The federal administration
- 38,000 Confederation employees
- 7 departments: FDFA, FDHA, FDJP, DDPS, EAER, DETEC, FDF
- Location: 80% in Bern, 20% in cantons and embassies
- Bilingualism: DE + FR required at all executive levels
- English: growing, particularly FDFA
Entry routes
Classic career:
- HR internship or graduate program post-Master
- Specific competitions: FDFA diplomat, judiciary
- Direct recruitment on stelle.admin.ch
- Contractual positions: limited mandates, but often transition to permanent
Salaries (scale 1-31)
- Scale 9-12: CHF 65-85K (junior admin employees)
- Scale 15-19: CHF 90-130K (mid-level executives)
- Scale 22-26: CHF 140-200K (senior executives)
- Scale 27-31: CHF 200-280K (division heads, office directors)
- Department direction (top 50): CHF 250-380K
Federal salaries are transparent (published). Progression by seniority + performance.
Diplomat competition (FDFA)
One of the most selective in the world:
- Minimum Bachelor + 2 years relevant experience
- 3 Swiss official languages + English
- Competition: written tests + assessment + interviews
- Admission rate: 3-5%
- Diplomatic training: 9-12 months post-admission
- First assignment: embassy or HQ
- Mobility: rotation every 3-4 years worldwide
General conditions
- Swiss nationality: essential for executives and sensitive positions
- Clean criminal record
- Security clearances for DDPS, FDFA, justice
- Languages: minimum DE/FR + EN for international
Tips
- Stelle.admin.ch: official portal, apply actively
- Federal internships: excellent entry door
- Master in international relations (IHEID, etc.): FDFA route
- Master in law: FDJP, OFJ route
- Patience: long process but exceptional job quality
- Geographic mobility: essential for FDFA, possible for others
