The U.S. Census Bureau is hiring Field Representatives, the people who collect survey data in their own communities, through an open continuous announcement on USAJOBS that accepts applications until March 3, 2027. The official listing shows pay of $19.52 to $31.72 an hour at the GS-5 level, set by where you live. There is no education requirement, your home is your duty station, and the schedule is flexible: periods of full-time, part-time or intermittent work depending on the survey workload. If you want a federal job close to home that doesn’t need a degree, this is one of the most accessible openings on USAJOBS right now.
Below we explain what the job actually involves, who qualifies, how pay works, and how to apply step by step so your application isn’t rejected on a technicality.
Job Snapshot
- Position: Field Representative (FR), series 0303
- Agency: U.S. Census Bureau, Department of Commerce
- Hiring offices: Census regional offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, New York and Philadelphia
- Location: Location negotiable after selection; your home address is your duty station
- Pay: $19.52 to $31.72 per hour (GS-5), depending on your duty station
- Schedule: Intermittent, under a mixed-tour agreement (full-time, part-time or intermittent periods as workload changes)
- Appointment: Permanent, Excepted Service
- Travel: 76% or more, within your local area
- Education: No education requirement
- Open period: August 31, 2026 to March 3, 2027 (11:59 PM Eastern)
- Announcement number: FLD-2026-FR-02-DE (control number 881888300)
What a Census Field Representative Does
Field Representatives collect the information behind the Census Bureau’s ongoing surveys, not only the once-a-decade census. According to the announcement, the job involves:
- Conducting interviews mainly in person, door to door, and by phone when requested, to collect survey or census data in an assigned area.
- Explaining the purpose of each survey, asking questions exactly as worded, and entering accurate, complete answers on a laptop or on paper forms.
- Communicating with respondents, supervisors and other people as needed.
- Keeping your own payroll records of hours worked, miles driven, and travel and communication reimbursements claimed.
- Completing training, either in person or online.
Because your home is your duty station, you start and end your work in your own area. That said, this isn’t a remote or telework job: the listing marks it as not telework eligible and not remote, and most of the work happens out in the field.
Who Can Apply: Qualifications
You qualify for GS-5 with one of the following:
- Experience: one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-4, which the Census Bureau defines as (1) communicating with clients, respondents, customers or coworkers in person or by phone, (2) using a device such as a smartphone, tablet or computer, and (3) completing work or personal tasks on time, or
- Education: four years of education above high school.
Combinations of education and experience also count, and the announcement says unpaid and volunteer experience counts too, including AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and community, religious or social organizations. Many people with customer service, retail, call center or office experience can meet this standard.
The conditions of employment are just as important. You must:
- Be at least 18 and a U.S. citizen.
- Live within the area of consideration when you’re hired.
- Have good hearing, be able to read small print, and be able to drive, climb stairs and walk for long periods. You’ll occasionally lift materials up to 50 pounds.
- Be willing to work days, evenings and weekends, a varying number of hours each week, and occasional overnight travel for training or assignments.
- Have a vehicle or public transportation to reach your assigned area.
- Have a landline or mobile phone, and internet at home (or a cellular connection where internet isn’t available).
- Pass a background investigation and, if it applies to you, be registered with Selective Service.
- Complete a one- or two-year trial period, depending on veteran status.
Salary and Benefits
The listing gives a range of $19.52 to $31.72 per hour. Your exact rate depends on the locality pay for your duty station, which is your home address, and the announcement states it can’t be negotiated. To estimate your rate, look up the GS-5 hourly rate for your area in the OPM 2026 GS pay tables.
The job also includes reimbursement for travel and communications, which you claim on your payroll records. Federal benefits depend on your work schedule, and the announcement notes that eligibility differs for full-time, part-time and intermittent work, so ask the hiring office which benefits apply to your schedule. Other details from the listing: no drug test, no union representation, a non-sensitive/low-risk position with a suitability background check, and promotion potential of GS-5.
If you’d like to aim higher, the Census Bureau is also hiring Field Supervisors at GS-6 (from $21.76 an hour) and GS-7 (from $24.18 an hour) through announcements open until March 8, 2027. Search “Field Supervisor Census” on USAJOBS to find them.
How to Apply, Step by Step
- Read the full announcement. Open the official Field Representative listing on USAJOBS and check the conditions of employment above.
- Preview the questionnaire. The Census Bureau recommends reviewing the questions before you start. You can see them on the questionnaire preview page.
- Prepare a resume of two pages or less. Anything after page two won’t be reviewed. For each job, list the title, duties and accomplishments, employer name and address, supervisor name and address, start and end dates (month and year), hours per week and salary, and say whether they can contact your current supervisor. Include your citizenship and, if you’re a man born after December 31, 1959, your Selective Service registration.
- Leave out personal details. Don’t include your Social Security number, date of birth, a photo, or personal information such as age, gender or religion. The listing says a resume containing these won’t be considered.
- Gather supporting documents if they apply. That means an unofficial transcript if you’re qualifying through education, a DD-214 or other proof for veterans’ preference (the SF-15 as well for 10-point preference), or your most recent annuity statement if you’re a retired federal employee.
- Apply online. Click Apply on USAJOBS, sign in or create an account, attach your resume and documents, and complete the occupational questionnaire. Click “Submit My Answers” to finish.
- Track your status. USAJOBS will update you at four points: application received, minimum qualifications met, referred, and selected. If you’re picked, a tentative offer follows, then the background investigation.
If you can’t apply online, the announcement lists this contact: Anabel Soto, 212-584-3434, anabel.soto@census.gov.
Closing Date
The announcement closes at 11:59 PM Eastern on March 3, 2027. It’s an open continuous announcement, which means vacancies are filled as they come up, and there may or may not be an opening in your area when you apply. The Census Bureau encourages you to apply as soon as you can, so don’t wait until the deadline.
Tips to Stand Out
- Match your resume to the three experience points. Spell out where you talked with customers or the public, what devices and software you used, and how you met deadlines. Your resume is used to check your questionnaire answers.
- Count volunteer work. Canvassing, church or community outreach, and school or nonprofit roles can all show the communication experience the job asks for.
- Be honest about availability. Evenings and weekends are when many people are home to answer surveys, so the job requires flexibility.
- Keep your record clean. You’ll sign and certify the OF-306, the Declaration for Federal Employment, and false statements can get you disqualified or fired.
Looking for something full-time? See our guides to TSA Officer jobs in Miami and ICE Deportation Officer jobs, or browse every listing in Open Jobs and Top Federal Jobs.
FAQ
Do I need a degree to work for the Census Bureau as a Field Representative?
No. The announcement says the job has no education requirement. You can qualify with one year of experience communicating with people, using a phone, tablet or computer, and finishing tasks on time, and paid or unpaid experience both count.
How much do Census Field Representatives make?
The listing shows $19.52 to $31.72 an hour at GS-5. Your rate depends on the locality pay where you live and isn’t negotiable.
Is this a work-from-home job?
Not exactly. Your home is your duty station, but the listing marks the job as not remote and not telework eligible. Most of the work is door-to-door interviewing in your local area, plus some phone interviews.
Is it full-time or part-time?
The official schedule is intermittent, under a mixed-tour agreement. Hours vary week to week with the survey workload and can include full-time, part-time and intermittent periods.
When does the Census Field Representative job close?
March 3, 2027 at 11:59 PM Eastern. Because positions are filled as they become available, it’s best to apply early.
Source: official USAJOBS announcement FLD-2026-FR-02-DE (control number 881888300), checked on October 30, 2026. Pay, dates and requirements can change, so always confirm on the official listing before you apply.