Overview
Public health careers in the federal government focus on protecting communities through health education, disease prevention, emergency response and community interventions.
For students and job seekers, public health offers a wide range of entry points, including data and lab work, community outreach, policy and environmental health. These roles are a strong fit for those looking to contribute to healthier and safer communities.
What You Might Work On
In the federal government, professionals in this field often:
- Evaluate federal programs, such as Medicaid or maternal health programs, and ensure regulatory compliance
- Administer services and programs to improve the health of communities across the country
- Serve as experts on best health and safety practices for federal agencies
- Communicate with the public, sharing resources, data and guidance
Is This a Good Fit?
While roles and responsibilities vary, you might enjoy this field if you:
- Take an interest in data, research or policy
- Are curious about disease prevention and long-term impact
- Want to focus on improving community health outcomes
- Possess skills across science and communication disciplines
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, Public Health Program Specialist, 0685).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0685 | Public Health Program Specialist | Public Health Program Specialist, Program Analyst | Plan, manage, and evaluate large public health programs |
| 0640 | Health Aid and Technician | Public Health Technician, Program Analyst | Manage mandated occupational health education and training programs |
| 0696 | Consumer Safety | Consumer Safety Officer, Consumer Safety Specialist | Investigate complaints of injury or illness caused by federally-regulated products |
| 0690 | Industrial Hygiene | Industrial Hygienist | Identify, evaluate, and control workplace hazards in federal agencies |
| 0018 | Safety and Occupational Health Management | Safety and Occupational Health Specialist | Conduct safety inspections, investigations of incidents and identify workplace hazards |
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:
- Veteran Affairs: Veterans Health Administration
- Epidemiology: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Food Safety Inspection: US Department of Agriculture
Sample Positions
Public Health Nurse (0610)
| Employer / agency | Indian Health Service |
|---|---|
| Location(s) | Multiple Locations |
| Mission context | Public health nurses at the Indian Health Service run public health programs in Native American communities |
In this role, you may:
- Coordinate care and transitions with interdisciplinary teams and tribal/community partners, deliver cultural and literacy-appropriate health education and support program documentation and quality improvement activities consistent with regulatory and professional standards
- Conduct comprehensive population and community assessments by analyzing demographic, clinical and epidemiologic data to identify trends, priority health issues, high-risk groups and disparities. Translate findings into targeted prevention and early intervention strategies
Veterinary Medical Officer (0701)
| Employer / agency | Food Safety and Inspection Service |
|---|---|
| Location(s) | Multiple Locations |
| Mission context | These roles at the Food Safety and Inspection Service ensure that meat and poultry products are safe for consumption |
In this role, you may:
- Plan, organize, coordinate and adapt the full range of meat and poultry inspection operations in slaughter and/or processing establishments
- Ensure establishments meet requirements of the pathogen reduction and hazard analysis and critical control point regulations
- Oversee consumer protection and non-food safety concerns such as proper labeling and packaging
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.
39 Results
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Permanent
Safety & Occupational Health Specialist (Safety Specialist)
Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System
- Closes Jul 15, 2026
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Permanent
Supervisory Health System Specialist (Corporate Compliance Chief)
Veterans Health Administration
- Closes Jul 16, 2026
-
Permanent
SUPERVISORY SAFETY & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SPECIALIST
Commander, Navy Installations Command
- Closes Jul 17, 2026
-
Permanent
Consumer Safety Officer
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Closes Jul 20, 2026
-
Permanent
Health System Specialist (Administrative Applications Coordinator)
Veterans Health Administration
- Closes Jul 20, 2026
-
Permanent
Consumer Safety Officer
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Closes Jul 20, 2026
-
Permanent
Health System Specialist
Veterans Health Administration
- Closes Jul 20, 2026
-
Permanent
Public Health Analyst
Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services
- Closes Jul 20, 2026
-
Permanent
Supervisory Health System Specialist
Veterans Health Administration
- Closes Jul 20, 2026
-
Permanent
Safety & Occupational Health Manager
Headquarters, NASA
- Closes Jul 20, 2026
