Duties

Summary

The Office of Intelligence (OI) of the NSD is seeking experienced attorneys for its Oversight Section. Attorneys in the Oversight Section oversee foreign intelligence, counterintelligence, and other national security activities of the USIC, including activities pursuant to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), to ensure compliance with governing authorities and executive branch policies.
Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities for a 0905 Attorney Advisor generally include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Analyzing reviewing large volumes of documents information to assess the USIC's for compliance with governing procedures governing the United States' foreign intelligence programs.
• Oversight Section attorneys are responsible for tracking and synthesizing significant amounts of information and for drafting comprehensive reports for Congress.
• Oversight Section attorneys work closely with other components of the DOJ and with USIC agencies, often in collaboration with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, to provide guidance on the interpretation and application of governing authorities.
• The Oversight Section also works closely with OI's Operations and Litigation Sections.
• Oversight Section attorneys must possess strong analytic skills so that identified issues are fully investigated and resolved.
• Oversight Section attorneys are engaged in developing policies relating to oversight and compliance matters.
• Oversight Section also fulfills various reporting obligations, including statutorily required reporting to congressional oversight committees.
• Oversight Section attorneys coordinate with representatives of USIC agencies to conduct reviews of the USIC's national security activities, including the collection, retention, and dissemination of foreign intelligence information.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
15

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a United States Citizen or National.
• Must complete a Background Investigation to include drug testing, and be able to qualify for the highest and most sensitive security clearances.
• May require completion of two year trial period.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31st 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
• Candidates selected for an attorney position with NSD are expected to make a three-year commitment.
• Periodic domestic travel will be required.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications: Applicants must possess the following:

• J.D. degree;
• Have at least one and half years of post-J.D. experience and be an active member of a bar (any jurisdiction).

Applicants must have superior academic credentials, possess excellent analytical and writing skills, and have the dedication and capacity to work both independently and collaboratively in a very demanding environment.

Candidates must be able to demonstrate aptitude and interest in designing, developing, analyzing, managing, and implementing compliance programs and performing oversight to ensure compliance, improvement through remedial measures, management controls, and/or long-range planning of program activities.

Suitability and Citizenship: 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. Congress generally prohibits agencies from employing non-citizens within the United States, except for a few narrow exceptions as set forth in the annual Appropriations Act (see, https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/non-citizens/ ). Pursuant to DOJ component policies, only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review, U.S. Trustee's Offices, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, qualifying non-U.S. citizens meeting immigration and appropriations law criteria may apply for employment with other DOJ organizations. However, please be advised that the appointment of non-U.S. citizens is 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. All DOJ employees are subject to a residency requirement. Candidates must have lived in the United States for at least three of the past five years. The three-year period is cumulative, not necessarily consecutive. Federal or military employees, or dependents of federal or military employees serving overseas, are excepted from this requirement. This is a Department security requirement which is waived only for extreme circumstances and handled on a case-by-case basis.

Education

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.

Additional information

Department Policies:

Equal Employment Opportunity: 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, protected genetic information, pregnancy, status as a parent, or any other nonmerit-based 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. For more information, please review our full EEO Statement .
Reasonable Accommodations: 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.
Outreach and Recruitment for Qualified Applicants with Disabilities: The Department encourages qualified applicants with disabilities, including individuals with targeted/severe disabilities to apply in response to posted vacancy announcements. Qualified applicants with targeted/severe disabilities may be eligible for direct hire, non-competitive appointment under Schedule A (5 C.F.R. § 213.3102(u)) hiring authority. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to contact one of the Department's Disability Points of Contact (DPOC) to express an interest in being considered for a position. See list of DPOCs .

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Salary and grade level determinations are made based on the number of years of qualifying experience and current salary level. The salary range for this position: (GS-13) $103,690 - $134,798 per annum; (GS-14) $ 122,530 - $159,286; (GS-15) $144,128 - $172,500.

Veterans: 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).

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information

Drug test required
Yes

Position sensitivity and risk
Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness , National security

Required Documents

Interested candidates should submit all of the following:

Cover letter highlighting your relevant skills and experience describing your interest in oversight and compliance, and explaining how your professional experiences relate to the qualifications listed above,

Copy of your resume,

A writing sample (we encourage you to submit a legal memorandum or brief)

Applicants with three or fewer years of post J.D. experience must submit a copy of their law school transcript (unofficial is acceptable) and

Current performance appraisal (if a current performance appraisal is available).