United States Department of Justice
National Security Division
Counterterrorism Section (CTS)
Experienced Trial Attorney, GS-905-14/15
Washington, DC
About the Division: The National Security Division (NSD), U.S. Department of Justice is seeking experienced attorneys. NSD attorneys are responsible for developing, enforcing, and supervising the application of all federal laws related to the national counterterrorism and counterespionage enforcement programs and to enhance the nation's counterintelligence analysis capabilities. NSD also administers the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and approves and monitors sensitive areas of intelligence operations. NSD is comprised of three national security elements: the Counterterrorism Section (CTS), the Counterespionage Section (CES), andthe Office of Intelligence.
About CTS: The primary purpose of CTS is the prevention and disruption of acts of terrorism anywhere in the world. CTS is responsible for supporting the investigation and prosecution of domestic and international terrorism cases, supporting the counterterrorism efforts of other US Government departments and agencies, and working with foreign governments to assist in their investigations and prosecutions of terrorism cases. CTS also assists in the design, implementation, and support of law enforcement efforts, legislative initiatives, and policies and strategies relating to combating international and domestic terrorism. Through participation in terrorism training exercises with the interagency community and other emergency preparedness-related activities, CTS seeks to enhance the ability to prepare for and respond to terrorist threats.
Responsibilities : CTS is seeking experienced attorneys to work in all areas of the counterterrorism mission, including the application of investigative techniques to the task of identifying and disrupting terrorist plots before they occur. CTS Trial Attorneys work closely with agents from the FBI, the Intelligence Community, the CTS Regional Antiterrorism Coordinators, and the Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council Coordinators and terrorism prosecutors in U.S. Attorneys' Offices throughout the country to support investigations, review intelligence, and assist in the resulting criminal litigation. CTS Trail Attorney also develop policies, plans, operations and initiatives to promote the enforcement of terrorism statutes. In addition to its case-related work, CTS Trial Attorneys are engaged in identifying terrorist trends and patterns, foreign and domestic training, public speaking, and topical writing in this enforcement area. CTS Attorneys are also involved with the design of, and participation in, terrorism training exercises with the interagency community, and other emergency preparedness-related activities, as part of our efforts to prepare for and respond to terrorist threats.
Requirements: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of a State, Territory, or the District of Columbia, and have at least 4-5 years of post J.D. professional experience to be qualified at the GS-14 or GS-15 levels. Applicants must also have superior academic credentials, writing and analytic skills, and have significant criminal trial experience. Applicants must also be able to qualify for the highest and most sensitive security clearances.
Travel: Periodic travel will be required.
Salary Information:
GS-14: $105,211- $136,771 (Per annum)
GS-15: $123,758- $155,500 (Per annum)
Location: Washington, D.C. (Relocation Expenses are not authorized)
Application Process: To apply for a Trial Attorney position with CTS, please submit a resume and a cover letter (Highlighting your relevant experience), a writing sample (No longer than 15 pages which exhibits your own written advocacy skills), and a copy of your most recent performance appraisal (If available), to:
Michael Keegan
Principal Deputy Chief
Counterterrorism Section
National Security Division
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Room 2647
Washington, DC 20530
No telephone calls please. Applications will be handled on a rolling basis until all available positions are filled.
Internet Sites: This and other attorney vacancy announcements can be found at: http://www.justice.gov/careers/legal/attvacancies.html
For more information about the National Security Division, please visit the NSD Web page at: http://www.usdoj.gov/nsd/
Department Policies: 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, political affiliation, marital status, disability (physical or mental), age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a parent, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, on the basis of personal favoritism, or any non merit factor. 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 and the United States Attorneys’ Offices. 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. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in 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 must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service-connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).
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