Show HN: OJCP – an open protocol for agent-consumable job data

# OJCP — Open Job Context Protocol Source: [https://ojcp.dev/](https://ojcp.dev/)  ## The open standard for \| OJCP defines how AI agents discover, reason over, and act on job opportunities\. Built on MCP\. Interoperable with schema\.org\. Governed by an[independent steering committee](https://ojcp.dev/governance), and designed to compose with the broader agentic web\. Why OJCP ## Built for the agentic web A shared protocol so AI agents and job providers speak the same language — structured, discoverable, privacy\-respecting\. MCP\-Native Tools OJCP tools are valid MCP tools\. Any MCP client can call search\_jobs, get\_job\_detail, and begin\_application out of the box\. Structured Discovery Providers expose a manifest at /\.well\-known/ojcp\.json\. Agents discover capabilities, tools, and apply paths automatically\. Normalized Apply Paths A standard taxonomy of application mechanisms — from ATS\-direct to agent\-ready flows — so agents know exactly how to apply\. Consent\-First Privacy Candidate data is opt\-in and scoped\. Resume embeddings enable fit\-scoring without transmitting PII\. Agents self\-declare identity\. Agent\-Aware Ranking Pass CandidateContext for personalized results\. Providers return fit\_score and fit\_rationale alongside standard job data\. WebMCP Ready Browser\-native agents can access OJCP tools via navigator\.modelContext\. Same schemas, same tools, new surface\. Specification ## Schemas & Tools OJCP defines seven core schemas and six standard MCP tools\. Providers MUST implement`search\_jobs`; all others are recommended\. Custom tools use namespaced names \(e\.g\.,`acme:get\_referral\_link`\)\. Discovery endpoint at /\.well\-known/ojcp\.json - `ojcp\_version` - `provider` - `tools` - `mcp\_endpoint` - `auth` - `rate\_limits` Extends schema\.org/JobPosting with agent\-specific fields - `ojcp\_id` - `skills\_required` - `experienceLevel` - `apply\_paths` - `urgency` Consent\-scoped candidate profile for personalized results - `consent\_scope` - `skills` - `experience\_years` - `employment\_type\_preference` Agent self\-identification for audit trails - `agent\_id` - `acting\_on\_behalf\_of` - `interaction\_mode` - `user\_consent\_token` Identity verification action for human completion - `step\_id` - `type` - `verifier\_id` - `verification\_url` - `human\_required` JWS proof with required claims: iss, aud, sub, iat, exp, nonce — no PII - `step\_id` - `verifier\_id` - `proof\_token \(JWS\)` - `subject\_hash \(SHA\-256\)` - `issued\_at` - `expires\_at` Discovery document hosted at /\.well\-known/ojcp\-verifier\.json - `verifier\_id` - `verification\_types` - `proof\_delivery\_methods` - `proof\_format \(jws\|jws\+jwe\)` - `signing\_algorithms` - `public\_keys\_url \(JWKS\)` How It Works ## Four steps from discovery to application Discover Agent probes`/\.well\-known/ojcp\.json`or queries the OJCP Registry to find providers\. The manifest declares available tools, apply paths, and authentication requirements\. Search & Evaluate Agent calls`search\_jobs`with optional`candidate\_context`for personalized ranking\. Each result includes`fit\_score`, apply paths, and structured metadata\. Apply Agent calls`begin\_application`with an`agent\_declaration`and the candidate's consent token\. The provider returns required fields and a session for multi\-step flows\. Track Agent calls`check\_application\_status`to monitor progress\. Providers emit structured status updates throughout the hiring pipeline\. Examples ## See it in action From discovery to application — real OJCP payloads your agents can use today\. Apply Paths ## Normalized application taxonomy OJCP standardizes the fragmented landscape of application mechanisms into a taxonomy agents can reason over\. TypeDescriptionAgent Submission`ats\_direct`Apply directly via ATS \(Workday, Greenhouse, Lever, etc\.\)Varies `provider\_hosted`Provider controls the apply flow and delivers to ATSFull Support `platform\_native`Third\-party platform owns the flow \(e\.g\., Indeed Apply, Easy Apply\)Limited `email`Legacy email\-based applicationNot Supported `external\_redirect`Redirect to opaque external pageNot Supported `custom`Catch\-all for non\-standard apply mechanisms \(homegrown, conversational, etc\.\)Varies Live Playground ## Try the OJCP API This site is a live OJCP provider\. Fire real tool calls against mock data — the same endpoint MCP clients connect to\. MCP: /api/mcp Manifest: /\.well\-known/ojcp\.json