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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.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted today · Apply by 10/08/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on October 8, 2026
Location
few vacancies in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Salary
$121,785 - $187,093 per year
Pay scale & grade
GG 13 - 14
Promotion potential
14
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Excepted Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
L Access Authorization
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Financial disclosure required
Yes
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
DEST-13003158-26-NT
Control number
876870700

Duties

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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.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

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.

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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.

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.

Additional information

Applications will be reviewed every three weeks.

Review 1 - 08/12/2026

Review 2 - 09/09//2026

Review 3 - 10/07/2026


This position may be eligible for telework in accordance with agency policy.

Selectees 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.

The NRC is a zero-tolerance agency with respect to illegal drug use. Individuals selected for these positions will be subject to pre-appointment drug testing.

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 waiver 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.

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.

How you will be evaluated

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

When the application process is complete, your application will be reviewed to determine if you meet the job requirements. Your application will be evaluated based on the information provided in your resume and responses to any vacancy questions to determine your level of knowledge, skills, and abilities related to the job requirements. You must respond to all required application questions.

If you are among the top candidates for this position, your application will be referred to the hiring manager for possible interview and selection based upon the number of available vacancies to be filled in each office.

Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your skills, knowledge, and abilities as they relate to this position. Therefore, we encourage you to submit a resume that directly relates to this position.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

If you are curious, inspired, or interested in bringing your energy to a committed team in a dynamic science, engineering, technical, or administrative career, consider the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). We are professionals dedicated to protecting people and the environment by safeguarding the use of nuclear materials in medicine, industry, and research.

NRC is an independent agency established to protect public health and safety as nuclear energy fuels electrical power and a variety of industrial, medical, and research applications. We come from varied educational and experiential backgrounds-the military, industry, and academia.

The NRC prides itself on creating a work environment rich in opportunity, leadership, training, teamwork and work life balance. Help guide our nation into the next generation of nuclear safety by completing your USAJOBs profile and reviewing our job announcements! Begin a challenging career with the NRC where you can be a part of a select group of professionals who protect people and the environment with the peaceful use of nuclear materials in medicine, industry and research.

Agency contact information

Natasha Thomas
Phone
301-415-5241
Email
Natasha.Thomas@nrc.gov
Address
Office of the General Counsel
11555 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD 20852
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Nuclear Regulatory Commission, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/employment

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