The U.S. Census Bureau is about to start conducting its 2020 decennial census and are recruiting thousands of people from Philadelphia County to across the country to make sure everyone is counted. They are hiring for a variety of temporary jobs with competitive pay, all lasting several weeks. The largest number of job openings is for census takers— people who go door to door counting residents, both citizens and non-citizens. Other jobs include recruiting assistants, office clerks, and supervisory staff.

Position hours vary, but are flexible and may require people to work in the evenings and/or weekends. Pay varies depending upon where people live.

Census takers make sure everyone in the country is counted.  They go door to door, interviewing residents and adding them to the census count. This helps to decide how federal funding will be spent on hospitals, schools and roads and to determine the representation in Congress, specifically in the House of Representatives.

This job has flexible hours, but requires applicants to be available in the evenings and on the weekends, when most people are home. Census takers may also be required to work during the day to take down addresses on buildings. The position involves driving, so having a valid driver’s license and access to a vehicle are important, unless there is accessible public transportation. Any work expenses, such as mileage incurred while working, will be reimbursed.

There are a few recruiting outreach positions, depending on the state and county that applicants live in. Similar to census takers, work hours are flexible.

Administrative work is available in areas where the U.S. Census Bureau has local offices. Hours for this position are variable. Typically, employees work during during regular business hours, but they may need to be available in the evenings and/or weekends, depending on the availability of work. 

These positions are limited and require applicants to fill out additional questions during their assessment. The two positions offered are census field supervisor and office field supervisor. Employees are required to work certain day, evening, and/or weekend shifts. 

For all positions, the pay is competitive. Paychecks are weekly and employees will be paid for training, at a slighter lower rate than the hourly rate they will earn on the job. Salary varies by state, by county and by type of job. For example, census employees in Philadelphia County can expect to earn between $17 to $21 an hour. To find the average salary for your location, go to this link. Type in your state and county to view the pay rate. Also, a national map lists where jobs are offered and the average hourly rate.