This position is located within the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), Headquarters, Office of General Counsel and reports directly to the General Counsel.
THIS IS A TERM APPOINTMENT, NOT TO EXCEED 13 MONTHS WITH AN OPTION TO EXTEND.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT WILL CLOSE AFTER 50 APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.
Summary
This position is located within the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), Headquarters, Office of General Counsel and reports directly to the General Counsel.
THIS IS A TERM APPOINTMENT, NOT TO EXCEED 13 MONTHS WITH AN OPTION TO EXTEND.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT WILL CLOSE AFTER 50 APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.
Leads and independently manages research, formulation, and drafting of federal rulemakings in collaboration with OPM's Office of Workforce Policy & Innovation (WPI) and Office of General Counsel (OGC).
Independently reviews proposed and final rules for legal sufficiency and consistency with governing statutes, Executive Orders, and court decisions; advise senior agency officials on necessary revisions.
Leads coordination with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) in the regulatory review process, serving as principal point of contact on significant rulemakings.
Directs the development of policies, precedent-setting decisions, and directives; exercise independent judgment in identifying emerging legal and policy issues requiring regulatory attention.
Leads legal research on highly complex questions involving Federal personnel law, labor-management relations law, administrative law, and related statutory and regulatory frameworks, often in areas where legal guidance is limited or evolving.
Prepares authoritative legal memoranda, analytical papers, and executive-level briefing materials for the General Counsel, Deputy General Counsel, and agency leadership.
Serves as the primary liaison between FMCS and representatives of other agencies such as the Department of Justice and the National Labor Relations Board with respect to matters of common concern; independently negotiates and coordinates on matters affecting FMCS programs.
Provides legal advice to the Director and senior agency officials on the most sensitive and complex employment law, ethics, and administrative law matters affecting the agency.
Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
Selectee must meet/maintain suitability and security requirements, as determined by a background investigation.
This position is ineligible for inclusion in a bargaining unit.
You may be required to serve a two-year trial period, if the requirement has not been met.
The Ethics in Government Act of 1978 requires the applicant selected for this position to submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of appointment and annually thereafter.
You must be an active member in good standing of the bar of a U.S. state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Qualifications
Basic Requirement: You must have earned a professional law degree (J.D. or LL.B.) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association, be an active member of the BAR, and have three years of professional legal experience with at least one year being equivalent to the GS-13 level.
Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/qualifications to successfully perform the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.
Specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 level includes:
Analyzing complex facts, ascertaining relevant laws, regulations, and policies, giving opinions and stating facts on legal issues;
Applying and interpreting legal principles and identifying alternative courses of action;
Conveying legal analysis and information orally through briefings, meetings, and presentations.
Regulatory/Policy: Ability to analyze and draft notices of proposed rulemaking, and final rules. (Knowledge of government personnel rules is a bonus); and
Legal: Experience as Labor & Employment attorneys and strong writing ability.
Time in grade: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled.
You must also have experience demonstrating each of the five competencies listed below.
Administrative Law - Knowledge of state and federal administrative laws, including procedures, regulations, guidelines, and precedents related to case preparation and settlements.
Labor Law - Knowledge of state and federal employment laws, regulations, guidelines, and legal precedents related to hiring practices, equal employment opportunity, and wage and hour restrictions.
Legal, Government, and Jurisprudence - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, legal practices and documents, Government regulations, Executive orders, agency rules, Government organization and functions, and the democratic political process.
Manages and Organizes Information - Identifies a need; gathers, organizes, and maintains information; determines its importance and accuracy, and communicates it by a variety of methods.
Planning and Evaluating - Organizes work, sets priorities, and determines resource requirements; determines short- or long-term goals and strategies to achieve them; coordinates with other organizations or parts of the organization to accomplish goals; monitors progress and evaluates outcomes.
Your resume must have complete information. Please ensure your resume accurately reflects the duties and responsibilities under each position you have held with each employer. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. It is your responsibility to make sure your resume states complete information for each job entry (beginning and ending dates of employment stated as MM/YYYY; and total hours worked per week). If your resume does not provide enough information regarding your work history for us to make a creditable qualification determination, your application package may be rendered disqualified and you will no longer be considered for this position.
Part-time or unpaid experience: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid work on the same basis as for paid experience. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. To receive credit for such experience you must indicate clearly the nature of the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the number of hours per week spent in such employment.
Qualifications must be met by the Closing Date: You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by 11:59pm EDT on the closing date of this announcement.
Must be a graduate of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) or LLM degree, and be currently licensed as an attorney, in active (or equivalent) status and in good standing, with the bar of a U.S. state, territory, or commonwealth.
Additional information
Salary- The salary range indicated in this announcement reflects the minimum locality pay up to maximum locality pay for Washington, DC.
Direct Deposit - Selectee is required to participate in the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service direct deposit of pay program.
Security Background - A Public Trust background is a requirement for this position. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal. If you possess a security clearance, please indicate the level and termination date in your resume. The successful candidate will undergo personnel vetting, which includes a background investigation and enrollment upon onboarding into "Continuous Vetting." Enrollment in Continuous Vetting will result in automated record checks being conducted throughout one's employment with FMCS. The successful candidate will also be enrolled in FBI's Rap Back program, which will allow FMCS to receive notification from the FBI of criminal activities (e.g., arrests, charges, convictions) involving enrolled individuals in near real-time.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Selection(s) will be based on the judgment of the selecting official as to which applicant is best qualified to perform the duties of the position. Once this announcement closes, candidates will be evaluated based on the application package submitted. An oral interview may be conducted with some, none, or all candidates, depending upon the relative qualifications of the applicants.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Resume clearly stating your experience related to this position as described in the Duties and Qualifications sections--include specific dates (MM/DD/YY - MM/DD/YY) so we can determine that you have the required amount of experience (if applicable). Your experience description needs to be clear/specific (we may not make assumptions regarding your experience). Resume must not exceed 2 pages. If you do not submit a resume that is 2 pages or less, you will be ineligible for further consideration.
Transcript: Official transcripts must contain the applicant's name, the name of the school, the degree awarded, date conferred, and all required courses as required by the position.
Bar Membership: Proof you are licensed and a member in good standing with the bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. commonwealth, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia. Proof is a "certificate of good standing" issued by your state of licensure within 6 months of the date of application or a screenshot of your bar status taken from your state of licensure website dated within 6 months. If there is no date on the screen shot, you must provide a statement signed by you on the date that the screen shot was created.
Writing Sample: Legal briefs, memorandum, and/or letters. Regardless of the number of writing samples submitted, the page count of all writing samples combined cannot exceed 10 pages in length. Extracts of selected sections of larger documents are acceptable.
Notification(s) of Personnel Action (SF-50) that includes Position Title, Grade or Level, and Duty Station. NOTE: Eligibility is based on your current position of record (if you are on a temporary promotion, the temporary promotion position is your position of record) (if applicable).
Most recent completed annual performance appraisal dated within the last 18 months (if it is not dated within the last 18 months or you have not received a performance appraisal, you must upload a signed/dated explanation why). Your submitted performance appraisal must show the overall rating and manager/supervisor's signature that certifies the rating at the time it was given. If your performance appraisal was conducted virtually, a supervisory email certifying your end-of-year review/rating was completed and date it occurred is acceptable documentation in lieu of the supervisor's signature on the performance appraisal document; the overall rating must also be provided on either the email or performance appraisal document (if applicable).
Veterans' Preference: Attorney positions with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) are in the excepted services, therefore, there is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to mediator appointments. FMCS, however, considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in the hiring process. If you are eligible for veterans' preference in hiring, you are encouraged to include that information in your application along with supporting documentation, e.g., SF15, DD214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, or other supporting documentation. (if applicable).
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is entered, uploaded (i.e. resume) and submitted prior to the closing date. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59PM (EDT) pm on 05/04/2026 to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account https://www.usajobs.gov/. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package.
It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
To return to saved application at a later date, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
Note: To update a previously Saved or Incomplete application follow these instructions:
Log into your USAJobs account
Click on "Application Status" button on the left-hand side of the page
Click on the "Title" of the job you have applied to; it will take you back to the original page of that job announcement
Click on the "Update Application" button in the box on the right-hand side of the announcement; this will take you back to the last page of your application where you uploaded your previous documents
Refer to the "Please Note" statement at the top of the page and follow the instructions to update your application
You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://usajobs.gov/ and clicking on "Track Your Online Application."By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired, you may be terminated after you begin work, or you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. You will be required to submit official documentation before appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., Professional Certification, Resume, Transcript, and Writing Sample.).
Top ranked applicants will be referred to the hiring office for further review and consideration. The hiring office may directly contact recommended candidates for interview(s). When the selection is made, applicants will be sent a referral status notification and a final disposition notification.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Resume clearly stating your experience related to this position as described in the Duties and Qualifications sections--include specific dates (MM/DD/YY - MM/DD/YY) so we can determine that you have the required amount of experience (if applicable). Your experience description needs to be clear/specific (we may not make assumptions regarding your experience). Resume must not exceed 2 pages. If you do not submit a resume that is 2 pages or less, you will be ineligible for further consideration.
Transcript: Official transcripts must contain the applicant's name, the name of the school, the degree awarded, date conferred, and all required courses as required by the position.
Bar Membership: Proof you are licensed and a member in good standing with the bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. commonwealth, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia. Proof is a "certificate of good standing" issued by your state of licensure within 6 months of the date of application or a screenshot of your bar status taken from your state of licensure website dated within 6 months. If there is no date on the screen shot, you must provide a statement signed by you on the date that the screen shot was created.
Writing Sample: Legal briefs, memorandum, and/or letters. Regardless of the number of writing samples submitted, the page count of all writing samples combined cannot exceed 10 pages in length. Extracts of selected sections of larger documents are acceptable.
Notification(s) of Personnel Action (SF-50) that includes Position Title, Grade or Level, and Duty Station. NOTE: Eligibility is based on your current position of record (if you are on a temporary promotion, the temporary promotion position is your position of record) (if applicable).
Most recent completed annual performance appraisal dated within the last 18 months (if it is not dated within the last 18 months or you have not received a performance appraisal, you must upload a signed/dated explanation why). Your submitted performance appraisal must show the overall rating and manager/supervisor's signature that certifies the rating at the time it was given. If your performance appraisal was conducted virtually, a supervisory email certifying your end-of-year review/rating was completed and date it occurred is acceptable documentation in lieu of the supervisor's signature on the performance appraisal document; the overall rating must also be provided on either the email or performance appraisal document (if applicable).
Veterans' Preference: Attorney positions with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) are in the excepted services, therefore, there is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to mediator appointments. FMCS, however, considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in the hiring process. If you are eligible for veterans' preference in hiring, you are encouraged to include that information in your application along with supporting documentation, e.g., SF15, DD214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, or other supporting documentation. (if applicable).
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is entered, uploaded (i.e. resume) and submitted prior to the closing date. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59PM (EDT) pm on 05/04/2026 to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account https://www.usajobs.gov/. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package.
It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
To return to saved application at a later date, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
Note: To update a previously Saved or Incomplete application follow these instructions:
Log into your USAJobs account
Click on "Application Status" button on the left-hand side of the page
Click on the "Title" of the job you have applied to; it will take you back to the original page of that job announcement
Click on the "Update Application" button in the box on the right-hand side of the announcement; this will take you back to the last page of your application where you uploaded your previous documents
Refer to the "Please Note" statement at the top of the page and follow the instructions to update your application
You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://usajobs.gov/ and clicking on "Track Your Online Application."By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired, you may be terminated after you begin work, or you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. You will be required to submit official documentation before appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., Professional Certification, Resume, Transcript, and Writing Sample.).
Top ranked applicants will be referred to the hiring office for further review and consideration. The hiring office may directly contact recommended candidates for interview(s). When the selection is made, applicants will be sent a referral status notification and a final disposition notification.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
