Legal Careers
Attorney
The Office of Human Capital supports the Department’s mission of administering justice by developing and implementing policy and programs, providing guidance, and leading efforts to attract, develop, and retain high performing employees.
The Employment Law and Employee Relations Office (EL/ER) of the Office of Human Capital (OHC) has a department-wide policy and oversight role in Employee Relations and Employment Law. EL/ER is responsible for providing advice to component employee relations staff and General Counsels’ Offices on matters relating to performance, disciplinary and adverse actions, claims of reprisal, and the Department’s Agency Grievance Procedure. EL/ER works with and provides advice and guidance to managers and Employment Relations staff throughout the Department on drafting notices of discipline and adverse actions and responses to employee grievances. ELG provides support to the Department in petitions before the Courts of Appeals and provides legal advice on Human Resources Staff issues when requested. ELG staff also represent the Department before the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA), the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and coordinates and implements the Department’s LR/ER training programs.
This is a Non-Reimbursable Detail Opportunity for 120 days with the possibility of extension.
The incumbent will provide legal advice and guidance on the most difficult labor and employment issues faced by the Department, many of which involve novel circumstances or conflicting precedents. In this role, the incumbent interacts with a broad cross-section of Department officials, including senior Department officials; the General Counsel’s offices throughout the Department; and Labor and Employment Relations representatives in various components. The incumbent also provides advice to the Civil Division's Commercial Litigation and Appellate Branches, as well as the Office or the Solicitor General, in actions before the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) and the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) in those labor and employment cases which impact most significantly the Department's (or its components') ability to carry out its mission.
The incumbent is responsible for administering the Department's directives on subjects such as the administrative grievance procedure, employee-management relations, alternative dispute resolution, and disciplinary adverse actions. The incumbent analyzes ER policy issues for the Department and prepares comments and/or briefing materials on proposed regulations and/or legislation pertaining to these subjects.
The work will include, but is not limited to:
- Represent the Department in litigation matters before the MSPB, EEOC and FLRA
- Provide ER training to components, and offer guidance regarding the use of alternative dispute resolution in administrative processes
- Conduct extensive legal research involving complex legal questions and develop options to the highest levels of the Department; routinely review statutory provisions, federal court decisions, and administrative agency rulings
- Develop ER procedures or policies for implementation across the Department
- Must possess a J.D. Degree (or equivalent), be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and have at least 3-years post-J.D. (or equivalent) legal or other relevant experience
- Must be a U.S. citizen already employed by the U.S. Department of Justice or the U.S. Government
- Must have obtained approval from their component or agency to apply to the detail
- Prior to starting the detail, selected applicants must have successfully completed a background check
- Must have three years of legal advisory, legal research, and policy development experience in Employment Law
All interested applicants should submit the following documents via email to jmdohcadmin@usdoj.gov with the subject line “ATTORNEY ADVISOR – EMPLOYMENT LAW GROUP- DETAIL” by February 26, 2026.
- Cover letter that highlights qualifications and interest in the detail opportunity
- Resume, highlighting experience relevant to the duties and qualifications listed above
- Copy of J.D., or equivalent degree (official transcript with conferred status is acceptable)
- Bar Certificate – in Good Standing
- Most recent SF50
- A statement indicating whether you are or have been a political appointee in the past five (5) years (if applicable)
- Approval statement from the component or agency to apply for detail
Once the application process is complete, a review of submitted documents will be made to determine if applicants are qualified for this assignment.
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 is a non-reimbursable detail assignment open to current federal employees at the GS-15 level. The detail will be filled at the employee’s current pay grade.
Department Policies
The Department remains steadfast in its commitment to equal employment opportunity (EEO) and treating employees with fairness, dignity and compassion. We must ensure that no applicant for employment or employee of our Department is denied equal opportunity because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex – including pregnancy – or because of age, physical or mental disability, protected genetic information, parental status, marital status, political affiliation, or any other non-merit based factor and that all have the freedom to compete on a fair and level playing field. To learn more, please view the Department’s full Equal Employment Opportunity Policy 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://help.usajobs.gov/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.
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.