The OIG is an independent office whose mission is to promote excellence, integrity, and accountability throughout DHS. In our dynamic environment, the OIG conducts investigations, audits, evaluations, and inspections to enhance program effectiveness and efficiency and to detect and prevent waste, fraud, and mismanagement in DHS programs and operations.
View the Common Definitions of terms in this announcement.
Clarification from the agency
This announcement opens April 4, 2023. Application will be considered on a rolling basis beginning April 4, 2023, and continue until vacancies are filled. TO RECIEVE CONSIDERATION FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT YOU MUST APPLY TO THE FOLLOWING MAILBOX: Applicant.OC@oig.dhs.gov
This is a US Citizen, Excepted Service appointment.
Attorney Advisors (General) in the Office of Counsel (OC) provide legal advice, services, and policy recommendations to the Inspector General and a nationwide staff of auditors, information technology experts, investigators, and program analysts. Typical work assignments include representing the OIG before administrative bodies, conducting investigations into suspected violations of laws of the United States and rules and regulations relating to programs and operations of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), providing legal advice and policy recommendations to the Inspector General and OIG program offices on civil, criminal, and administrative law matters, including program fraud, ethics, contracting, and procurement. The range of legal duties include:
- Preparing legal analysis and advice to the OIG on legal and policy implications of DHS and DHS OIG activities and plans.
- Interpreting legislation, executive orders, regulations, and policy directives.
- Conducting legal research addressing complicated and novel issues of law by examining Federal and state statutes, regulations, Executive Orders, court decisions, and legislative hearings and committee reports, and by analyzing factual, technical, and legal issues.
- Coordinating with and providing support as Agency Counsel to the DOJ and USAOs on federal court litigation involving DHS OIG and its employees.
- Responding to Congressional inquiries through our Office of External Affairs on a wide variety of issues
THERE ARE OPENINGS IN THE FOLLOWING DIVSIONS. IN YOUR COVER LETTER, PLEASE IDENTIFY YOUR AREA (DIVISION) OF INTEREST.
GENERAL LAW DIVISION
- Advising OIG leaders and Program Offices on matters associated with civil and criminal procedure, Investigative techniques, law enforcement, immigration, counterterrorism, Intelligence, federal contracting, ethics, and administrative law.
- Conducting legal sufficiency reviews of DHS OIG audits, inspections, investigations, subpoenas, law enforcement/ investigative policy, Giglio determinations, consistent with the Inspector General Act of 1978.
- Handling claims filed under the Federal Tort Claims Act.
- Providing advice concerning the conduct of criminal investigations, inspections, and evaluations.
- Serving as Agency Counsel to the DOJ and USAOs for federal litigation involving DHS OIG matters.
INFORMATION LAW AND DISCLOSURE DIVISION
- Providing legal advice to internal and external stakeholders on issues impacting the entire breadth of the DHS OIG's portfolio, including Touhy regulations, information disclosure, Privacy Act (PA), and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
- Serving as an attorney advisor researching, interpreting, and opining on novel and complex information law issues, including laws, statutes, and regulations pertaining to the FOIA and PA.
- Serving as agency counsel in FOIA/PA litigation.
PERSONNEL LAW DIVISION
- Providing advice to managers on various personnel issues to include, but not limited to, discipline, performance, time and attendance, and Equal Employment Opportunity matters.
- Providing advice to the Human Resource Division on personnel related issues and providing legal sufficiency reviews for personnel related directives, policies, and guidance.
- Providing training to managers and employees on various personnel related topics.
- Representing DHS OIG before various administrative bodies including the Office of Special Counsel, Merit Systems Protection Board, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
- Serving as Agency Counsel to the DOJ and USAOs for federal litigation involving personnel matters.
WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION UNIT (DIVISION) - INVESTIGATIVE COUNSEL
- Conducting investigations, drafting and preparing the investigative case, which includes: identifying the primary nature of the allegations, specifying the potential violations of law, rule or regulation, specifying the focus of the investigations, considering coordination of investigative efforts with other authorities, projecting the type of evidence that will be required and the investigative steps and strategies that should be employed, and conducting interviews and reviewing and analyzing of documentary evidence during the course of the investigation.
- Analyzing the record, evaluating facts, determining questions of law, and either recommend adoption of a decision prepared by another attorney/investigator or draft a thorough decision with well-reasoned analysis and recommendation for consideration and adoption by agency officials who exercise final authority in such matters.
- Conducting complaint intake to determine whether complaints, supplemented when necessary by complainant interviews, constitute complaints of reprisal warranting investigation.
Conditions of Employment
- TO RECIEVE CONSIDERATION FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT YOU MUST APPLY TO THE FOLLOWING MAILBOX: Applicant.OC@oig.dhs.gov
- You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
- You must be able to obtain and maintain Top-Secret security clearance
- You will be required to undergo periodic drug testing.
- Proof of Bar membership is required.
- Financial disclosure is required
- Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
- Completion of two years probationary period may be required
- Law school transcript is required.
- You must successfully pass a background investigation.
- Writing Sample is required - Must not exceed 10 pages. Must be provided within application.
Qualifications
To qualify at the GS-13 grade level, applicants must have at least three (3) years post J.D. legal experience, one of which was specialized experience at OR equivalent to, the GS-12 grade level. Specialized experience at this level includes:
- Experience in conducting legal research and reaching conclusions and recommendations;
- Analyzing facts presented on both sides of a dispute and recommend and implement a decision or other action;
- Writing complex legal documents; significant experience developing research strategies for legal issue;
- Making oral presentations and communicating research results
To qualify at the GS-14 grade level, applicants must have at least four (4) years post J.D. legal experience, one of which was specialized experience at OR equivalent to, the GS-13 grade level. Specialized experience at this level includes:
- Experience in conducting legal research and reaching conclusions and recommendations;
- Analyzing facts presented on both sides of a dispute and recommend and implement a decision or other action;
- Writing complex legal documents; significant experience developing research strategies for legal issue;
- Making oral presentations and communicating research results
To qualify at the GS-15 grade level: applicants must have at least five (5) years of post J.D. legal experience, one of which was specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-14 grade level. Prior experience in whistleblower reprisal investigations and legal issues is highly desired. Specialized experience at this level includes:
- Experience in conducting legal research and reaching conclusions and recommendations;
- Analyzing facts presented on both sides of a dispute and recommend and implement a decision or other action;
- Writing complex legal documents; significant experience developing research strategies for legal issue;
- Making oral presentations and communicating research results.
Applicants must meet all qualification requirements, including the following, by closing date of this announcement: 1.) Be a graduate of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association at the time of graduation, and 2.) Be a current member of a bar with a valid license to practice law in a state or territory of the United States, District of Columbia or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
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; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
The qualification requirements listed above must be met by the closing date.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.
Education
This is an Excepted Service Appointment. Education requirements include: a professional law degree, J.D., LL.B., and /or LL.M. You must be a graduate from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and be a current active member in good standing of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico bar. for an attorney position.
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 (particularly positions with a positive education requirement). Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/search.aspx. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly.
Special Instructions For 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.
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.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
The competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job are:
This announcement is being filled using the Schedule A Hiring Authority 5 CFR 213.3102 (D) under Excepted Service procedures.
TO RECIEVE CONSIDERATION FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT YOU MUST APPLY TO THE FOLLOWING MAILBOX: Applicant.OC@oig.dhs.gov
Applicants who meet the qualifications for the position and submit a resume, law school transcript, Proof of bar membership and Writing sample not to exceed 10 pages will be referred to the selecting official for further consideration. Veterans' preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply to the announcement.
Upon review, your resume and supporting documents must show evidence that you have the required qualifications.
Preview the job questionnaire herehttps://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11629376
TO RECIEVE CONSIDERATION FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT YOU MUST APPLY TO THE FOLLOWING MAILBOX: Applicant.OC@oig.dhs.gov
1. Cover Letter- IDENTIFY YOUR AREA OF INTEREST
2. Your Resume
3. Law school transcript is required.
4. Writing Sample is required - Must not exceed 10 pages
5. If current Federal employee, please provide your most recent SF-50 with your current position, grade level, and duty location.
6. Your application must be sent to : APPLICANT.INQUIRY@OIG.DHS.GOV
7. Your completed and signed OF-306, Declaration of Federal Employment.
8. Are you qualifying based on education? Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) or a list of coursework with hours completed. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. For example, specific courses accepted for college-level credit by an accredited U.S. college or university, or foreign education evaluated by an organization recognized for accreditation by the Department of Education as education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. college or university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications for more information.
9. Are you a veteran? Submit Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) or notice form. Those applying for 10-Point preference may fill out the SF-15 and/or provide documentation that demonstrates preference eligibility. If applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification. This must indicate your dates of service, your rank, and confirm that you will be separated under honorable conditions. View more veterans' information.
10. Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP)? Submit:
- a copy of your agency notice,
- a copy of your most recent performance rating, and
- a copy of you most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, noting your current position, grade level, and duty location.
11. Are you a current or former federal employee? Submit a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action.
12. Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:
- Position title
- Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee)
- Agency
- Beginning and ending dates of appointment
To apply, email your complete application package to Applicant.OC@oig.dhs.gov.
Your application packet must include a resume and required supporting documentation. Please see the "Required Documents" section above for additional information. All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English. If you are unable to apply online or need to submit a document you do not have in electronic form, visit this link for more information regarding an alternate application process.
We strongly encourage you to apply online. If you do not have access to a computer or fax, you may submit a paper application and the required forms. To do so, please contact: Applicant.OC@oig.dhs.gov prior to the close of this announcement.
It is your responsibility to verify that any information entered or uploaded is received and is accurate. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. Determining your eligibility and qualifications is dependent on the supporting documentation and information provided, which may impact your referral for further consideration. If a document is not legible, you will not be able to view it in your application.
Next steps
Once you submit your application, we will assess your experience and training, identify the best-qualified applicants, and refer those applications to the hiring manager for further consideration and interviews. We will notify you by email after each of these steps has been completed. Your status will also be updated on USAJOBS throughout the process. To check your status, log on to your USAJOBS account, click on "Application Status," and then click "More Information."
If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. View more information on applying for federal employment.
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