Classifying Federal Wage System Positions
Overview
Job grading standards and functional standards define Federal trades, craft, and labor occupations, establish official position titles, and describe the various levels of work.
The documents below provide general information used in determining the occupational series, title, grade, and pay system for positions performing trades, craft, and labor work in the Federal Government.
- Handbook of Occupational Groups and Families
See Part II of the Handbook for definitions of Federal trades, craft, and labor jobs. - FWS Job Grading System
Guidance on how to classify Federal trades, craft, and labor positions under the Federal Wage System.
Contact us
Email: fedclass@opm.gov
Job Grading Standards for Trades, Craft, and Labor Positions
Job grading standards provide information used in determining the occupational series and title of jobs performing trades, craft, and labor work in the Federal Government. They also provide grading criteria for positions classified under the Federal Wage System (FWS).
If a series is not included in this list, we have not issued a specific job grading standard for that series. Documents on the Classifying Trades, Craft, and Labor Positions webpage provide series definitions and guidance on classifying jobs in series with no published standard.
- 2500 - Wire Communications Equipment Installation and Maintenance Group
- 2600 - Electronic Equipment Installation and Maintenance Group
- 2800 - Electrical Installation and Maintenance Group
- 3100 - Fabric and Leather Work Group
- 3300 - Instrument Work Group
- 3400 - Machine Tool Work Group
- 3500 - General Services and Support Work Group
- 3600 - Structural and Finishing Work Group
- 3700 - Metal Processing Group
- 3800 - Metal Work Group
- 3900 - Motion Picture, Radio, Television, and Sound Equipment Operating Group
- 4100 - Painting and Paperhanging Group
- 4200 - Plumbing and Pipefitting Group
- 4300 - Pliable Materials Work Group
- 4400 - Printing Group
- 4600 - Wood Work Group
- 4700 - General Maintenance and Operations Work Group
- 4800 - General Equipment Maintenance Group
- 5000 - Plant and Animal Work Group
- 5200 - Miscellaneous Occupations Group
- 5300 - Industrial Equipment Maintenance Group
- 5400 - Industrial Equipment Operation Group
- 5700 - Transportation/Mobile Equipment Operation Group
- 5800 - Transportation/Mobile Equipment Maintenance Group
- 6500 - Ammunition, Explosives, and Toxic Materials Work Group
- 6600 - Armament Work Group
- 6900 - Warehousing and Stock Handling Group
- 7000 - Packing and Processing Group
- 7300 - Laundry, Dry Cleaning, and Pressing Group
- 7400 - Food Preparation and Serving Group
- 7600 - Personal Services Group
- 8200 - Fluid Systems Maintenance Group
- 8600 - Engine Overhaul Group
- 8800 - Aircraft Overhaul Group
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 2502 | Telecommunications Mechanic |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 2600 | Introduction to the Electronic Equipment Installation and Maintenance Family |
| 2602 | Electronic Measurement Equipment Mechanic |
| 2604 | Electronics Mechanic |
| 2606 | Electronic Industrial Controls Mechanic |
| 2610 | Electronic Integrated Systems Mechanic |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 2805 | Electrician |
| 2810 | High Voltage Electrician |
| 2854 | Electrical Equipment Repairing |
| 2892 | Aircraft Electrician |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 3105 | Fabric Working |
| 3106 | Upholstering |
| 3111 | Sewing Machine Operating |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 3306 | Optical Instrument Repairing |
| 3314 | Instrument Making |
| 3359 | Instrument Mechanic |
| 3378 | Precision Measurement Equipment Calibrating |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 3414 | Machining |
| 3416 | Toolmaking |
| 3428 | Die Sinking |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 3502 | Laboring |
| 3511 | Laboratory Working |
| 3546 | Railroad Repairing |
| 3566 | Custodial Working |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 3602 | Cement Finishing |
| 3603 | Masonry |
| 3605 | Plastering |
| 3606 | Roofing |
| 3610 | Insulating |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 3703 | Welding |
| 3711 | Electroplating |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 3802 | Metal Forging |
| 3806 | Sheet Metal Mechanic |
| 3808 | Boilermaking |
| 3809 | Mobile Equipment Metal Mechanic |
| 3820 | Shipfitting |
| 3869 | Metal Forming Machine Operating |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 3910 | Motion Picture Projection |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 4102 | Painting |
| 4104 | Sign Painting |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 4204 | Pipefitting |
| 4206 | Plumbing |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 4352 | Plastic Fabricating |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 4402 | Bindery Working |
| 4413 | Negative Engraving |
| 4414 | Offset Photography |
| 4416 | Offset Platemaking |
| 4417 | Offset Press Operating |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 4602 | Blocking and Bracing |
| 4604 | Wood Working |
| 4605 | Wood Crafting |
| 4607 | Carpentry |
| 4616 | Patternmaking |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 4714 | Model Making |
| 4742 | Utility Systems Repairing - Operating |
| 4749 | Maintenance Mechanic |
| 4754 | Cemetery Caretaking |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 4804 | Locksmithing |
| 4805 | Medical Equipment Repairing |
| 4819 | Bowling Equipment Repairing |
| 4850 | Bearing Reconditioning |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 5003 | Gardening |
| 5026 | Pest Controlling |
| 5031 | Insects Production Working |
| 5048 | Animal Caretaking |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 5210 | Rigging |
| 5220 | Shipwright |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 5306 | Air Conditioning Equipment Mechanic |
| 5309 | Heating and Boiler Plant Equipment Mechanic |
| 5313 | Elevator Mechanic |
| 5334 | Marine Machinery Mechanic |
| 5350 | Production Machinery Mechanic |
| 5352 | Industrial Equipment Mechanic |
| 5378 | Powered Support Systems Mechanic |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 5402 | Boiler Plant Operating |
| 5406 | Utility Systems Operating |
| 5407 | Electric Power Controlling |
| 5408 | Wastewater Treatment Plant Operating |
| 5409 | Water Treatment Plant Operating |
| 5413 | Fuel Distribution System Operating |
| 5415 | Air Conditioning Equipment Operating |
| 5423 | Sandblasting |
| 5426 | Lock and Dam Operating |
| 5438 | Elevator Operating |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 5703 | Motor Vehicle Operating |
| 5704 | Fork Lift Operating |
| 5705 | Tractor Operating |
| 5716 | Engineering Equipment Operating |
| 5725 | Crane Operating |
| 5729 | Drill Rig Operating |
| 5736 | Braking-Switching and Conducting |
| 5737 | Locomotive Engineering |
| 5738 | Railroad Maintenance Vehicle Operating |
| 5786 | Small Craft Operating |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 5803 | Heavy Mobile Equipment Mechanic |
| 5806 | Mobile Equipment Servicing |
| 5823 | Automotive Mechanic |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 6502 | Explosives Operating |
| 6505 | Munitions Destroying |
| 6517 | Explosives Test Operating |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 6605 | Artillery Repairing |
| 6610 | Small Arms Repairing |
| 6641 | Ordnance Equipment Mechanic |
| 6652 | Aircraft Ordnance Systems Mechanic |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 6904 | Tools and Parts Attending |
| 6907 | Materials Handler |
| 6910 | Materials Expediting |
| 6912 | Materials Examining and Identifying |
| 6913 | Hazardous Waste Disposing |
| 6914 | Store Working |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 7002 | Packing |
| 7006 | Preservation Servicing |
| 7009 | Equipment Cleaning |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 7304 | Laundry Working |
| 7305 | Laundry Machine Operating |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 7402 | Baking |
| 7404 | Cooking |
| 7405 | Bartending |
| 7407 | Meatcutting |
| 7408 | Food Service Working |
| 7420 | Waiter |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 7603 | Barbering |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 8255 | Pneudraulic Systems Mechanic |
| 8268 | Aircraft Pneudraulic Systems Mechanic |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 8602 | Aircraft Engine Mechanic |
| Series | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 8840 | Aircraft Mechanical Parts Repairing |
| 8852 | Aircraft Mechanic |
| 8862 | Aircraft Attending |
Functional Standards for Trades, Craft, and Labor Positions
Functional standards are used to determine the grade of broad categories of trades, craft, and labor work for jobs classified under the Federal Wage System (FWS).
Refer to the Introduction to the Federal Wage System Job Grading System for more information on FWS functional standards.
| Function | Title |
|---|---|
| Helper | Federal Wage System Job Grading Standard for Trades Helper Jobs |
| Inspectors | Federal Wage System Job Grading Standard for Inspectors |
| Intermediate | Federal Wage System Job Grading Standard for Intermediate Jobs |
| Leader | Federal Wage System Job Grading Standard for Leader WL/NL |
| Production Facilitating | Federal Wage System Job Grading Standard for Production Facilitating Jobs |
| Supervisors | Federal Wage System Job Grading Standard for Supervisors |