Policies and Instructions
Test Requirements
This section contains a summary of occupational series for which the U.S. Office of Personnel Management currently requires written and/or performance tests. It will be updated periodically to reflect changes in test coverage as they occur. The test coverage list in this section of the Manual takes precedence over any information in specific qualification standards about which occupations require written and/or performance tests.
Test requirements are for competitive appointments only, unless otherwise specified. Agencies should refer to the "written and performance tests " section for general policy guidance on the use of written and performance tests.
Please note that this section contains only a summary listing of test coverage, and does not reflect special examining provisions, such as "outstanding scholar" direct-hire appointments, waivers based on shortage labor market conditions, or other special circumstances that permit applicants to be exempted from written test requirements.
(Note that references to "ACWA," the Administrative Careers With America examinations, pertain only to positions that meet the ACWA criteria.)
OCCUPATIONS / POSITIONS FOR WHICH WRITTEN AND/OR PERFORMANCE TESTS ARE REQUIRED
| SERIES / TITLE / POSITION(S) | GRADE(S) | REMARKS |
|---|---|---|
011 Bond Sales Promotion |
5/7 |
ACWA |
018 Safety & Occupational Health Management |
5/7 |
ACWA |
020 Community Planning |
5/7 |
ACWA |
023 Outdoor Recreation Planning |
5/7 |
ACWA |
025 Park Ranger |
5/7 |
ACWA |
028 Environmental Protection Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA |
080 Security Administration |
5/7 |
ACWA |
082 United States Marshal |
5/7 |
written test |
083 Police |
2 |
written test |
083 Park Police |
5 |
written test |
083a Police (Secret Service) |
4/5 |
written test |
085 Security Guard |
2 |
written test |
101 Social Science |
5/7 |
ACWA |
105 Social Insurance Administration |
5/7 |
ACWA |
106 Unemployment Insurance |
5/7 |
ACWA |
107 Health Insurance Adminstration |
5/7 |
ACWA |
110 Economist |
5/7 |
ACWA |
130 Foreign Affairs |
5/7 |
ACWA |
131 International Relations |
5/7 |
ACWA |
132 Intelligence |
5/7 |
ACWA |
140 Workforce Research and Analysis |
5/7 |
ACWA |
142 Workforce Development |
5/7 |
ACWA |
150 Geography |
5/7 |
ACWA |
170 History |
5/7 |
ACWA |
180 Psychology |
5/7 |
ACWA |
184 Sociology |
5/7 |
ACWA |
187 Social Services |
5/7 |
ACWA |
190 General Anthropology |
5/7 |
ACWA |
193 Archeology |
5/7 |
ACWA |
201 Human Resources Management |
5/7 |
ACWA |
244 Labor Mgmt Relations Examining |
5/7 |
ACWA |
301 Misc Administration & Program |
5/7 |
ACWA |
312 Clerk-Stenographer |
3/4/5 |
performance test or self certification |
312 Reporting Stenographer |
5/6 |
performance test or self certification |
312 Shorthand Reporter |
6/7/8/9 |
performance test or self certification |
319 Closed Microphone Reporting |
6/7/8/9 |
performance test only; mandatory for competitive appt & inservice placement |
322 Clerk-Typist |
2/3/4 |
performance test or self certification |
326 Office Automation Clerical and Assistance |
2/3/4 |
performance test or self certification |
334 Computer Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA for Alternative B only |
341 Administrative Officer |
5/7 |
ACWA |
343 Management and Program Analysis |
5/7 |
ACWA |
346 Logistics Management |
5/7 |
ACWA |
356 Data Transcriber |
2/3/4 |
performance test or self certification |
391 Telecommunications |
5/7 |
ACWA |
501 Financial Administration & Program |
5/7 |
ACWA |
526 Tax Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA |
560 Budget Analysis |
5/7 |
ACWA |
570 Financial Institution Examining |
5/7 |
ACWA, except for FDIC positions |
673 Hospital Housekeeping Management |
5/7 |
ACWA |
685 Public Health Program Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA |
901 General Legal and Kindred Administration |
5/7 |
ACWA |
950 Paralegal Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA |
958 Pension Law Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA |
965 Land Law Examining |
5/7 |
ACWA |
967 Passport & Visa Examining |
5/7 |
ACWA |
987 Tax Law Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA |
990 General Claims Examining (One-grade interval) |
4 |
written test |
991 Workers' Comp Claims Examining |
5/7 |
ACWA |
993 Railroad Retirement Claims Examining |
5/7 |
ACWA |
994 Unemployment Comp Claims Examining |
5/7 |
ACWA |
996 Veterans Claims Examining |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1001 General Arts and Information |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1015 Museum Curator |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1016 Museum Specialist & Technician |
2/3 |
written test |
1035 Public Affairs |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1082 Writing & Editing |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1083 Technical Writing & Editing |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1101 General Business and Industry |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1102 Contract Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1103 Industrial Property Management |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1104 Property Disposal |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1130 Public Utilities Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1140 Trade Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1140 International Trade Specialist |
5/7 |
written test |
1145 Agricultural Program Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1146 Agricultural Marketing |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1146 Grain Marketing Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1147 Agricultural Market Reporting |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1150 Industrial Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1160 Financial Analysis |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1163 Insurance Examining |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1165 Loan Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1169 Internal Revenue Officer |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1170 Realty |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1171 Appraising & Assessing |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1173 Housing Management |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1176 Building Management |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1411 Library Technician |
2/3/4 |
written test |
1412 Technical Information Services |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1420 Archivist |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1421 Archives Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA (Two-Grade Interval Only) |
1654 Printing Management Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1701 General Education and Training |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1715 Vocational Rehabilitation |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1720 Education Program |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1801 Civil Aviation Security Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1801 Center Adjudications Officer |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1801 District Adjudications Officer |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1810 General Investigation |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1811 Criminal Investigation |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1811 Criminal Investigator -- Treasury Enforcement Agent |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1849 Wage & Hour Investigation (formely 249 Wage & Hour Compliance) |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1863 Food Inspection |
5/7 |
biographical data assessment |
1889 Import Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA |
1895 Customs and Border Protection Officer |
5/7 |
written test |
1896 Border Patrol Agent |
5/7 |
written test & language proficiency |
1910 Quality Assurance |
5/7 |
ACWA |
2001 General Supply |
5/7 |
ACWA |
2003 Supply Program Management |
5/7 |
ACWA |
2010 Inventory Management |
5/7 |
ACWA |
2030 Distribution Facilities & Storage Management |
5/7 |
ACWA |
2032 Packaging |
5/7 |
ACWA |
2050 Supply Cataloging |
5/7 |
ACWA |
2101 Transportation Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA |
2101 Airway Transportation System Specialist |
5/7 |
written test |
2110 Transportation Industry Analysis |
5/7 |
ACWA |
2125 Highway Safety |
5/7 |
ACWA |
2130 Traffic Management |
5/7 |
ACWA |
2150 Transportation Operations |
5/7 |
ACWA |
2152 Air Traffic Control |
5/7 |
written test for 5/7 - mandatory for competitive appt & inservice placement; optional above 7 |
2210 Information Technology Management |
5/7 |
ACWA |
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