Legal Careers
Attorney
This reimbursable detail assignment is for a period of one year. Applicants must be Attorneys who are Federal Employees. The detail may be extended. Applicants should receive the approval of their supervisor before applying.
ABOUT THE DIVISION
The mission of the National Security Division (NSD) is to coordinate the Department of Justice’s efforts in carrying out its core mission of combating terrorism and protecting national security. NSD is responsible for supervising the enforcement of all federal criminal laws related to counterterrorism and counterespionage, except those specifically assigned to other divisions. NSD also serves as the Department of Justice’s liaison to the United States Intelligence Community (USIC) and represents the government and the USIC before the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. NSD advises the Attorney General regarding all matters of national security policy.
ABOUT THE FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW SECTION
The Foreign Investment Review Section (FIRS) is responsible for four primary portfolios of work on behalf of the DOJ. First, FIRS manages the Committee for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the United States Telecommunications Services Sector (informally known as Team Telecom) on behalf of its Chair, the Attorney General. Team Telecom considers the law enforcement, national security, and public safety implications of applications for licenses from the Federal Communications Commission involving a threshold percentage of foreign ownership or control. Second, FIRS also represents DOJ on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), an interagency body statutorily required to review certain transactions that could result in control of a U.S. business by a foreign person, as well as certain other transactions to determine the effect of such investments on the national security of the United States. Third, FIRS monitors compliance with agreements or orders that mitigate concerns arising from prior CFIUS or Team Telecom cases or other related national security programs and, when necessary, undertakes enforcement actions when parties fail to meet their compliance obligations. Fourth, FIRS administers and enforces the data-security regulations to address the national-security risks enabled by access to Americans’ sensitive personal data by countries of concern under the Executive Order on Preventing Access to Americans' Bulk Sensitive Personal Data and United States Government-Related Data by Countries of Concern.
As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.
On February 28, 2024, the President signed Executive Order, “Preventing Access to Americans’ Bulk Sensitive Personal Data and United States Government-Related Data by Countries of Concern.” This Executive Order seeks to address the counterintelligence concerns surrounding adversarial nations’ access to Americans’ sensitive personal data and government-related data through legitimate commercial transactions.
The President’s Executive Order authorizes the Attorney General to prohibit or restrict certain transactions that would provide countries of concern, as well as their companies and persons subject to their jurisdiction, control, ownership, or direction, with access to Americans’ bulk sensitive personal or government-related data. To begin implementing this authority, DOJ FIRS is responsible for establishing a targeted new regulatory program, modeled in keyways on sanctions and export controls, that will implement these prohibitions and restrictions through categorical regulations. FIRS will also be responsible for administering this program, to including promulgating additional regulations, adjudicating licenses, issuing advisory opinions and guidance, designating persons subject to the jurisdiction, control, ownership, or direction of countries of concern, monitoring compliance, and undertaking enforcement.
FIRS is seeking multiple attorney detailees with a range of experience and expertise to support the implementation of this Executive Order. The contemplated responsibilities of these positions may vary based on the needs of the office, but the experience and expertise sought include the following:
- Experience with conducting notice and comment rulemakings to include drafting rule language, reviewing and adjudicating comments, and conducting regulatory and economic impact assessments;
- Experience with administering or supporting International Emergency Economic Powers Act based national security programs such as sanctions or export controls regimes;
- Experience with performing or supporting targeting of commercial transactions that violate U.S. national security laws or companies or persons that may be subject to U.S. national security restrictions (including in the U.S. intelligence community or through U.S. sanctions or export controls programs);
- Experience with designating companies or persons for sanctions, such as the Department of the Treasury’s Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List, the Department of Commerce’s Entity List, the Department of Defense’s 1260H List of Chinese Military Companies, the Federal Communication Commission’s Covered List, or other similar national security designation processes;
- Expertise in or experience with data security, data masking, privacy enhancing technologies, and general cyber security; and
- Experience with evaluating corporate compliance with and conducting enforcement actions for U.S. national security laws and regulations.
Interested applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any State, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia, and have at least 1.5 or more years post J.D. experience. Applicants must be an active member of the bar in good standing (in any jurisdiction).
Prior national-security regulatory experience is preferred.
An active security clearance at the TS/SCI level is preferred but not required.
To apply, please submit a cover letter highlighting your interest and relevant experience with a resume, a short writing sample, and a copy of your most recent performance appraisal (if available) via email to: FIRS.Application@usdoj.gov with the subject line “FIRS Attorney Advisor Detail Vacancy 2024.”
No telephone calls please.
Applicants should familiarize themselves and comply with the relevant rules of professional conduct regarding any possible conflicts of interest in connection with their applications. In particular, please notify this Office if you currently represent clients or adjudicate matters in which this Office is involved and/or you have a family member who is representing clients or adjudicating matters in which this Office is involved so that we can evaluate any potential conflict of interest or disqualification issue that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.
This opportunity is only open to federal employees. We encourage you to seek supervisor approval before applying.
Applicants should familiarize themselves and comply with the relevant rules of professional conduct regarding any possible conflicts of interest in connection with their applications. In particular, please notify this Office if you currently represent clients or adjudicate matters in which this Office is involved and/or you have a family member who is representing clients or adjudicating matters in which this Office is involved so that we can evaluate any potential conflicts of interest or disqualification issues that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.
This reimbursable detail assignment is for a period of one year. Applicants must be Attorneys who are Federal Employees. The detail may be extended. Applicants should receive the approval of their supervisor before applying.
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 because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex - including gender identity, sexual orientation, or pregnancy status - or because of age (over 40), physical or mental disability, protected genetic information, parental status, marital status, political affiliation, or any other non-merit based factor. 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. For more information, please review our full EEO Statement.
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.
The Department encourages qualified applicants with disabilities, including individuals with targeted/severe disabilities to apply in response to posted vacancy announcements. Qualified applicants with targeted/severe disabilities may be eligible for direct hire, non-competitive appointment under Schedule A (5 C.F.R. § 213.3102(u)) hiring authority. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to contact one of the Department’s Disability Points of Contact (DPOC) to express an interest in being considered for a position. See list of DPOCs.
Unless otherwise required by law, the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits employees of the U.S. Department of Justice or a federal contractor acting on its behalf from inquiring about an applicant's criminal history record, either in writing or orally, before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to the hiring office using the contact information listed in the announcement.
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.
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 their retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that they were transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).
Assistant United States Attorneys must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.
This and other vacancy announcements can be found under Attorney Vacancies and Volunteer Legal Internships. 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.