Legal Careers
Attorney Adviser (Personnel)
Washington, DC 20530 - United States
The position serves as an Attorney-Adviser in the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Justice Management Division, Human Resources (JMD HR). The Justice Management Division (JMD) provides senior management officials with advice relating to basic Department policy for budget and financial management, human resources management and training, procurement, ethics, equal employment opportunity, information processing, events, telecommunications, security, and all matters pertaining to organization, management, and administration.
The primary purpose of this position is to serve as a Personnel Attorney on the JMD HR leadership staff and play a crucial role in ensuring and providing legal interpretation, guidance, and consistent application of human resources and employment laws, government-wide regulations, and DOJ policies to ensure DOJ components are in compliance.
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.
Advises the Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Human Resources and Administration/Chief Human Capital Officer, Director and Deputy Director, Human Resources, and other leadership within Justice Management Division on the interpretation of personnel laws, regulations, and DOJ policies. This includes interpreting and providing advice on 5 U.S.C. and 5 CFR personnel matters, Office of Personnel Management policies, and competitive and excepted service positions.
Provides legal guidance and support on all human resources-related matters, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, termination, harassment, compensation, employee benefits and wellness programs. Drafts and reviews policy statements, proposed legislation, severance agreements, disciplinary documents, and other employee personnel-related documents. Coordinates with personnel attorneys in other federal agencies and the Office of Personnel Management on legal precedents, participates in DOJ and inter-agency working groups, and furthers cross-agency collaboration.
Conducts legal research and analysis to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations. Develops and implements policies and procedures to mitigate legal risks and promote best practices in personnel and employment law. Advises HR professionals and management on staffing, classification, compensation, and employee relations issues, investigations, and disciplinary actions.
Prepares and provides guidance to leadership on employment-related litigation, administrative proceedings, and negotiations with government agencies. Performs analyses on the interpretation and application of Federal employment laws and regulations, and/or court rulings that impact the agency.
Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of a bar in good standing (any jurisdiction), and have at least 4 years of post-J.D. legal experience. Applicants must also have: 1) excellent academic credentials; 2) strong oral and written communication and advocacy skills; 3) superior legal research and analytical skills; and 4) a demonstrated ability to function with minimal guidance in a highly demanding environment.
Preferred Qualifications: Preferred applicants will also possess prior experience in employment/personnel law.
Please submit the following documents:
- A cover letter highlighting your relevant skills and experience, describing your interest in employment/personnel law, and explaining how your professional experiences relate to the qualifications listed above
- A copy of your resume
- Law school transcript
- A writing sample (we encourage you to submit a legal memorandum or brief)
- A copy of your last performance appraisal (required for federal employees; all others, if available)
Please submit your completed application package to Julie Homick using the following email address: julie.d.homick@usdoj.gov with the subject line “Personnel Attorney, Announcement # JMD-HR-2024-001” by August 30, 2024.
Note: Incomplete applications will not be considered
GS-15: $163,964 - $191,900 per annum (including locality)
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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.