USDA Rural Development

Hiring Options and Appointment Types

A tool for hiring managers and applicants

Together, America prospers

Career Appointment: A career appointment 

begins once an employee has three years of 

permanent, substantially-continuous, creditable service in federal competitive service. 

Career-Conditional Appointment: A permanent, competitive service appointment in which 

the employee has not yet completed the required period of creditable, substantially-continuous federal service - normally three years.

Career Ladder: A position filled at the entry 

level that allows an employee to develop to the 

full performance level.

Change to Lower Grade: Permanent assignment at a lower level.

Competitive Service Appointment: 

Applicants must compete with other applicants 

in open competition under the Office of Personnel Management’s merit system.

Detail: Temporary assignment to a position 

at the same grade with no change in pay or 

requirement to be qualified. Done in 120-day 

increments up to 1 year.

Excepted Service Appointment: Civil service 

appointments in the federal government that 

do not give competitive status.

Merit Promotion: Placement, promotion, 

transfer, or reassignment of a competitive 

service employee.

How to Apply

To apply for Rural Development jobs visit www.usajobs.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Federal Hiring Process Definitions

Noncompetitive Appointment: Applicants 

hired without competition under certain hiring 

authorities.

Noncompetitive Promotion: May be available 

to an employee who previously held a permanent career or career conditional position at or 

above the full performance level of the position 

to be filled. 

Promotion: Temporary, term, or permanent 

assignment to a higher-level position. Competitive temporary promotions can be made for 

up to 120 days in a 12-month period without 

competition.

Reassignment: Assignment to a position at 

the same grade. 

Temporary Appointment: A job expected to 

last for a period not to exceed 1 year to support an agency’s temporary need.

Transfer: Movement to an organization from 

another federal agency

Term Appointment: A job lasting 1 – 4 years 

and may be used for project work, extraordinary workload, scheduled cancellation of 

a position, reorganization, or uncertainty of 

future funding.
External Competitive Appointments

Delegated Examining

The competitive hiring process is open to all U.S. applicants. It requires public notice and application of veterans’ preference. Candidates are rated and ranked according to quality categories. Selections are made from 

the highest quality category. Appointments to the competitive service can be temporary, term, or permanent. 

Interchange Agreements

Agreements exist between agencies to allow employees 

to move from the excepted service to the competitive 

service. Interchange agreements exist with employees 

in the: Postal Career Service, Administrative Office of the 

U.S. Court, DoD Non-Appropriated Fund, DHS, TSA, Tennessee Valley Authority, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 

Corporation for National and Community Service (AmeriCorps), Postal Rate Commission, Government Accountability Office and certain Foreign Service employees.

Pathways Internship Program

This internship program provides current students with 

paid opportunities to work in federal careers while completing their education.

Pathways Recent Graduates Program

This program provides federal developmental experience 

for recent graduates. 

Term Appointment

A job lasting 1 – 4 years and may be used for project 

work, extraordinary workload, scheduled cancellation of 

a position, reorganization, or uncertainty of future funding.

Veterans’ Employment Opportunity Act

Allows eligible veterans to compete for certain vacancies under merit promotion procedures when vacancies 

are open to status candidates outside of DoD. Selected 

veterans receive career-conditional appointments at all 

levels of the competitive service. 

Noncompetitive Appointments

30 Percent or More Disabled 

Veterans

Veterans with a Veterans Administration-issued notice of a compensable, 

service-connected disability of 30 percent or more can receive an appointment at any level without competition. 

Former Peace Corps Staff

Individuals who completed 36 months 

of continuous, satisfactory service with 

the Peace Corps can be noncompetitively appointed within three years oftheir separation from the Peace Corps. 

Former Peace Corps VISTA/

Volunteers

Individuals who have satisfactorily 

volunteered in the Peace Corps can be 

noncompetitively appointed to federal 

service within one-year after completing their volunteer service. Under 

certain circumstances, the one year 

period can be extended. 

Military Spouse

Certain military spouses can be 

appointed without competition. The 

authority does not entitle spouses to 

an appointment over other applicants. 

There is no grade level limitation.

OPM Government-Wide Direct Hire 

Authorities

Applies to all grades and locations 

unless otherwise noted: 

• Economist 0110 (Grades 11-15)

• General Engineer 0801 

(Grades 11-15)

• Civil Engineer 0810 (Grades 11-15)

• Contract Specialist 1102 

(Grades 11-15)

• Physical Science 1301 

(Grades 11-15)

• Statistician 1530 (Grades 11-15)

• IT Cybersecurity 2210 (Grades 

12-15)

People with Disabilities Employment 

Program

Qualified disabled individuals can be 

hired noncompetitively through excepted service appointing options. The 

candidate must be able to perform the 

essential functions of the position with 

or without reasonable accommodation.

Pathways Presidential Management Fellows Program

This program recruits outstanding advanced 

degree students interested in careers 

analyzing and managing public policies 

and programs. Agencies can appoint Presidential Management Fellows at the GS 

9-12 levels (or their equivalents), along with 

appointments in STEM disciplines. 

Re-Employed Annuitants

Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) 

or Federal Employees Retirement System 

(FERS) annuitants can be rehired by the 

federal government on a temporary or indefinite basis. In some situations - and with 

restrictions - an annuitant whose retirement 

was not based upon disability will continue 

to receive their full retirement annuity and 

salary during re-employment. 

Reinstatement Eligible

Former federal government employees can 

be noncompetitively placed in positions at 

grades or pay bands equal to - or lower 

than - the grade or pay band they previously held. Reinstatement eligibles also can 

compete with merit promotion candidates for 

positions at higher grades than they previously held. 

Schedule C Political Appointees

This is a type of political appointment for 

confidential or policy roles immediately 

subordinate to other appointees. Schedule 

C appointments are part of the excepted 

service. 

Veterans’ Recruitment Appointment 

A special option allowing the appointment 

of an eligible veteran without competition to 

a competitive position up to the GS-11 level. 

The candidate must meet the basic qualification requirements for the position. After two 

years of satisfactory service, they are converted to a career-conditional appointment.