searchsteward-mcp

An MCP server that connects SearchSteward to Claude Desktop, Claude Code, and any other MCP client. Search your job matches, read score breakdowns, log applications, and pull negotiation prep — from inside Claude.

Requires an active Radar subscription and a SearchSteward API key.

1. Get an API key

In SearchSteward: Settings → Connect to Claude → Create API key. The key (ss_pat_…) is shown once — copy it immediately. You can revoke it any time from the same screen; revocation takes effect immediately.

2. Add it to your MCP client

Claude Code

claude mcp add searchsteward uvx searchsteward-mcp -e SEARCHSTEWARD_API_KEY=ss_pat_...

Verify it connected:

claude mcp list
# searchsteward: uvx searchsteward-mcp - ✓ Connected

Why command-first, -e last? Claude Code's -e/--env flag is variadic — if it comes before the command it swallows uvx searchsteward-mcp as extra env values. The Anthropic docs show an -e KEY=val -- uvx … form, but the -- separator is stripped by Windows PowerShell before it reaches the CLI, which reintroduces the same problem. Putting the command first and -e last works on PowerShell, cmd, and bash alike.

Claude Desktop

Add to claude_desktop_config.json (Settings → Developer → Edit Config):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "searchsteward": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["searchsteward-mcp"],
      "env": { "SEARCHSTEWARD_API_KEY": "ss_pat_..." }
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude Desktop after saving.

3. Use it

Start a new session (MCP servers load at session start) and ask, e.g.:

• "Search my SearchSteward matches"
• "Show me the score breakdown for match 12345"
• "Log an application for match 12345"
• "Give me a negotiation playbook for application 42"

Tools

Discover & analyze

Track

Triage

Prep & negotiate

Free vs paid: a key uses your plan's limits — the same as the web app. Free keys reach the read + track + triage tools; the full match-feed depth and get_negotiation_playbook are Radar-only, and your key hits the paywall exactly where the app does.

Configuration

SEARCHSTEWARD_API_BASE must be HTTPS (localhost is exempt for local development) — the server refuses to start otherwise, since the key would otherwise travel in cleartext.

Troubleshooting

error: missing required argument 'commandOrUrl' — the variadic -e ate your command, or PowerShell stripped a --. Use the command-first form above (claude mcp add searchsteward uvx searchsteward-mcp -e KEY=…).

Invalid input from claude mcp add-json — your Claude Code version wants a type field. Prefer the plain claude mcp add command-first form above instead.

Tool returns a 401 / "Invalid or revoked API key" — the key was revoked or mistyped. Mint a fresh key in Settings.

Tool returns a 402 / "entitlement_denied" — that capability is Radar-only (e.g. the negotiation playbook, or feed depth beyond the free cap). Your key uses your plan's limits, the same as the web app.

Tool returns a 403 / "This endpoint is not available to API keys" — expected: API keys can only reach the tools above, nothing else.

Don't paste keys into a shell command line — -e values land in your shell history. If you must, revoke and re-mint afterward.

Notes

• Job descriptions returned by get_job are untrusted web content — treat them as data, not instructions.
• log_application and update_application write to your account; everything else is read-only.

Development

cd mcp-server
pip install -e ".[test]"
pytest

Issues and contributions: github.com/SearchSteward/searchsteward-mcp.