• Serve as an NSD OGC Attorney assigned to support the NSD Records and FOIA unit as a primary client, and multi-agency wide with national and international scope.
• Provides legal advice, consults, and coordinates with others in NSD and other federal agencies on issues at the inter-section of national security and civil litigation with an emphasis on FOIA and other information disclosure-related matters, including in complicated multi-agency FOIA and Privacy Act (PA) cases often relating to national security matters. These matters often include cases in civil litigation. To that end, drafts, edits, and reviews legal documents, including briefs and declarations, relating to FOIA and PA cases in litigation and keeps others in NSD and Department senior management apprised of the status of litigation.
• Provides guidance in the development and establishment of FOIA policies and procedures to ensure that significant FOIA/PA issues are identified and addressed.
• Supports the NSD Records and FOIA unit chief by providing legal advice and guidance in connection with requests for pre­publication review of material to determine whether it contains national security information. Provides legal advice and guidance in connection with classification reviews, especially those that may impact release of information pursuant to FOIA requests as might be needed.
• Provides legal advice and guidance regarding general records and information retention and related issues as needed.
• Provides support to the NSD Records and FOIA unit and General Counsel as needed to advance the NSD mission.

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
• Must complete a Background Investigation to include drug testing
• Selective Service Registration is required, as applicable
• May require completion of two year trial period.
• You will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, regardless of the employee's duty location or work arrangement (e.g., telework, remote work, etc.) subject to such exceptions as required by law.
• Must be able to occasionally travel out-of-town.
• Candidates selected for an attorney position with NSD are expected to make a three-year commitment.

Qualifications

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 1.5 or more years at the GS-13; 2.5 or more years at the GS-14; and 4 or more years at the GS-15 level. Applicants must also have superior academic credentials, writing and analytic skills, and the ability to communicate effectively.
Applicants with experience in FOIA, national security, or law enforcement and prosecution matters are preferred. Applicants must also be able to qualify for the highest and most sensitive security clearances.

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.

How you will be evaluated

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

Grade and Salary Information: http://www.opm.gov/ Current salary and years of experience determine the appropriate grade and salary level:

(GS-13) $103,690 - $134,798 per annum
(GS-14) $122,530 - $159,286 per annum
(GS-15) $144,128- $172,500 per annum

Although past experience in national security/intelligence collection or in oversight/compliance areas is not required, please explain clearly in your cover letter your experience and skills that bear on the work of the Operations Section and explain clearly why you desire to perform oversight and compliance work related to national security and intelligence collection.

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).