Careers and Internships
Careers for Veterans
ABOVE: Sgt. Danny Hart, U.S. Army, 55th Signal Company (combat camera), hard at work in Mogadishu at his desk constructed of MRE boxes.
BELOW: Today, Danny is Associate Director, U.S. EPA Office of Web Communications.
Thank you for your service to our country. Consider continuing to serve your nation here at EPA. We need professionals with strong IT, business, management, finance, public affairs, and science backgrounds.
We offer a variety of career opportunities throughout the United States for qualified applicants like you. So please explore everything we have to offer -- not just current job announcements, but also our mission, accomplishments, and benefits.
Learn Federal Hiring Lingo
Veterans' Preference
Veterans who are disabled or who served on active duty in the Armed Forces during specific time periods or military campaigns are entitled to preference over non-veterans in competitive hiring selections. If a job announcement on USAJobs.gov states that the position is open to all sources and you are qualified for the position, you will receive veterans' preference accordingly. In order to receive your preference, you must indicate in your application that you are eligible for the preference. You will need to send us proof of your military service with your application. If you are applying for a ten-point preference, you will need to submit additional forms. Read the job announcement to learn exactly what documentation is required.
Entitlement to veterans' preference does not guarantee a job.
Learn about the veterans' preference in federal hiring, whether you may be five- or ten-point preference eligible, and what documentation is required to receive the preference you are claiming:
- FedsHireVets.gov
- Office of Personnel Management
- Q and A to find out if your eligible (Department of Labor Veterans' Preference Advisor)
Did You Know?
In November 2009, President Obama issued Executive Order 13518, Employment of Veterans in the Federal Government, to enhance and promote employment opportunities for veterans within the federal government. Among other things, the Order established a Veterans Employment Program office within most federal agencies. These offices will be responsible for:
- helping veterans identify employment opportunities within those federal agencies,
- providing feedback to veterans about their employment application status, and
- helping veterans recently employed by these agencies adjust to civilian life and a workplace culture often different than military service.
Learn how EPA is implementing E.O. 13518 by contacting the EPA Veterans Employment Program Manager at 202-564-0290 or epaVeterans@epa.gov.
Veterans' Recruitment Appointment (VRA)
Veterans with certain military service records may be hired for positions at grades GS-11 and below without a competitive selection process, if they meet the qualifications for the job. Certain conditions of employment may apply to employees hired under the VRA program.
Learn more:30 Percent or More Disabled Veterans Program
Like the VRA program, veterans with service-connected disabilities of 30 percent or more may be hired into positions without a competitive selection process, if they meet the qualifications for the job. Unlike the VRA program, there is no limitation on the level at which you may be hired.
Learn more:Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA)
VEOA allows veterans to apply to announcements that are only open to individuals outside of EPA if they are so called "status" candidates, which normally means "current or former permanent federal employees."
Learn more: