Attorney

Summary

This position is located in Office of the General Counsel. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies within the agency. The supervisory information will be determined at time of selection. This position is subject to Confidential Financial Disclosure reporting requirements. This position is subject to security ownership restriction reporting requirements.

Duties

• Depending on placement, duties will be performed with a high degree of independence and will include representation before administrative tribunals, providing advice in non-adjudicatory contexts, and advising and providing legal services related to federal labor and employment law, equal employment opportunity, reasonable accommodation, harassment, personnel security, torts, and government contracts and grants, or ethics and information law. Reviews technical and other documents to determine legal sufficiency, performs difficult original legal research, develops solutions to novel and complex legal issues, provides legal opinion and advice, and identifies and addresses policy matters, including consideration of relevant risks. When serving as lead attorney, provides leadership and guidance to assigned back-up attorneys. In this role, makes assignments to the back-up attorneys and provides comments and revisions to documents and other work products connected with assigned matters. Provides advice and counsel in connection with: hiring and discipline of employees, employee pay and benefits, whistleblower retaliation, reasonable accommodation, equal employment opportunity issues, harassment, personnel security, torts, and government contracts and grants, or ethics and information law. Supports the Department of Justice and United States Attorneys in all aspects of litigation involving the NRC filed in the federal courts. When in a litigation role, prepares and, and represents the agency in difficult and complex cases before administrative tribunals including Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC), and arbitrators. Prepares motions and briefs, obtains witness and develops testimony, negotiates with litigants, conducts direct and cross-examination, and makes persuasive arguments during hearings.

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: GG 13: includes experience that is defined as attorney or judicial work experience in a federal or state government legal office, federal or state judiciary, or the private practice of law, which provided the candidate with the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform the work of these positions. Relevant work experience will include substantial regulatory and statutory interpretation and/or litigation experience sufficient to perform with an adequate degree of independence or with assistance on complex and major assignments. GG 14: includes experience that is defined as attorney or judicial work experience in a federal or state government legal office, federal or state judiciary, or the private practice of law, which provided the candidate with the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform the work of these positions. Relevant work experience will include substantial regulatory and statutory interpretation and/or litigation experience sufficient to perform independently on complex and major assignments. The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate the following: Ability to interpret and analyze Federal laws, statutes, regulations, and cases as they relate to various aspects of labor and employment law, or to ethics and information law. Ability to effectively identify, analyze, prepare detailed legal opinions, and resolve complex legal issues in federal labor and employment law, labor relations, equal employment opportunity, reasonable accommodation, anti-harassment, and personnel security, or in ethics and information law. Ability to provide legal advice and support to the General Counsel, the Commission, and agency management on all aspects of labor and employment law or of ethics and information law. Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in-writing in connection with litigation of cases before various tribunals, including the FLRA, MSPB, EEOC, arbitrators, and federal courts. 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

You must be a graduate of an accredited law school with a J.D., LL.B., or equivalent degree, and you must be an active member in good standing of the Bar of a state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia. 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 10/08/2026. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. For a preview of the application questions, please see https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13003158. 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.