Attorney-Adviser (General) Job

Vacancy No. HHS-OGC-DE-25-12802708 Department Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services
Salary $75,145.00 to $185,234.00 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:
Denver, COWashington, DCAtlanta, GABaltimore, MD


Summary

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

Multiple selections may be made from this announcement.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S. 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-Adviser (General) , you will use your knowledge and experience to optimize business results and customer experience by:

Litigation: The Litigation Group works with the Department of Justice to defend CMS's actions in federal court. Litigation attorneys act as both lead and supporting attorneys in cases in federal district and appellate courts. Your cases will involve challenges to healthcare-related statutes, CMS regulations, Administration priorities and initiatives; as well as highly specialized Medicare provider reimbursement work. Work areas may include Administrative Procedure Act challenges; challenges to the Medicare drug price negotiation program; defending CMS in all facets of litigation, including against preliminary injunctions and temporary restraining orders; and Jarkesy-based challenges.

Program Enforcement: The Program Enforcement Group provides a range of advice and counseling to CMS related to enforcement of Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP requirements, litigates administrative cases on behalf of CMS before the Departmental Appeals Board (DAB), and supports DOJ in federal court litigation defending final agency actions and lawsuits against CMS. In particular, the Program Enforcement Group:

  • Provides advice and counseling regarding Medicare reimbursement issues, such as Medicare Secondary Payer and Medicare payment suspensions.
  • Handles administrative litigation before the DAB including civil money penalty cases against Skilled Nursing Facilities, Medicare provider and supplier enrollment disputes, and Medicaid disallowances.
  • Partners with other CMS Division Groups (mostly the Program Integrity Group) on matters like Hospital Price Transparency enforcement, Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), CLIA advice and enforcement, and Touhy advice to CMS.
  • Handles some federal court litigation.
Program Review: The Program Review Group provides and oversees provision of complex and highly significant legal counsel to CMS. This includes overseeing the legal review of significant regulatory and guidance documents and proposed legislation for Medicare, Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA), private insurance market reforms, Health Benefit Exchanges, consumer surprise billing protections, drug price negotiation and rebate programs, implementation of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, CMS Innovation Center Models, and health information exchange-related areas including information blocking and the ONC Health IT Certification Program, among others.

We are seeking to fill the positions at the GS-11/12/13 and 14 grade levels ($75,145.00 - $185,234.00) depending on experience, qualifications and location.

Ideal applicants should possess: Significant regulatory and administrative law experience, and significant federal and/or administrative litigation experience, demonstrated ability to work under competing deadlines, and superb persuasive writing, communication, and analytical skills. Experience with Medicare and/or Medicaid and familiarity with the Administrative Procedure Act is desirable.

The positions are located in Washington, DC; Baltimore, MD; New Philadelphia, PA; Atlanta, GA; Kansas City, MO; and Denver, CO. Reimbursement for relocation expenses is not available.

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
  • 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.
  • Financial disclosure statement may be required.
  • Two year trail period may be required.
  • You must possess a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from an accredited ABA law school.
  • Have at least one year (for GS-11) to three years (for GS-14) of experience after law school, as a practicing attorney.
  • Proof that bar status is active, in good standing and eligible to practice in the highest court of a State, U. S. commonwealth, U. S. territory, or the District of Columbia.
  • Candidates must also have exemplary legal writing, analysis and oral advocacy abilities, and possess excellent interpersonal skills.
  • It will be a plus for the candidate to have familiarity and experience with the Administrative Procedure Act and Medicare and Medicaid laws and regulations.
  • 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.
  • Upon final job offer from HHS OHR, the successful candidate must submit official law school transcripts.
  • Security/Background Requirements: A background security investigation will be required for all appointees. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • In addition, if hired, a background security reinvestigation or supplemental investigation may be required at a later time. Applicants are also advised that all information concerning qualifications is subject to investigation.
  • Failure to successfully meet these requirements may be grounds for appropriate personnel action. False representation may be grounds for non-consideration, non-selection and/or appropriate disciplinary action.
  • E-Verify: If you are selected for this position, the 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
  • Federal law requires DHS to use the E-Verify System to verify employment eligibility of all new hires and as a condition of continued employment obligates the new hire to take affirmative steps to resolve any discrepancies identified by the system.

Qualifications

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the position qualifications listed on this announcement. Salary will be commensurate with education and experience.

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 ALSO be met for each grade level:

At the GS-11: You must possess a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) or LL.B from an accredited ABA law school and possess active bar status in good standing.
At the GS-12: You must possess a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) or LL.B from an accredited ABA law school, active bar status in good standing, and one year of professional legal experience post bar admission equivalent to the GS-11 level.
At the GS-13: You must possess a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) or LL.B from an accredited ABA law school, active bar status in good standing, and two years of professional legal experience post bar admission with one year of experience equivalent to the GS 12 level.
At the GS-14: You must possess a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) or LL.B from an accredited ABA law school, active bar status in good standing, and three 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. Applicants are encouraged to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder to develop their federal resume.

Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational application questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

In accordance with Office of Personnel Management policy, federal employees are assumed to have gained experience by performing duties and responsibilities appropriate for their official series and grade level as described in their position description. Experience that would not normally be part of the employee's position is creditable, however, when documented by satisfactory evidence, such as a signed memorandum from the employee's supervisor or an SF-50 or SF-52 documenting an official detail or other official assignment. The documentation must indicate whether the duties were performed full time or, if part time, the "percentage of times" the other duties were performed. It is expected that this documentation is included in the employee's official personnel record. In order to receive credit for experience in your resume that is not within the official series and grade level of your official position, you must provide a copy of the appropriate documentation of such experience as indicated above.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through national Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to gain employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. If such experience is on a part-time basis, you must provide the average number of hours worked per week as well as the beginning and ending dates of the experience so it can be fully credited.

OPM Qualification General Policies Website

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.

Note: Applications can be accepted from students who expect to complete qualifying education within 9 months from the date of application. Education was completed successfully before the applicant can be appointed.

Additional information

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

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

Applicants selected for this position will be subject to reasonable suspicion and post-accident drug testing upon hiring.

Salary (includes locality):
Atlanta, GA - $78,189 to $171,197
Baltimore, MD - $84,601 to $185,234
Denver, CO - $82,440 to $180,504
Kansas City, MO - $75,145 to $164,531
Philadelphia, PA $81,474 to $178,388
Washington, DC - $84,601 to $185,234

Veterans' Preference - https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/veterans/

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 well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated at 85.0 or above on the rating criteria for this position.

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.

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.

Additional selections may be made for similar positions across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) within the local commuting area(s) of the location identified in this announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with any interested selecting official(s) at HHS. Clearance of CTAP/ICTAP will be applied for similar positions across HHS.

In accordance with Executive Order 12564 of September 14, 1986, The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is A Drug-Free Federal Workplace. The use of illegal drugs, on or off duty, by Federal employees is inconsistent not only with the law-abiding behavior expected of all citizens, but also with the special trust placed in such employees as servants of the public.

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 resumemust 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 (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12802708)
  • Other required supporting documents.
Other Supporting Documents: (Only Submit if applicable to you.)
  • College transcript (if qualifying all or in part based on your education)
  • Veterans' Preference documentation:
    • Discharged Veterans: If you are claiming 5 point preference, you must submit a copy of your DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from the armed forces that supports dates of service and discharge status; if claiming 10 point preference, an application for 10-Point Veterans Preference (SF-15) and an official document dated 1991 or later, from the Department of Veterans Affairs or from a branch of the Armed Forces, and/or any other associated documentation based on your preference.
    • Active Duty Members: Under the VOW (Veterans Opportunity to Work) to Hire Heroes Act of 2011, if claiming 5 point preference, submit written documentation from the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted with your application package.
  • 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. Official documentation will be requested upon selection.

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

You MUST submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.

The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 12/31/2025.

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

When the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) completes its selections, the remaining list of qualified candidates may be shared with other federal agencies. You will have an opportunity to opt in if you would like your name, application material, and assessment results shared for consideration of employment with additional agencies. There is no guarantee of further consideration, and you can continue to explore other job opportunity announcements.

Once the online questionnaire is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. The best qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. We expect to make a selection within 45 days of the closing date of this announcement.

You will receive notice via email or by mail, if no email address was provided by you during the application process, once this process is completed (generally 4-6 weeks).

You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans' preference, disability, etc.).

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

  • Kansas City, MO
  • Philadelphia, PA


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


© 2006-2025, exclusive of U. S. government job opportunity announcements