federal-compass-mcp

Your AI compass from private sector to federal career

Federal job descriptions are 5 pages of legal language. GS grades, clearance levels, hiring paths — none of this is explained anywhere. federal-compass-mcp connects Claude to the official USAJobs API and turns it into an AI advisor that speaks plain English.

Built for tech professionals transitioning from private sector to federal/government careers.

What it does

• Searches federal job openings with optional filters — keyword, location, salary, clearance level
• Translates federal job descriptions into plain language — what they actually want, without the jargon
• Supports CV analysis by providing your CV and job requirements to your AI assistant for comparison
• Explains federal concepts — GS grades, pay plans, security clearances, hiring paths
• Saves your CV locally so Claude can reference it automatically

Getting started

1. Get your free USAJobs API key

Register at developer.usajobs.gov — takes about 3 minutes. Verify your email and you'll receive an API token.

2. Add to your MCP client

Claude Desktop (~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "federal-compass": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "federal-compass-mcp@latest"],
      "env": {
        "USAJOBS_API_KEY": "your_api_key",
        "USAJOBS_EMAIL": "[email protected]"
      }
    }
  }
}

VS Code / Cursor / Windsurf — same config, different config file path. See your client's MCP documentation.

3. Try it

Find me senior software developer jobs in Raleigh, NC

What is a GS-13 and how much does it pay?

Save my CV [attach file]

Look at this job posting — am I qualified?

Tools

CV storage and privacy

Your saved CV is stored locally on your machine:

~/.federal-compass/
  cv.json
  codelists/     <- cached USAJobs reference data

The get_cv and check_qualification tools return your CV text to your MCP client. Depending on your client and its configuration, that text may be sent to an AI provider for processing. Review your client's and provider's privacy settings before sharing personal information.

The find_matching_jobs tool sends keywords extracted from your CV to USAJOBS to search for relevant vacancies.

Data source and independent analysis

Federal job announcements and API reference data come from USAJOBS. Use of the API is subject to the USAJOBS API Terms of Service. Each user should register for and use their own API credentials.

This is an independent project. It is not operated, sponsored, approved, or endorsed by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) or USAJOBS.

AI explanations, CV comparisons, and extracted requirement matches are unofficial analysis, not an agency determination of eligibility. Verify requirements, deadlines, and application instructions against the current official announcement on USAJOBS before applying.

Why federal jobs are confusing (and how this helps)

Coming from private sector, federal job postings feel like a different language:

• GS-13 Step 1-10 — what grade am I? what does step mean?
• TS/SCI with polygraph — do I need this? how long does it take?
• Competitive vs Excepted Service — which one can I apply to?
• HiringPath: fed-transition — what is this and why does it matter?

federal-compass-mcp answers all of these through natural conversation with Claude.

Requirements

• Node.js v22+
• Free USAJobs API key
• Any MCP-compatible client (Claude Desktop, VS Code, Cursor, etc.)

Contributing

Issues and PRs welcome. See CONTRIBUTING.md.

License

MIT — see LICENSE

Built by [@skivuha](https://github.com/skivuha) — a Senior Frontend Engineer navigating the private-to-federal transition firsthand.