DEPUTY CHIEF, POLICY UNIT
NARCOTIC AND DANGEROUS DRUG SECTION
CRIMINAL DIVISION
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
WASHINGTON, D.C.
09-CRM-NDDS-043
About the Office:The Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS) supervises and has responsibility for enforcing federal statutes pertaining to narco-terrorism, narcotic drugs and other controlled substances. The section advises the Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division, Department of Justice and other federal officials involved in drug enforcement on all matters related to federal narcotics and narco-terrorism law enforcement including proposed and enacted legislation, policy, enforcement initiatives, and criminal and civil litigation. The section has direct litigation responsibilities in significant drug and narco-terrorism investigations and prosecutions targeting national and international narcotics trafficking and money laundering organizations.
Responsibilities and Opportunity Offered: The Criminal Division, Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, U.S. Department of Justice is seeking a Deputy Chief for the Policy Unit. This position reports directly to the Principal Deputy Chief for the section.
The principal responsibility for this position will include directing, supervising and overseeing the unit’s attorneys. Supervisory responsibility include recruitment, selection and supervision of line attorneys, assignment and monitoring of workloads, writing annual performance appraisals, and other employee relations matters. Policy Unit attorneys participate in the drafting of domestic and international narcotics legislation, strategies and statements of policy pertaining to the Controlled Substances Act, the 1961, 1971, and 1988 Vienna Drug Conventions, and deal with emerging issues that span the range of domestic and international drug control policy. Policy Unit attorneys provide cutting edge support to the United States Attorneys and their assistants by responding to inquiries relating to substantive, procedural and policy matters, and represent the Criminal Division on a wide range of maritime law enforcement issues. The Unit publishes a variety of training manuals, handbooks, and a periodic newsletter to aid prosecutors in investigating and prosecuting violations of the federal narcotics laws. Policy Unit attorneys litigate appeals arising from cases prosecuted by the Section and appeals of denials or revocation of licenses and registrations by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Policy Unit attorneys provide support for international investigative and prosecutive efforts, assist foreign governments in drafting effective counter-narcotics legislation and developing national and international drug strategies.
Qualifications: Interested parties must possess a J.D. degree from an accredited law school, be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of a State, territory, or the District of Columbia and have at least five years of post J.D. experience. Applicant must have excellent interpersonal skills and be a self-starter.
Travel: Occasional travel will be required.
Salary Information: Current salary and years of experience determine the appropriate salary level.
GS-15: $120,830 - $153,200 per annum.
Location: This position is located in Washington, D.C.
Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses are not authorized.
Submission Process and Deadline Date: Applicants should submit a cover letter with vacancy announcement number indicated, resume, and current performance appraisal (if applicable). Please send your resume electronically to Charlene A. Briggs-Plunkett, Administrative Officer, Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section at nddsjobs@usdoj.gov. No telephone calls please. Cover letter and resume must be submitted electronically, no mail copies will be accepted. This position is open for 14 days.
This position closes at midnight on November 3, 2009, Eastern Standard time.
Internet Sites: Other attorney vacancy announcements can be found at: www.usdoj.gov/oarm/attvacancies.html
Department Policies: The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination based on color, race, religion, national origin, politics, marital status, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, status as a parent, membership or nonmembership in an employee organization, or personal favoritism. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. This agency 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 agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
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. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review and the United States Attorneys’ Offices. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, non-U.S. citizens may apply for employment with other organizations, but should be advised that appointments of non-U.S. citizens are 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.
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 are encouraged to include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214 or other substantiating documents) to their submissions.
The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information