Project Zomboid Occupations

There are a variety of occupations available in Project Zomboid, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. The most common ones are the carpenter, police officer, and unemployed. The carpenter is a great choice for those who want to focus on building and fortifying structures, while the police officer is perfect for those who want to utilize firearms. The unemployed is a great all-arounder, for people who want to create their own fully customizable characters.

List of Occupations

ImgOccupationStart pointsFree traitsXpboostsRecipesDescription
unemployedunemployed 8Fitness 5
Strength 5
8 free trait points.
fireofficerfireofficer 0Fitness 6
Sprinting +75%
Strength 6
Axe +75%
Fire officers can carry more and run faster for longer periods of time.
policeofficerpoliceofficer -4Fitness 5
Strength 5
Aiming +125%
Reloading +100%
Nimble +75%
Police officers are very effective with firearms, which makes this profession great if you want to face the hordes of the undead. Guns blazing!
parkrangerparkranger -4Fitness 5
Strength 5
Trapping +100%
Axe +75%
PlantScavenging +100%
Woodwork +75%
Make Stick Trap
Make Snare Trap
Make Wooden Cage Trap
Make Trap Box
Make Cage Trap
Allows much faster movement through forests and woodland.
Knows all trap recipes.
constructionworkerconstructionworker -2Fitness 5
Strength 5
SmallBlunt +125%
Woodwork +75%
While Construction Worker is no longer the best choice for those who want to build their own base, this profession definitely is the one to go with if you like fighting zombies with blunt weapons.
securityguardsecurityguard -2NightOwlFitness 5
Strength 5
Sprinting +100%
Lightfoot +75%
Security guard is a good choice for those who enjoy moving around and clearing the area quickly. Characters with this profession need less sleep and stay more alert. They can also evacuate faster if things go south.
carpentercarpenter 2Fitness 5
Strength 5
Woodwork +125%
SmallBlunt +75%
This occupation is great for those who are looking to build their own business. And nothing else.
burglarburglar -6BurglarFitness 5
Strength 5
Nimble +100%
Sneak +100%
Lightfoot +100%
Can hotwire vehicles, less chance of breaking the lock of a window.
chefchef -4Cook2Fitness 5
Strength 5
Cooking +125%
Maintenance +75%
SmallBlade +75%
Make Cake Batter
Make Pie Dough
Make Bread Dough
Knows how to make Cake Batter, Pie Dough and Bread Dough.
repairmanrepairman -4Fitness 5
Strength 5
Woodwork +75%
Maintenance +100%
SmallBlunt +75%
Repairer is a profession for those who want to use their tools for a longer period of time without them breaking and even then be able to repair them easily if they have the right kind of glue or some duct tape.
farmerfarmer 2Fitness 5
Strength 5
Farming +125%
Make Mildew Cure
Make Flies Cure
Knows how to make Mildew Spray and Flies Spray to cure plant diseases.
fishermanfisherman -2Fitness 5
Strength 5
Fishing +125%
PlantScavenging +75%
Make Fishing Rod
Fix Fishing Rod
Get Wire Back
Make Fishing Net
Knows how to make and fix a fishing rod, how to get the wire back, and how to make a fishing net.
doctordoctor 2Fitness 5
Strength 5
Doctor +125%
SmallBlade +75%
Doctors are much better at treating injuries than other people, but they are not too useful in a world where a single scratch from a zombie can mean death.
veteranveteran -8DesensitizedFitness 5
Strength 5
Aiming +100%
Reloading +100%
Veterans never panic, no matter how bad the situation is. They can stand their ground and deal headshots to any zombies that made the mistake of trying to scare them.
nursenurse 2Fitness 5
Strength 5
Doctor +100%
Lightfoot +75%
Nurses treat wounds better than others, with the exception of Doctors. They also have a slight bonus to Lightfooted, allowing them to move a bit quieter.
lumberjacklumberjack 0AxemanFitness 5
Axe +100%
Strength 6
Allows slightly faster movement through forests and woodland.
fitnessInstructorfitnessInstructor -6Nutritionist2Strength 5
Fitness 8
Sprinting +100%
Fitness instructors are very effective at running and have a high starting regularity for all exercises, which means zombies and exercise fatigue usually aren’t going to be a big problem for them.
burgerflipperburgerflipper 2Fitness 5
Strength 5
This is good for those who want to eat well and play with sharp objects.
electricianelectrician -4Fitness 5
Strength 5
Electricity +125%
Make Remote Controller V1
Make Remote Controller V2
Make Remote Controller V3
Make Remote Trigger
Make Timer
Craft Makeshift Radio
Craft Makeshift HAM Radio
Craft Makeshift Walkie Talkie
Can operate generators.
Knows how to make remote controllers, remote triggers and timers.
Knows how to make makeshift radios, HAM Radios and Walkie Talkies.
engineerengineer -4Fitness 5
Strength 5
Electricity +75%
Woodwork +75%
Make Aerosol bomb
Make Flame bomb
Make Pipe bomb
Make Noise generator
Make Smoke Bomb
Can make trap and explosives.
Knows how to make Aerosol bombs, Flame bombs, Pipe bombs, Smoke bombs, and noise generators.
metalworkermetalworker -6Fitness 5
Strength 5
MetalWelding +125%
Make Metal Walls
Make Metal Fences
Make Metal Containers
Make Metal Sheet
Make Small Metal Sheet
Make Metal Roof
Can weld foraged metals to create items and barricades.
Knows all metalworking recipes.
mechanicsmechanics -4Mechanics2Fitness 5
Strength 5
Mechanics +125%
SmallBlunt +75%
Basic Mechanics
Intermediate Mechanics
Advanced Mechanics
Mechanics can fix all sorts of cars, if they have the right tools. They are also good with short blunt weapons.