
- Find energy in building up and supporting others
Job Series Codes
What are job series codes?
In the federal government, most jobs are grouped into “job series” based on the type of work. Each series has a four-digit code (for example, training instruction, 1712).
How to use them:
You can use job series codes to narrow your search on USAJOBS. Start with a keyword (like “program analyst”), then add a series code for more targeted results. Here are a few examples to get you started — there are hundreds of job series codes across the federal government!
| Code | Series / category name | Common keywords | What you’ll do |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1701 | General Education and Training | Education and training specialist, Teacher, Principal, Child development specialist, curriculum specialist | Professional education work not covered by other series |
| 1702 | Educational and Training Technician | Child and youth program assistant, Educational aide, Training technician | Provide technical and otherwise specialized support to education programs |
| 1710 | Educational and Vocational Training | Teacher, Principal, Substitute, Special education, Early childhood | Deliver instruction and administer education and training programs |
| 1712 | Training Instruction | Training instructor, Training specialist, Training administrator, Training development | Develop, instruct and evaluate professional training programs |
| 1715 | Vocational Rehabilitation | Vocational rehabilitation specialist | Counsel and train job seekers facing barriers to employment |
| 1740 | Educational Services | Education services specialist, Guidance counselor, Education specialist | Support secondary and adult learners following career and self-development-related education plans |
Where You Could Work
The federal government is big — so where do you start?
One approach is to focus on a type of role. Another is to focus on a mission area or the kind of impact you want to have (i.e., in public health, education, transportation or elsewhere).
Keep in mind: mission areas often span multiple agencies, so you may find relevant roles in places you wouldn’t expect!
Professionals in this field work across many federal agencies depending on mission area, including:
- Early childhood: Department of Defense, Military Community and Family Policy Office
- Experiential education: Department of the Interior, National Parks Service
- Employee training and development: Central Intelligence Agency, Intelligence Language Institute
Sample Positions
Educational Research Analyst (1702)
| Employer / agency | Department of Defense, Department of Defense Education Activity |
|---|---|
| Location(s) | Peachtree City, Georgia; Okinawa Island, Japan; Sembach, Germany |
| Mission context | This Educational Research Analyst uses research and data to improve educational experiences for military-connected students. |
In this role, you may:
- Collect, analyze and interpret quantitative and qualitative data which involves researching and analyzing critical Department of Defense Education Activity education system problems by specific demographic groups
- Manage large scale databases and maintain the databases for various projects in support of the district mission
- Develop interview and focus group questions, surveys and classroom observation protocols for program evaluations
Child Development Center Director (1701)
| Employer / agency | Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard |
|---|---|
| Location(s) | New London, Connecticut |
| Mission context | This role supports Coast Guard families by providing safe, high-quality childcare, enabling service members to carry out their missions. |
In this role, you may:
- Develop and implement programs for childcare services provided at the unit and develop local childcare policies for command approval
- Prepare an annual budget and funding request reflecting local child development and family childcare program needs and resources
- Interview and recommend employment of child development center staff; evaluate, counsel, document actions, promote and make recommendations of dismissals of employees when necessary
Top 10 agencies for this Field
Top 10 Most Common Jobs in this Field
Positions Currently Open on USAJOBS
Browse current federal job openings on USAJOBS and explore opportunities across agencies and career fields. Use the filters to find positions that match your skills, review requirements, and understand how to apply.
130 Results
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Permanent
RECREATION ASSISTANT (BOATHOUSE & MARINA), NF2/FLEX
U.S. Marine Corps
- Closes Jul 15, 2026
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Permanent
Recreation Aid
Air Mobility Command
- Closes Jul 15, 2026
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Permanent
Technical Information Specialist
Air Mobility Command
- Closes Jul 15, 2026
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Permanent
CDC Director w/CYP oversight (Medium)
Commander, Navy Installations Command
- Closes Jul 15, 2026
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Permanent
CHILD AND YOUTH PROGRAM LEADER CY2 (GSE-05)
U.S. Marine Corps
- Closes Jul 15, 2026
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Permanent
BRIDGEPORT, CA – CHILD AND YOUTH PROGRAM LEADER CY2 (GSE-05)
U.S. Marine Corps
- Closes Jul 15, 2026
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Permanent
CYP Child and Youth Program Assistant (Multi-Level)
Commander, Navy Installations Command
- Closes Jul 15, 2026
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Permanent
Supervisory Educational Technician (Teen Center Coordinator)
Commander, Navy Installations Command
- Closes Jul 15, 2026
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Permanent
CYP Leader
Commander, Navy Installations Command
- Closes Jul 15, 2026
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Permanent
Teacher – Special Education (Special Education Teacher)
Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System
- Closes Jul 15, 2026
