Overview
The federal government offers a variety of public administration and program management careers that support agencies and programs serving residents and communities.
Professionals in these roles help develop and implement public programs, manage grants and contracts, oversee procurement, support policy creation and coordinate services that advance agency missions. Public administration professionals may work in areas such as budgeting, program evaluation, program planning, compliance, relationship building, operational management and organizational improvement.
Federal positions in this field range from program analysts and human resource managers to secretaries and facility managers. For example, program analysts at the Bureau of Indian Affairs evaluate and improve programs serving Tribal communities while surface maintenance specialists with the Department of the Army analyze problems with military equipment maintenance.
What You Might Work on
In the federal government, professionals in this field often:
- Provide oversight and organization to public-facing programs or projects
- Coordinate across federal agencies, state partners and contractors
- Track program performance and recommend improvements
- Translate policy goals into day-to-day operations
Is This a Good Fit?
While roles and responsibilities vary, you might enjoy this field if you:
- Want to use your organizational and coordinating skills to manage public-facing programs
- Enjoy working with data to solve problems
- Enjoy working with specific rules, regulations and processes and applying them to federal government initiatives
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, Management and Program Analysis, 0343).
- Speaking of Management and Program Analysis, the job title “Program Analyst” is common and is used to describe jobs involving a wide range of focus areas. All kinds of programs, including public health, social services, environmental protection and security services need administrative professionals in order to operate. This is true not just of the 0343 job series code, but of many in the Public Administration and Program Management field.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0201 | Human Resources Management | Human Resources Specialist, Hiring and Personnel Operations | Oversee hiring, training, performance management and employee relations |
| 0301 | Miscellaneous Administration and Program | Executive Assistant, Operations Specialist, Management Specialist | Allocate office resources, coordinate agency operations and support programs |
| 0340 | Program Management | Program Manager, Project Manager, Office Services | Develop plans to track projects, address problems that arise, and coordinate with others |
| 0318 | Secretary | Secretary, Administrative Assistant | Organize and retrieve files, manage timekeeping and provide administrative support to leaders |
| 0343 | Management and Program Analysis | Management Analyst, Program Evaluator, Program Analyst | Evaluate agency programs and assist with strategic planning |
| 0346 | Logistics Management | Logistics officer, Logistics Management Specialist | Manage supply chain processes and maintain relevant records |
| 1670 | Equipment Services | Equipment Specialist, Equipment Facilities and Services | Train employees on equipment use and review efficiency of equipment |
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:
- Public health programs: Department of Health and Human Services
- Disaster response: Federal Emergency Management Agency
- Workforce planning: Office of Personnel Management
Sample Positions
TRIBAL OPERATIONS SPECIALIST [0301]
| Employer / agency | Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs |
|---|---|
| Location(s) | Anchorage, Alaska |
| Mission context | Help manage the federal government’s relationship with Native American tribes, including overseeing land and services that support tribal communities |
In this role, you may:
- Provide consultation and technical assistance to Alaska Native Tribes regarding their governmental and corporate functions as defined in their governing documents to ensure the Tribes maintain stable governments
- Provide training, as requested, regarding tribal government functions such as enrollment, developing, amending or revising constitution, drafting of tribal ordinances, conduction tribal elections and secretarial elections
DISTRICT/ZONE FIRE MANAGEMENT OFFICER [0301]
| Employer / agency | Department of Agriculture, Forest Service |
|---|---|
| Location(s) | McCloud, California and Mount Shasta, California |
| Mission context | Manage national forests and grasslands and assist in wildfire prevention |
In this role, you may:
- Review and evaluate fire management plans
- Coordinate complex operations with cooperating agencies on incidents during all phases of the fire, fuels and aviation management planning on the district/zone
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.
248 Results
-
Permanent
HUMAN RESOURCES SPECIALIST
United States Space Force Components
- Closes Jul 15, 2026
-
Permanent
HR Specialist (Employee/Labor Relations)
Veterans Health Administration
- Closes Jul 15, 2026
-
Permanent
HUMAN RESOURCES ASSISTANT (MILITARY)
Air Combat Command
- Closes Jul 15, 2026
-
Multiple Appointment Types
Labor Management Relations Examiner (Senior Field Examiner)
National Labor Relations Board
- Closes Jul 15, 2026
-
Permanent
Supervisory Program Manager
Internal Revenue Service
- Closes Jul 15, 2026
-
Permanent
Program Support Assistant (Medicine Service)
Veterans Health Administration
- Closes Jul 15, 2026
-
Permanent
Mission Support Assistant
Customs and Border Protection
- Closes Jul 15, 2026
-
Permanent
Director- Audit Policy and Quality Assurance
Government Accountability Office
- Closes Jul 15, 2026
-
Permanent
Regional Director
National Labor Relations Board
- Closes Jul 15, 2026
-
Permanent
SUPERVISORY PROGRAM MANAGER
Naval Air Systems Command
- Closes Jul 15, 2026
