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
- Analyzes your CV against specific job postings and tells you if you qualify
- 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": "your@email.com"
}
}
}
}
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
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
search_jobs | Search federal job openings. All filters optional — keyword, location, salary, grade, agency, remote |
get_job_details | Get full details for a specific job posting |
compare_jobs | Compare 2-5 job postings side by side |
save_cv | Save your CV locally for automatic use in analysis |
get_cv | Read your saved CV |
explain_federal_concept | Explain GS grades, clearances, hiring paths, pay plans |
calculate_salary | Calculate GS salary with locality pay for any grade, step, and location |
find_matching_jobs | Find jobs matching your CV — extracts skills and searches USAJobs |
check_qualification | Compare your CV against a specific job posting |
extract_ksa | Extract KSA requirements from a job posting, optionally match against your CV |
CV storage
Your CV is stored locally on your machine — never sent to any server:
~/.federal-compass/
cv.json
config.json
codelists/ <- cached USAJobs reference data
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 — a Senior Frontend Engineer navigating the private-to-federal transition firsthand.