Attorney Adviser (General) Job

Vacancy No. HHS-OGC-DE-25-12803344 Department Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services
Salary $73,939.00 to $195,200.00 Grade 11 to 14
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 9/30/2025 Close Date 12/31/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Phoenix, AZLos Angeles, CASacramento, CASan Diego, CA


Summary

This position is located in the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the General Counsel, headquartered in Washington, District of Columbia.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

NOTE: This posting will direct the reader to OGC's Open Career Opportunities | HHS.gov. for current open job opportunities. Please be sure to periodically visit the site for current open vacancies and position requirements.

Duties

WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING DAY TO DAY

As an Attorney Advisor, you will use your knowledge of and experience with the Office of the General Counsel to optimize business results and customer experience by:

  • Investigating and prosecuting crimes with federal, state and local law enforcement as a Special Assistant United States Attorney assigned to a United States Attorney's Office.
  • Prosecuting criminal identity theft and beneficiary-side fraud cases relating to CMS programs.
  • Leading cases from investigation through charging, pretrial litigation, trial, sentencing, and appeal.
  • Negotiating plea agreements with defense counsel.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required
  • Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service - http://www.sss.gov
  • Suitable for federal employment
  • Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. All information concerning qualifications is subject to investigation.
  • Documentation that you present for purposes of completing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-Verify" System.
  • All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choice.
  • All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
  • Probationary (or trial) period may be required.
  • Two year trail period may be required.
  • Must maintain active bar membership in good standing and the eligibility to practice law in the highest court of a state, territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia throughout employment in the Office of the General Counsel.

Qualifications

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Basic Qualifications:

A.) Education Requirement: Must have successfully completed a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) or Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from an accredited educational institution;

B.) Bar Membership: Must have a current active bar membership from any State, territory, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, District of Columbia, or Federal Court;

AND

C.) License to Practice Law: Must have a current, valid license with eligibility to practice law in a state, the District of Columbia, or any United States territory or commonwealth.

In addition to the basic qualifications listed above, the following minimum qualifications must be met:

Minimum Qualifications (GS-11): Must have successfully completed a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) or Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from an accredited educational institution.

Minimum Qualifications (GS-12): Must have at least one (1) year of professional legal experience post bar admission equivalent to the GS-11 grade level.

Minimum Qualifications (GS-13): Must have at least two (2) years of professional legal experience post bar admission, with one year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 level.

Minimum Qualifications (GS-14): Must have at least three (3) years of professional legal experience post bar admission with one year of experience equivalent to the GS-13 level.

Documenting experience: IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Qualifications are based on breadth/level of experience. In addition to describing duties performed, applicants must provide the exact dates of each period of employment (from MM/YY to MM/YY) and the number of hours worked per week if part time. As qualification determinations cannot be made when resumes do not include the required information, failure to provide this information may result in disqualification.

Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the position qualifications listed in this announcement.

Education

Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov.

Additional information

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

These positions are in the Excepted Service.

Incentives may be authorized; however, this is contingent upon multiple factors, including funds availability. If authorized, certain incentives may require you to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a period of up to 3 years. Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid. Incentives may include the following: moving expenses, recruitment or relocation incentive; student loan repayment, superior qualifications appointment, creditable service for annual leave for prior non-federal work experience or prior uniformed military service, etc.

Bargaining Unit Position: No

Research position: No

Drug Screening Required: No

Salary (includes locality):
Baltimore, MD $84,601 - $185,234
Beaumont, TX $73,939 - $161,889
Boston, MA $83,742 - $183,353
Chicago; IL $82,655 - $180,974
Dallas TX $80,381 - $175,995
Fort Worth, TX $80,381 - $175,995
Houston, TX $85,270 - $186,700
Los Angeles, CA $86,199 - $188,733
Newark, NJ $87,133 - $190,779
Phoenix, AZ $77,343 - $169,343
Plano, TX $80,381 - $175,995
Sacramento, CA $81,960 - $179,453
San Antonio, TX $75,025 - $164,268
San Diego, CA $84,462 - $184,929
San Francisco, CA $92,433- $195,200
San Jose, CA $92,433 - $195,200
Seattle, WA $83,104 - $181,956
Sherman, TX $80,381 - $175,995
Tacoma, WA $83,104 - $181,956
Tampa, FL $73,939 - $161,889
Tyler, TX $80,381 - $175,995

Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP/ICTAP): For information on how to apply as an CTAP/ICTAP eligible see http://opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp#ictap. To be considered well-qualified under I/CTAP, you must be rated eligible based on minimum qualifications for this position and submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this job announcement.

Beginning January 1, 2010, agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level under the provisions of title 5, United States Code. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Human Resources Office.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Traditional rating and ranking of applications does not apply to this vacancy. Applications will be evaluated against the basic qualifications. Qualified candidates will be referred for consideration in accordance with the Office of Personnel Management direct hire guidelines. Veteran's Preference does not apply to the direct hire recruitment procedures. Selections made under this announcement will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Current civil service employees would, therefore, be given new appointments to the civil service.

Required Documents

Submission of a resume alone IS NOT a complete application. You must provide a complete online Application Package which includes:

  • Your Resume. Resumes must not exceed two (2) pages in length. Application requirements are clearly stated in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Failure to submit a resume and any other required documentation identified in this announcement will result in removal from further consideration. You are encouraged to use the USAJobs online resume builder to ensure that all required information is in your resume. Your resume must clearly articulate how your skills and experiences align to the criteria defined in the qualifications section of this announcement and it must support your responses to the application questionnaire. For each position you must describe your duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities. Your resume must also include the day, month, and year that you began and ended for each position held. Full-time employment will be assumed unless otherwise stated on your resume. Part-time employment will be prorated in crediting experience. Not providing this information may result in the lowering of your assessment score or an ineligible rating. For resume writing guidance, please visit the USAJobs Resource Center or view their video tutorial. For Most Effective Resumes Tips visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Most_Effective_Resumes.
  • A complete Application Questionnaire.
  • Other Supporting Documents
Other Supporting Documents: (Only Submit if applicable to you.)
  • College transcript (if qualifying all or in part based on your education)
  • CTAP/ICTAP Documentation
    • A copy of your RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate, notice of disability annuity termination, or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement;
    • A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action'', documenting your RIF separation, noting your positions, grade level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through RPL, etc.;
    • A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
    • Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.
For Résumé Tips visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YX7o1PBoFk

For Application Tips visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqYkibnuiJU

For additional information about USAJOBS visit the Help Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/

You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

To receive full consideration, please apply at Open Career Opportunities | HHS.gov or email application to CMSDRecruitment@hhs.gov

Resumes must not exceed two (2) pages in length. Application requirements are clearly stated in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Failure to submit a resume and any other required documentation identified in this announcement will result in removal from further consideration.

Agency contact information

SROC Help Desk
Address
Office of the General Counsel
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, DC 20201
US

Next steps

HHS has a Critical Preparedness and Response Mission: we protect the American people from health threats, research emerging diseases, and mobilize public health programs with domestic and international partners. HHS' 24/7 Secretary's Operations Center (SOC) unites highly trained experts, well established processes, and state-of-the-art technology to coordinate resources and information as HHS responds to emergencies worldwide.

Every HHS employee has a role in supporting public health emergency management, whether through voluntary temporary assignments to emergency responses or sustaining other HHS programs and activities while colleagues respond.

In addition to their everyday work, HHS offers employees the opportunity to contribute their unique skills through voluntary temporary assignments to humanitarian emergencies or Departmental priorities countering new and emerging health, safety, and security threats.

Additional Locations

  • San Francisco, CA
  • San Jose, CA
  • Tampa, FL
  • Chicago, IL
  • Boston, MA
  • Baltimore, MD
  • Newark, NJ
  • Beaumont, TX
  • Dallas, TX
  • Fort Worth, TX
  • Houston, TX
  • Plano, TX
  • San Antonio, TX
  • Sherman, TX
  • Tyler, TX
  • Seattle, WA
  • Tacoma, WA


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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