# USAJOBS Scraper - Federal Job Openings, Pay & Locations (`maydit/usajobs-scraper`) Actor

Search USAJOBS.gov federal job openings via the official Search API. Keyword, location and organization filters. Requires a free USAJOBS API key.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/maydit/usajobs-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Brandt May](https://apify.com/maydit) (community)
- **Categories:** Jobs, Lead generation
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $0.60 / 1,000 results

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## USAJOBS Scraper - Federal Job Openings, Pay & Locations

> Search **USAJOBS.gov** federal openings through the official **Search API**. Free key from [developer.usajobs.gov](https://developer.usajobs.gov) plus identifying **User-Agent email**.

### What it does

Calls `https://data.usajobs.gov/api/search` and returns one row per job: position id/title, organization, department, location, job category, pay range, publication/close dates, and position URI.

### What YOU must register (free)

| Item | Where | How to wire on Apify |
|---|---|---|
| **USAJOBS API key** (`Authorization-Key`) | https://developer.usajobs.gov | `input.apiKey` (secret) **or** env `USAJOBS_API_KEY` |
| **Registration email** (`User-Agent`) | Same email used when you registered for the key | `input.userAgentEmail` **or** env `USAJOBS_USER_AGENT_EMAIL` |

Every live request needs:

| Header | Value |
|---|---|
| `Host` | `data.usajobs.gov` |
| `User-Agent` | The **email** used when you registered for the key (not a browser UA) |
| `Authorization-Key` | Your free API key |

**There is no keyless fallback for job search.** Codelist endpoints are keyless but do not return openings. Email-only UA without a key -> 401.

### Soft-fail behavior (default)

Without `apiKey` (and without `USAJOBS_API_KEY`), `softFail=true` (default):

- Writes **one diagnostic dataset row** with a clear `note` + register URL
- Sets `SUMMARY.error = missing_api_key`, `SUMMARY.failedSources.usajobs`, and `SUMMARY.keyHelp`
- Run status is **SUCCEEDED** (soft-fail)
- Set `softFail=false` to **throw** instead

### Input

- **apiKey** (secret) - required for live jobs
- **userAgentEmail** - default `contact@mayd-it.com` (must match registration email when keyed)
- **keyword** - default `analyst`
- **locationName** / **organizationIds** - optional filters
- **maxResults** / **maxRunSeconds** / **softFail**

### Limitations

- Federal postings only (USAJOBS scope).
- Key is free but mandatory for `/api/search`.

# Actor input Schema

## `apiKey` (type: `string`):

FREE key from https://developer.usajobs.gov (sent as Authorization-Key). Required for live jobs. Store as a secret. Env fallback: USAJOBS\_API\_KEY. No keyless fallback for /api/search.

## `userAgentEmail` (type: `string`):

MUST be the email used when you registered for the USAJOBS API key. Sent as the User-Agent header (not a browser UA). Env fallback: USAJOBS\_USER\_AGENT\_EMAIL.

## `keyword` (type: `string`):

Job keyword. Default demo uses analyst.

## `locationName` (type: `string`):

Optional location (city/state), e.g. Washington, DC.

## `organizationIds` (type: `array`):

Optional USAJOBS organization codes.

## `maxResults` (type: `integer`):

Maximum USAJOBS openings to return.

## `maxRunSeconds` (type: `integer`):

Hard wall-clock budget for the run in seconds.

## `softFail` (type: `boolean`):

When true (default), missing API key writes one diagnostic row + SUMMARY.keyHelp instead of only throwing. Set false to fail hard.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "userAgentEmail": "contact@mayd-it.com",
  "keyword": "analyst",
  "maxResults": 25,
  "maxRunSeconds": 240,
  "softFail": true
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

One row per USAJOBS job opening.

## `summary` (type: `string`):

Totals and diagnostics.

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "userAgentEmail": "contact@mayd-it.com",
    "keyword": "analyst"
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("maydit/usajobs-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "userAgentEmail": "contact@mayd-it.com",
    "keyword": "analyst",
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("maydit/usajobs-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "userAgentEmail": "contact@mayd-it.com",
  "keyword": "analyst"
}' |
apify call maydit/usajobs-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,maydit/usajobs-scraper"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/r8ndhH9rWx9FIlnwM/builds/JHA2ASEedxaXaXn2w/openapi.json