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 or other valid assessment |
018 Safety & Occupational Health Management |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
020 Community Planning |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
023 Outdoor Recreation Planning |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
025 Park Ranger |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
028 Environmental Protection Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
080 Security Administration |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
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 or other valid assessment |
105 Social Insurance Administration |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
106 Unemployment Insurance |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
107 Health Insurance Adminstration |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
110 Economist |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
130 Foreign Affairs |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
131 International Relations |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
132 Intelligence |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
140 Workforce Research and Analysis |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
142 Workforce Development |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
150 Geography |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
170 History |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
180 Psychology |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
184 Sociology |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
187 Social Services |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
190 General Anthropology |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
193 Archeology |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
201 Human Resources Management |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
244 Labor Mgmt Relations Examining |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
301 Misc Administration & Program |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
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 or other valid assessment |
343 Management and Program Analysis |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
346 Logistics Management |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
356 Data Transcriber |
2/3/4 |
performance test or self certification |
391 Telecommunications |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
501 Financial Administration & Program |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
526 Tax Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
560 Budget Analysis |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
570 Financial Institution Examining |
5/7 |
ACWA, except for FDIC positions |
673 Hospital Housekeeping Management |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
685 Public Health Program Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
901 General Legal and Kindred Administration |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
950 Paralegal Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
958 Pension Law Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
965 Land Law Examining |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
967 Passport & Visa Examining |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
987 Tax Law Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
990 General Claims Examining (One-grade interval) |
4 |
written test |
991 Workers' Comp Claims Examining |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
993 Railroad Retirement Claims Examining |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
994 Unemployment Comp Claims Examining |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
996 Veterans Claims Examining |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1001 General Arts and Information |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1015 Museum Curator |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1016 Museum Specialist & Technician |
2/3 |
written test |
1035 Public Affairs |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1082 Writing & Editing |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1083 Technical Writing & Editing |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1101 General Business and Industry |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1102 Contract Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1103 Industrial Property Management |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1104 Property Disposal |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1130 Public Utilities Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1140 Trade Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1140 International Trade Specialist |
5/7 |
written test |
1145 Agricultural Program Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1146 Agricultural Marketing |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1146 Grain Marketing Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1147 Agricultural Market Reporting |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1150 Industrial Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1160 Financial Analysis |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1163 Insurance Examining |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1165 Loan Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1169 Internal Revenue Officer |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1170 Realty |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1171 Appraising & Assessing |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1173 Housing Management |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1176 Building Management |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1412 Technical Information Services |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1420 Archivist |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1421 Archives Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA (Two-Grade Interval Only) |
1654 Printing Management Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1701 General Education and Training |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1715 Vocational Rehabilitation |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1720 Education Program |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1801 Civil Aviation Security Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1801 Center Adjudications Officer |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1801 District Adjudications Officer |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1810 General Investigation |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1811 Criminal Investigation |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1811 Criminal Investigator -- Treasury Enforcement Agent |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1849 Wage & Hour Investigation (formely 249 Wage & Hour Compliance) |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
1863 Food Inspection |
5/7 |
biographical data assessment |
1889 Import Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
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 or other valid assessment |
2001 General Supply |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
2003 Supply Program Management |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
2010 Inventory Management |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
2030 Distribution Facilities & Storage Management |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
2032 Packaging |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
2050 Supply Cataloging |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
2101 Transportation Specialist |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
2101 Airway Transportation System Specialist |
5/7 |
written test |
2110 Transportation Industry Analysis |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
2125 Highway Safety |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
2130 Traffic Management |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
2150 Transportation Operations |
5/7 |
ACWA or other valid assessment |
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 or other valid assessment |
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