Senior Attorney

Summary

This position is located in Office of Commission Appellate Adjudication. The supervisor is Cathy Kanatas. This position is subject to Confidential Financial Disclosure reporting requirements. This position is subject to security ownership restriction reporting requirements.

Duties

• The successful candidate will perform the full range of attorney duties for the office. Such duties include but are not limited to: Monitors cases pending before the Atomic Safety and Licensing Boards (ASLB) and associated legal matters and provides the Commission with an analysis of available legal options. Advises the Commission of decisions which must be made and in the formulation of legal opinions. Has full responsibility for reviewing and where necessary recommending the affirmance, reversal or modification of decisions of the ASLB concerning the licensing of nuclear facilities, and the reviewing and preparing appropriate dispositions of such other matters as may come before the Commission in its quasi-judicial capacity. Develops, when necessary and appropriate, recommendations to the Commission in improvements in the methods of procedure in quasi-judicial proceedings. In rendering legal services to the Commission and Commissioner offices, incumbent is required to perform difficult, original legal research in special situations, and render decisions and make recommendations orally or in formal memoranda, based upon the legal principles involved, as determined by the results of such research. In addition, the incumbent is often required to develop solutions to problems from a legal standpoint in situations in which law has not been defined by judicial precedent in which the Commission policy has not yet been developed, employing a sound legal approach with due regard for policy considerations. Consults with and coordinates the views of the Office of the General Counsel (OGC) in preparing draft decisions and performing such other legal services as requested. Recommends policies and procedures in support of the conduct of the Commission's appellate adjudicatory functions. Regularly represents OCAA in meetings and conferences with the Commissioners, their staffs and OGC. Performs legal sufficiency reviews of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) documents and drafts final agency decisions (FADs) to ensure compliance with Title VII, the Rehabilitation Act, the ADEA, and EEOC Management Directive 110.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for this position, you must have at least one year of specialized experience at the next lower grade level in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE is defined as: demonstrated expert knowledge and understanding of legal principles in the area of administrative law, including EEOC legal sufficiency reviews, and have prepared written legal memoranda, briefs or opinions in judicial or administrative matters. The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate the following: Demonstrated ability to provide legal advice and support to the Commission, the Commission staff, and the Office of the General Counsel on a variety of complex legal matters. Applicants should respond by providing examples of demonstrated ability to provide legal counsel across multiple substantive legal practice areas. Demonstrated ability to effectively identify, interpret and analyze Federal laws, statutes, regulations, and cases as they relate to adjudications and other areas (EEOC legal sufficiency reviews, rulemaking, licensing, enforcement, oversight, agency administration). Demonstrated excellent written and oral communication skills, particularly in connection with providing legal opinions, advice and counsel. Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective work relationships with management and staff, coworkers, and personnel of other government agencies. A description of how you possess the specialized experience as well as how you meet the qualifications desired in an ideal candidate must be addressed in your resume. Applicants may also use the supplemental vacancy question to provide additional information pertaining to the specialized experience and ideal candidate criteria. PLEASE BE CLEAR AND CONCISE. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Requirements

You must meet the qualifications for this position by no later than 30 calendar days after the closing date of this announcement and before placement in the position. All information in your resume must be true and accurate. Conditions of Employment: U.S. Citizenship Required This is a Drug Testing position Must be able to meet and maintain security & suitability requirements. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Education

Applicant must possess a J.D degree; or an LL.M degree; and be an active member of the bar in good standing (any jurisdiction). You must include an unofficial or official copy of your college and/or university transcripts with your application. Transcript must include the School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). Education must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If you have multiple degrees (e.g., BS, MS, PhD) please submit transcripts for each degree. FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. If you are qualifying on foreign education, you MUST submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Transcripts must be uploaded with your application to verify education. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.

How to apply

Please read the entire announcement and all instructions before you begin an application. To be considered for this position, you must complete the online application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 09/14/2026. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. For a preview of the application questions, please see https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13053081. To begin your application, select the "Apply" button located on the right side of this screen. Follow the subsequent prompts to log in or register, submit all required documents, answer the questions, and complete the application process. You may either select your required documents within your USAJOBS profile to upload with your application or directly upload them during the application process. The following types of document types can be uploaded: .gif, jpg., .jpeg, .png, .rtf, .pdf, .doc, and .docx. Important Considerations: Paper Applications: Paper applications will not be accepted unless you can demonstrate hardship circumstances through the agency contact listed below. Application Extensions: Requests for application extensions will not be granted. Hardship Assistance: If you experience hardship applying online, please contact the Human Resources Specialist listed below for assistance. You must reach out during business hours before the announcement closing date and speak with someone who can provide support for your online submission. The NRC 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 coordinator at (301) 415-5888 or TDD 240-482-3217. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Your complete application must include your resume, responses to all required vacancy questions, and any required documents that prove your eligibility to apply.