The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has extended the direct hiring authority for STEM and cybersecurity positions through 2028, the agency announced in a memo on Monday.
Direct hiring authority is granted when agencies determine there are severe shortages of candidates or critical hiring needs for a particular area. OPM previously agreed to direct hiring authorities for STEM and cyber positions on Oct. 11, 2018, and again on Sept. 29, 2023.
OPM said it is extending the direct hiring authority for these positions through Dec. 31, 2028, “or until OPM terminates this authority, whichever occurs first.”
Additionally, the agency said it is “amending the authority by adding positions in the criminal investigation General Schedule (GS) 1811 occupational series at the 12-15 grade levels.”
Some of the STEM jobs covered under the direct hiring authority include economist, fishery biologist, general engineer, civil engineer, actuary, and mathematical statistician. The cybersecurity positions covered under the authority include computer engineers, computer scientists, electronics engineers, criminal investigators, and IT cybersecurity specialists.
“OPM may request information from agencies on their use of these direct hire authorities,” the memo says. “OPM will periodically assess agency use of these authorities as well as the continued need for them and may modify or terminate them as appropriate.”
In late December, OPM also authorized a government-wide direct hire authority for artificial intelligence positions, in an effort to help with the AI hiring surge following President Biden’s AI executive order (EO).
Through the authority, agencies can expedite their hiring process to help meet the EO’s call for increased AI talent across the Federal government. OPM said agencies can immediately appoint qualified individuals to competitive service, career, career-conditional, term, or temporary positions.
