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Summer Legal Intern Program (Summer NTE 89 days)

Nuclear Regulatory Commission
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The General Counsel is the chief legal advisor to the NRC and directs all matters of law and legal policy for the agency. The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) consists of six divisions that provide advice and assistance to the General Counsel and the NRC staff. The Solicitor, supported by attorneys in the Office of the General Counsel, has primary responsibility for supervising litigation in courts of law. 

Overview

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Job canceled
Open & closing dates
12/18/2024 to 01/08/2025
Salary
$33.08 to - $38.39 per hour
Pay scale & grade
GG 07 - 09
Location
Rockville, MD
few vacancies
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Temporary - NTE 89 Days
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
09
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
L Access Authorization
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
OGC-2025-0004
Control number
824767500

This job is open to

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The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Students

Current students enrolled in an accredited high school, college or graduate institution.

Clarification from the agency

This is an Excepted Service, Summer Appointment. This announcement is only open to applicants who meet the definition of a "Student" and are in good academic standing as defined in the "Requirements" section of this vacancy announcement.

Duties

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Each year, the NRC selects a small number of current law students to serve in the OGC Summer Intern Program. The program allows you to work closely with seasoned attorneys who advise the Commission and the agency technical staff in the development and implementation of the regulatory program and who represent the agency in administrative licensing and enforcement proceedings and before United States Courts of Appeal. NRC attorneys also counsel and represent the agency on other administrative law, personnel, labor relations, procurement, and information law matters.

As an OGC Intern, you have the opportunity to work on a variety of tasks, such as the following:

  • conducting research and writing assignments
  • observing the workings of the agency in carrying out its regulatory responsibilities

OGC Interns who have completed one year of law school (30 to 49 semester hours) will start at Government Grade (GG)-7, Step 10. OGC Interns who have completed two years of law school (50 to 60 semester hours) will start at GG-9, Step 8. Please check OPM's salary tables for the most up-to-date salary information.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • These are drug testing positions.
  • Background investigation leading to a clearance is required for new hires.
  • U.S. Citizenship Required
  • Enrolled in an ABA-Accredited Law School
  • GPA or class rank requirements as stated in the Qualifications section

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.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for the OGC Summer Intern Program, you must meet all three of the following qualification criteria:

  1. Be a U.S. citizen.
  2. Be ONE of the following:
    1. a first-year law student (1L)/rising second-year law student (2L) with 30 to 49 semester hours;
    2. a second-year law student (2L)/rising third-year law student (3L) with 50 to 60 semester hours;
  3. For a second-year law student (2L)/rising third-year law student (3L), be in the upper thirty percent (30%) of your law school class and/or have an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.25 based on a scale of 4.0. (These criteria may be waived if your school utilizes a non-traditional grading system or you have unusual compensating qualifications, such as other academic degrees or pertinent work experience.)
  4. First-year law student (1L)/rising second-year law student (2L) may apply prior to receiving first semester, first year grades, but must submit an “Unofficial” transcript showing an overall GPA of 3.25 based on a scale of 4.0 within 30-days of the closing date of this vacancy. (The GPA criterion may be waived if your school utilizes a non-traditional grading system or you have unusual compensating qualifications, such as other academic degrees or pertinent work experience.)

In addition to the qualification requirements listed above, the ideal candidate(s) will also meet the following criteria:

  • Have coursework in areas of the law related to NRC practice and procedure (relevant coursework may include administrative law, legislative law, statutory interpretation, environmental law, energy law, public interest law, and/or trial advocacy);
  • Have excellent oral and written communication skills (relevant activities may include law review/journals, publications, trial practice/moot court, clinical law programs, and research assistantships); and
  • Have a demonstrated interest in public service (relevant experience may include past employment with public organizations and/or local/state/federal government agencies).

In order to qualify for the program, your complete application must be submitted during the open period (dates listed at the top of this page) and reflect how you possess all of the qualification criteria listed above.

Education

You MUST currently be a degree seeking law student enrolled at an American Bar Association accredited law school at least half-time with a cumulative GPA of at least of 3.25 based on a scale of 4.0 or top 30% of class (second-year law students (2Ls)/rising third-year law students (3Ls).

First-year law students (1L)/rising second-year law students (2L) must provide a copy of your "Unofficial" transcript for the degree that you are pursuing within 30 days of the closing date of the vacancy announcement that notes the school you are attending, your major, and contains course titles, date of completion, number of credits, grades, cumulative grade point average (GPA), and courses currently in progress. If you fail to submit transcripts within 30 days of the closing date, you will be considered ineligible and will no longer be considered. "Official" transcripts will be requested at a later date.

Second-year law students (2Ls)/rising third-year law students (3Ls) must provide a copy of your "Unofficial" transcript for the degree that you are pursuing by the closing date of the vacancy announcement that notes the school you are attending, your major, and contains course titles, date of completion, number of credits, grades, cumulative grade point average (GPA), and courses currently in progress. If you fail to submit transcripts with your application by the closing date, you will be considered ineligible and will no longer be considered. "Official" transcripts will be requested at a later date.

You must be ONE of the following:

a first-year law student (1L)/rising second-year law student (2L) with 30 to 49 semester hours;

a second-year law student (2L)/rising third-year law student (3L) with 50 to 60 semester hours.

Additional information

The duty location of this position is Rockville, MD. In general, employees are expected to be in the office (4 days per pay period).  Telework schedules are approved, on a case-by-case basis. If selected, telework will be determined in accordance with Agency policy and the Collective Bargaining Agreement, if applicable.

Based on the staffing needs of the agency/area of consideration, additional selections may be made from this vacancy announcement.

The NRC provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate.  Individuals with disabilities may contact the Selective Placement Coordinator for assistance with the application or hiring process via Disability.Resource@nrc.gov. Deaf applicants may contact the Disability Program Manager by calling the NRC videophone at 240-428-3217.

Individuals who are eligible for non-competitive appointment under an OPM special appointing authority may apply for consideration under a comparable NRC non-competitive appointing authority. Veterans, please visit:  http://www.fedshirevets.gov/.

Selectee's will be required to complete a "Declaration of Federal Employment", (OF-306), prior to being appointed to determine their suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation.  False statements or responses on your resume or questionnaire can jeopardize your employment opportunity and subject you to disciplinary action, including removal from Federal service.

A transferable security clearance from another agency or a background investigation leading to a clearance is required for all new hires.  To begin work at the NRC without a security clearance, you must be granted a temporary waiver of the required clearance, referred to as a 145(b) waiver.  To be eligible for a 145(b) waiver you will need a favorable education verification, reference, credit, and criminal history checks.  If a wavier is granted, the successful completion of a background investigation and favorable adjudication is required for continued employment.  If you have resided outside the U.S. for an extended period of time, the agency may not be able to (1) grant the 145(b) waiver where the required investigation cannot be completed in a timely manner, or (2) achieve timely completion of the background investigation required for a security clearance. 

The NRC is a zero-tolerance agency with respect to illegal drug use.  Individuals selected for this position will be subject to pre-appointment drug testing unless currently in a NRC position subject to random drug testing AND will be subject to random drug testing upon appointment to the NRC.

To be deemed eligible for the Student Transportation and Lodging Program, your current and permanent residences must be at least 35 miles away from your official duty station.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your application will be reviewed to determine if you meet the program requirements. Your application will be rated based on the information provided in your resume and supplemental information. If you are among the best qualified for this position, your application will be referred to the selecting official.  Please keep in mind your resume is of key importance for evaluating your skills, knowledge, and abilities as they relate to this position. Therefore, we encourage you to submit a thorough resume that directly relates to this position.

Your complete application must be submitted during the open period (dates listed at the top of this page) and reflect how you meet the qualification.

Current OGC attorneys and staff will review your application, paying particular attention to the following: academic achievement (i.e., grade point average and class standing), relevant legal coursework, extracurricular law school activities and associations, work experience, writing skills, and general interest in the NRC. OGC will be conducting online interviews for summer positions via MS Teams.

The NRC will consider candidates based solely on merit. The agency provides equal opportunity for all applicants and prohibits discrimination based on race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, or reprisal for participation in any activity protected by the various civil rights statutes.

We value our veterans and their unique training and experience. Eligible veterans will receive preference afforded to them by the Veterans' Preference Act of 1944 and should submit appropriate documentation of service as part of their application.


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