A standardized occupational classification used by the United States federal government to organize federal civilian positions into occupational categories based on the nature of the work performed, the qualifications required, and the responsibilities associated with the role. Each job series is identified by a four-digit numeric code (e.g., 0343 for Management and Program Analysis, 2210 for Information Technology Management) and is maintained by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

Federal job series support workforce management and personnel administration across federal agencies. They help classify positions consistently government-wide, establish qualification requirements, align pay structures within the General Schedule (GS) and other federal pay systems, guide hiring and promotion processes, and support workforce planning, reporting, and data analysis.

Job series descriptions typically include occupational coverage, distinguishing characteristics, and minimum qualification standards such as required education, specialized experience, or certifications.

OPM currently maintains more than 400 job series, organized into approximately two dozen broader occupational groups or job families such as:

• administrative and management occupations
• business and financial operations
• information technology and cybersecurity
• engineering and science
• medical and health services
• legal occupations
• program and policy analysis.

Job series and related qualification standards are updated periodically to reflect evolving workforce needs, occupational practices, and federal policy priorities.

Federal job series are part of a broader occupational classification ecosystem and are often used alongside related frameworks such as OPM job grading and qualification standards. Comparable classification systems exist outside federal employment. For example, the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) provides a national database describing work activities, skills, knowledge, and competencies across occupations in the U.S. economy, while the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system is used for federal labor market data reporting. These systems can be cross-referenced with federal job series to support workforce analysis, career navigation, and translation of skills between federal and non-federal employment sectors.