Legal Careers
Office of Attorney Recruitment and Management Attorney
The Office of Attorney Recruitment and Management (OARM) oversees the employment and general administration of attorneys and law students at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). OARM sets policy and advises DOJ officials within the components, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, and at the highest levels of DOJ on issues regarding the recruitment, appointment, and separation of attorneys and legal interns. The Director of OARM also has the authority to decide FBI whistleblower reprisal claims brought pursuant to 28 C.F.R. Part 27.
OARM is a small office of collegial professionals with an exemplary work ethic who take pride in their commitment to teamwork and service. For additional information about OARM, please visit the website, OARM.
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.
OARM seeks one full-time attorney to support the adjudication of FBI whistleblower reprisal claims brought pursuant to 28 C.F.R. Part 27. These regulations provide protections to FBI whistleblowers and authorize the Director of OARM to decide the merits of a case and order appropriate corrective action, as warranted. Additionally, the attorney will assist in developing, implementing, and administering procedures necessary for the efficient resolution of FBI whistleblower reprisal claims.
The Whistleblower team consists of two attorneys who work with the Director and Deputy Director, draft orders and opinions, and participate in status conferences and hearings with the parties. The attorney will research and analyze complex legal issues that arise in the course of these matters. The position requires interaction with Department officials, the FBI’s Office of General Counsel, and FBI whistleblower complainants and their representatives, if any. The role entails significant program management and administrative responsibilities associated with the adjudication of FBI whistleblower matters. Duties will include docket and records management, responding to inquiries from external stakeholders, and meeting data collection and reporting requirements.
Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and have at least three years of post-J.D. legal or other relevant experience.
Successful candidates are adept at legal research, analyzing complex and often voluminous records, identifying relevant issues, and producing clear and concise written decisions. In addition, candidates must have excellent oral and written communication skills, the demonstrated ability to work with officials at various seniority levels, and be organized, focused, and able to manage a significant caseload and prioritize case assignments. Exemplary judgment and discretion are also required. Strong relationship-building experience, the ability to efficiently produce high-quality work under tight time-constraints, and the desire to be part of a collaborative team are essential. Civil litigation experience and experience handling employment reprisal cases are highly valued, but not required.
OARM offers limited telework, subject to supervisor approval and consistent with the needs of the office and individual roles and responsibilities.
Applicants must submit a cover letter highlighting relevant experience, resume, and writing sample (not more than 10 pages in length and reflecting the applicant’s own work and not heavily edited by anyone else) by email to: OARMposition@usdoj.gov. If you applied to this vacancy in June 2023, please note that your application remains under consideration, and you do not need to reapply.
On the subject line, please reference “OARM FBI WB Attorney”. No telephone calls, please.
The salary range for this position is GS-13/14/15.
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Department Policies
Equal Employment Opportunity: 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.
Reasonable Accommodations: 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.
Outreach and Recruitment for Qualified Applicants with Disabilities: 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.
Suitability and Citizenship: 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.
Veterans: 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).
USAO Residency Requirement: 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.
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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.