Human Resources Specialist (Recent Graduate)

Civil Division; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 52,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Division, seeks a Human Resources Specialist (Recent Graduate) to support HR services, assist with personnel actions, and maintain HR data. No degree in HR required; formal training, mentoring, and on‑the‑job learning are provided.

Applicants must meet Pathways Recent Graduate eligibility and federal requirements. Strong communication, customer service, and data handling skills are valued across diverse HR activities.

Qualifications

• Must meet Pathways Recent Graduate eligibility requirements.
• One year of specialized experience at GS-05 level or equivalent education.
• U.S. citizen or national and able to pass suitability/background checks.
• Degree or certificate completed within the last two years (or up to six for veterans).

Responsibilities

• Support HR services delivery to employees, supervisors, HR staff, and offices.
• Research HR questions, gather information, and advise on regulations.
• Prepare HR documents for personnel actions and workforce activities.
• Maintain personnel data in automated HR systems and run reports.

Skills

Strong written and verbal comms

Customer service

Interpersonal skills

Ability to learn new systems

Critical thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

Tools

Spreadsheets

Dashboards

Automation tools

AI-enabled tools

Job description

Summary

Interested in a career in Human Resources? Join the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Division, as a Human Resources Specialist (Recent Graduate). You do not need a degree in Human Resources to apply. If selected, you will receive formal training, mentoring, and on-the-job experience while building the knowledge and skills needed for a rewarding career in federal human resources.

Duties

As a GS-0201-07, your typical work assignments may include the following:

• Supporting the delivery of human resources services to employees, supervisors, HR staff, and program offices.
• Researching HR questions, gathering information, and assisting with recommendations consistent with applicable laws, regulations, and policies.
• Preparing and updating HR documents related to personnel actions, organizational changes, policy updates, and workforce activities.
• Collecting, verifying, entering, and maintaining personnel information in automated HR systems.
• Running reports to support workforce planning, compliance, and operational decision-making.
• Responding to customer inquiries and coordinating HR actions with internal stakeholders.
• Using spreadsheets, collaboration tools, dashboards, automation tools, and approved AI-enabled tools, when authorized, to support research, drafting, reporting, data organization, and workflow improvements.

As a GS-0201-09, your typical work assignment may include the following:

• Applying federal human resources principles and Merit System Principles to support employees, supervisors, and hiring managers.
• Collaborating with hiring managers and administrative staff to support recruitment and staffing activities.
• Preparing Requests for Personnel Action (SF-52s) and processing personnel actions.
• Assisting with recruitment, performance management, awards, and other HR programs.
• Participating in projects to improve HR processes and customer service.
• Preparing correspondence, memoranda, reports, and other HR documents.
• Maintaining personnel data using automated HR systems and spreadsheets.
• Responding to inquiries regarding HR policies, procedures, and personnel actions.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• You must be a United States Citizen or National.
• You must successfully pass a security/background investigation and drug screening.
• You may be required to complete a one-year trial/probationary period. See “Additional Information” section for specific details.
• Selective Service registration is required, see the "Additional Information" section for full details.
• A Pathways Recent Graduate Participant Agreement is required.
• A USA Hire assessment is required. An email will be sent with additional information after you submit your application. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement to complete the assessment.
• Under Pathways Recent Graduate regulations, you are eligible only if you have graduated from an academic program of study or earned your degree within the last two years (or 6 years for veterans who could not apply due to active-duty service).

Qualifications

To qualify for the position of Human Resources Specialist (Recent Graduate), GS-0201-7/9you must meet both the eligibility requirements for the Pathways Recent Graduate Program and the minimum qualifications for the grade level(s) for which you apply.

Pathways Recent Graduate Eligibility. You must meet one of the following requirements:

• Have completed, within the previous two years, a qualifying associate's, bachelor's, master's, professional, doctoral, vocational, or technical degree, certificate, or other qualifying postsecondary credential from an accredited educational institution.

OR

• Be a preference-eligible veteran whose military service prevented you from applying during the standard eligibility period. In this case, eligibility may extend up to six years after completing the qualifying degree or certificate. You must submit a DD-214 documenting the qualifying period of military service.

You do not need a degree in Human Resources to qualify for this position. We welcome applicants from many backgrounds! We encourage applicants from a wide variety of academic disciplines to apply, provided they meet the qualification requirements. Successful Human Resources Specialists come from many educational backgrounds, bringing diverse perspectives and experiences to the profession. Relevant experience may have been gained through:

• Coursework
• Internships
• Student employment
• Full-time or part-time work
• Military service
• Volunteer service
• Apprenticeships
• Research projects
• Leadership roles in student organizations
• Community involvement
• Other academic, professional, or life experiences that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to succeed

If selected, you will receive formal training, structured on-the-job learning, mentoring from experienced HR professionals, and ongoing professional development to help you build a successful career in federal human resources. Strong candidates typically demonstrate:

• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Sound judgment, integrity, and attention to detail
• Strong customer service and interpersonal skills
• Ability to learn new systems, technology, policies, and procedures
• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Initiative, adaptability, and a commitment to public service

Grade-specific requirements:

Applicants must meet Minimum Qualifications for the grade level(s) for which they are applying.

Applicants may qualify at the GS-07 level based on one of the following:

• Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 level that demonstrates experience performing administrative or human resources-related work, such as assisting with personnel actions, staffing activities, document preparation, records management, customer service, maintaining data, or performing similar support functions; OR
• Education: One full year of graduate education or Superior Academic Achievement: A bachelor's degree, AND meet one of the following:
• Grade point average of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) for all undergraduate coursework or courses completed in the last two years of undergraduate study.
• Grade point average of 3.45 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) for all courses in your major field of study, or those courses in your major completed in the last two years of undergraduate study.
• Class standing in the upper one-third of your graduating class, college, university, or major subdivision.
• Membership in a national honor society (other than freshman honor societies) recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies; OR
• Combination: A combination of qualifying graduate education and specialized experience.

Applicants may qualify at the GS-09 level based on one of the following:

• Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 level that demonstrates experience supporting recruitment, staffing, personnel administration, HR advisory services, organizational management, business operations, or related administrative work involving research, analysis, customer service, document preparation, or process improvement; OR
• Education: Two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree, or a master's, LL.B., or J.D; OR
• Combination: A combination of qualifying graduate education and specialized experience.

You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/30/2026. Your resume must clearly demonstrate how you meet the qualification requirements and support your responses to the assessment questionnaire. Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating. See the Required Documents section for important information about resume requirements.

Education

To be eligible for an appointment, you must meet Education requirement A or B.

• Completed all requirements for a diploma, associate, bachelor, master, professional, doctorate, vocational, or technical degree or certificate from a

OR

• Was released or discharged from active duty within the previous two years, where the applicant is a veteran who, due to a military service obligation, was precluded from applying for a recent graduate position during any portion of the two-year eligibility period following completion of his/her degree or certificate requirements, provided that not more than six years have transpired since the applicant completed the requirements for a degree or certification.

You must submit an academic transcript from your academic institution showing the date that you most recently completed the academic requirements described above.

• For Accredited Post-Secondary Institutions, click
• For Registered State Apprenticeship Programs Information, click
• For Other Apprenticeship Programs, click
• For Industry-Endorsed Certificate Programs, click

Any applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from federal employment to removal from federal service.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

Additional information

Additional selections may be made from this announcement.

Probationary or Trial Period (as applicable)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: 1) your performance and conduct; 2) the needs and interests of the agency; 3) whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; 4) whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

USA Hire Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests

If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request an RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. To determine if you need an RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here.

Applicants who require a reasonable accommodation to complete the writing assessment must notify HR by email before the scheduled assessment time and before HR transmits the writing prompt. Applicants should contact HR as early as possible to allow sufficient time to coordinate the accommodation.

EEO Statement/Policy:

The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. More information can be found here.

Selective Service:

If you were born male, on or after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or is exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Additional information is found at:

Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs:

The Fair Chance Act prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOJ employee or Federal contractor acting on its behalf has violated your rights under this Act, you may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non‑compliance directly to Jenna Solorzano at [e-mail]. Note: In accordance with 5 U.S. Code 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R 920.201(b) certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance Act.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

Required Documents

It is your responsibility to carefully review the list of required documents below and submit the necessary documentation based on your eligibility.

Resume

Resume - All Applicants: You must submit a resume (a two page or less resume is required) containing the following pieces of information for each job entry listed in your employment history:

• Official position title,
• Employer name and contact information,
• Start and end dates (including month and year),
• Indicate full-time or number of hours worked per week if part‑time, and
• A list of duties performed and accomplishments.

If you leave out important information, we may not be able to credit your experience, and you may be rated ineligible.

Transcripts - All Applicants

You must submit a copy of your transcripts showing proof of degree completion within the last two years (or six years for veterans who's active-duty service prevented them from applying). If you are currently enrolled, and will be graduating by December 2026, please submit a copy of your current transcript showing the total amount of credits you have earned and your cumulative GPA. Please avoid submitting protected PDF files as these may contain security features that prevent DOJ from viewing the document.

The Following Documents Are ACCEPTED For This Vacancy

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• Other Documents
• PCS Orders
• Performance Appraisal
• Proof of Marriage Status
• Reasonable Accommodation Documentation
• Resume
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

These are documents that may be required for some applicants, based on what eligibility you are applying for or if you are using education to qualify. The list below provides additional information describing common documents that are accepted and provides a link to learn more about the specific details of that type of documentation.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from