# USAJOBS API: Search federal jobs

> Searches USAJOBS federal jobs by keywords, location, salary threshold and applicant group, in website relevance order. Salary ranges may start below the threshold; annual pay or remote status is null when the announcement does not state it.

Unofficial. Not affiliated with or endorsed by USAJOBS.

- Page: https://fous.com/methods/usajobs.gov/search-jobs
- Method: `usajobs.gov/search_jobs`, version 1
- Website: usajobs.gov
- Returns: job title, agency, department, locations, salary range, pay grade, dates, who may apply, telework and remote status, job link
- Effect: read (it gets data and changes nothing)
- Sign-in: none needed
- Cost: 1 credit per completed run (1¢ with pay as you go); failed runs are free
- Verified: Nov 2, 2026

## Inputs

| Field | Type | Required | In the run below | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `keywords` | string | yes | `"accountant"` | Words to search for in federal jobs, such as accountant. |
| `location` | string | no |  | City, state, or remote, such as Washington, DC or remote. Leave blank to search anywhere. Default "". |
| `max_results` | integer | no | `3` | Maximum number of jobs to return, such as 25; maximum 100. Default 25. |
| `who_may_apply` | string | no |  | Applicant group to include, such as public; default any. One of "any", "public", "veterans", "students_and_recent_graduates", "federal_employees". Default "any". |
| `minimum_salary_usd` | number | no |  | Minimum annual pay in USD, such as 100000. Leave at 0 for any salary. Default 0. |

## Output

From a run on Oct 23, 2026, shortened. Its input:

```json
{
  "keywords": "accountant",
  "max_results": 3
}
```

Its output:

```json
{
  "jobs": [
    {
      "agency": "U.S. Coast Guard",
      "remote": false,
      "job_link": "https://www.usajobs.gov/job/889503200",
      "job_title": "ACCOUNTANT",
      "locations": [
        "Topeka, KS"
      ],
      "open_date": "2026-10-20",
      "pay_grade": "GS 12",
      "department": "Department of Homeland Security",
      "closing_date": "2026-10-30",
      "who_may_apply": [
        "Open to the public",
        "Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)"
      ],
      "salary_currency": "USD",
      "telework_eligible": false,
      "salary_maximum_usd": 118261,
      "salary_minimum_usd": 90968
    },
    {
      "agency": "U.S. Coast Guard",
      "remote": false,
      "job_link": "https://www.usajobs.gov/job/889506700",
      "job_title": "ACCOUNTANT",
      "locations": [
        "Topeka, KS"
      ],
      "open_date": "2026-10-20",
      "pay_grade": "GS 12",
      "department": "Department of Homeland Security",
      "closing_date": "2026-10-30",
      "who_may_apply": [
        "Competitive service",
        "Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)",
        "Land and base management"
      ],
      "salary_currency": "USD",
      "telework_eligible": false,
      "salary_maximum_usd": 118261,
      "salary_minimum_usd": 90968
    },
    {
      "agency": "Army National Guard Units",
      "remote": false,
      "job_link": "https://www.usajobs.gov/job/889580800",
      "job_title": "COST ACCOUNTANT",
      "locations": [
        "Latham, NY"
      ],
      "open_date": "2026-10-21",
      "pay_grade": "GS 11",
      "department": "Department of the Army",
      "closing_date": "2026-11-05",
      "who_may_apply": [
        "Internal to an agency"
      ],
      "salary_currency": "USD",
      "telework_eligible": false,
      "salary_maximum_usd": 100164,
      "salary_minimum_usd": 77045
    }
  ]
}
```

## Run it

From code, with a Fous API key in `FOUS_API_KEY`; the answer's `data` holds the output:

```bash
curl https://api.fous.com/v1/runs \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FOUS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"method":"usajobs.gov/search_jobs","input":{"keywords":"accountant","max_results":3}}'
```

From an AI agent connected to the Fous MCP server: its `run` with the same method and input. To connect one, give it `set up https://fous.com/SKILL.md`.

## Ask your agent

- Find federal cybersecurity analyst openings in Denver, Colorado paying at least $95,000 a year, open to the public
- Show me remote federal data scientist jobs with a salary above 120000 dollars
- I need veterans-only federal nursing positions in San Antonio, Texas, up to 30 results
- Look up federal accountant roles on usajobs.gov in Washington, DC for recent graduates with salaries over $60,000
- Any federal civil engineer jobs anywhere, limited to 15 listings open to federal employees only

## Input schema

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "keywords"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "keywords": {
      "type": "string",
      "minLength": 1,
      "description": "Words to search for in federal jobs, such as accountant."
    },
    "location": {
      "type": "string",
      "default": "",
      "description": "City, state, or remote, such as Washington, DC or remote. Leave blank to search anywhere."
    },
    "max_results": {
      "type": "integer",
      "default": 25,
      "maximum": 100,
      "minimum": 1,
      "description": "Maximum number of jobs to return, such as 25; maximum 100."
    },
    "who_may_apply": {
      "enum": [
        "any",
        "public",
        "veterans",
        "students_and_recent_graduates",
        "federal_employees"
      ],
      "type": "string",
      "default": "any",
      "description": "Applicant group to include, such as public; default any."
    },
    "minimum_salary_usd": {
      "type": "number",
      "default": 0,
      "minimum": 0,
      "description": "Minimum annual pay in USD, such as 100000. Leave at 0 for any salary."
    }
  }
}
```

## Output schema

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "jobs"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "jobs": {
      "type": "array",
      "items": {
        "type": "object",
        "required": [
          "job_title",
          "agency",
          "department",
          "locations",
          "salary_minimum_usd",
          "salary_maximum_usd",
          "salary_currency",
          "pay_grade",
          "open_date",
          "closing_date",
          "who_may_apply",
          "telework_eligible",
          "remote",
          "job_link"
        ],
        "properties": {
          "agency": {
            "type": [
              "string",
              "null"
            ]
          },
          "remote": {
            "type": [
              "boolean",
              "null"
            ]
          },
          "job_link": {
            "type": "string"
          },
          "job_title": {
            "type": "string"
          },
          "locations": {
            "type": "array",
            "items": {
              "type": "string"
            }
          },
          "open_date": {
            "type": [
              "string",
              "null"
            ]
          },
          "pay_grade": {
            "type": [
              "string",
              "null"
            ]
          },
          "department": {
            "type": [
              "string",
              "null"
            ]
          },
          "closing_date": {
            "type": [
              "string",
              "null"
            ]
          },
          "who_may_apply": {
            "type": "array",
            "items": {
              "type": "string"
            }
          },
          "salary_currency": {
            "type": "string"
          },
          "telework_eligible": {
            "type": [
              "boolean",
              "null"
            ]
          },
          "salary_maximum_usd": {
            "type": [
              "number",
              "null"
            ]
          },
          "salary_minimum_usd": {
            "type": [
              "number",
              "null"
            ]
          }
        },
        "additionalProperties": false
      }
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false
}
```

## See more

- [ZipRecruiter API: Search jobs](https://fous.com/methods/ziprecruiter.com/search-jobs.md): Finds open ZipRecruiter jobs by keywords and location, with distance and posting-date filters. Returns up to 100 public listings in search order; details that are not shown are null.
- [Remote OK API: Search remote jobs](https://fous.com/methods/remoteok.com/search-jobs.md): Searches Remote OK jobs by role or skill. Results can be filtered by listed region and by minimum annual USD salary.
- [Grants.gov API: Search grant opportunities](https://fous.com/methods/grants.gov/search-grants.md): Finds U.S. federal grant opportunities by topic, agency, applicant type and status, with funding and eligibility details. Open results exclude opportunities whose closing date has passed.
- [USAspending API: Search federal awards](https://fous.com/methods/usaspending.gov/search-federal-awards.md): Searches USAspending federal awards by keywords, awarding agency, state of performance and date across contracts, grants, loans and direct payments. Searches from October 1, 2007 onward.
- [LinkedIn API: Search jobs](https://fous.com/methods/linkedin.com/search-jobs.md): Searches public LinkedIn job listings by keywords and location, with optional date, seniority, employment type and company filters.
- [Indeed API: Search jobs](https://fous.com/methods/indeed.com/search-jobs.md): Searches open Indeed jobs by keywords, location, country, posting age and job type, returning public first-page results in displayed order.
- [SAM.gov API: Search contract opportunities](https://fous.com/methods/sam.gov/search-contract-opportunities.md): Finds active federal contract notices on SAM.gov that match keywords, agency, place of performance, set-aside, notice type and posting period.
- [Naukri API: Search jobs](https://fous.com/methods/naukri.com/search-jobs.md): Finds open public Naukri job listings by keywords, with optional city and experience filters, in Naukri's search order. Undisclosed salaries have no numeric range.