UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE NATIONAL SECURITY DIVISION OFFICE OF LAW AND POLICY EXPERIENCED ATTORNEYS/GS-12 to GS-15

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
NATIONAL SECURITY DIVISION
OFFICE OF LAW AND POLICY
EXPERIENCED ATTORNEYS/GS-12 to GS-15

The National Security Division’s Office of Law and Policy, United States Department of Justice, seeks experienced attorneys for positions located in Washington, DC. The mission of NSD is to coordinate the Department’s efforts in carrying out its top priority of preventing and combating terrorism and protecting the national security. NSD provides legal and policy advice on national security matters, litigates counterterrorism, counterespionage and foreign intelligence surveillance matters, represents the Government before the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and other federal trial and appellate courts, and conducts oversight over FBI national security investigations and foreign intelligence collection.

The Office of Law and Policy is responsible for, among other things, resolving novel and complex legal issues that arise from the work of the Division and other parts of the Department, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation; providing advice and guidance to Department leadership, the Intelligence Community and other Executive Branch agencies on matters of national security law and policy; and overseeing the development of legislation, guidelines, and other policies in the area of national security. The Office works with a variety of other Department components, including the Office of Legal Counsel and the Office of Legal Policy.

Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of a bar (of any jurisdiction), and have at least one year of post-J.D. legal experience. Applicants must have superior academic credentials, possess superior written and analytical skills, and have a demonstrated capacity to work independently in a highly demanding environment. A working knowledge of intelligence or national security issues is desirable but not required.

Applicants must be able to qualify for the highest and most sensitive security clearances. Applicants must submit a cover letter (highlighting relevant skills and experience), resume, law school transcript (only for applicants with fewer than 7 years of legal experience and unofficial is acceptable), writing sample, and a list of references to:

U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
National Security Division, Office of Law and Policy
Washington, DC 20530
Attn: Joyce Klitenic, Room 6252

Announcement remains open until positions are filled. Current salary and years of experience will determine the appropriate salary level ranging from GS-12 ($69,764 to $90,698), GS-13 ($82,961 to $107,854), GS-14 ($98,033 to $127,442) to GS-15 ($115,317 to $149,000).
The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of color, race, religion, national origin, politics, marital status, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, membership or nonmembership in an employee organization, or on the basis of personal favoritism. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, non-U.S. Citizens may apply for employment with other organizations, but should be advised that appointments of non-U.S. Citizens are extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Dual citizens of the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference are encouraged to include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214 or other substantiating documents) to their submissions.

This and selected other legal position announcements may be found on the Internet at: http://www.usdoj.gov/oarm