Attorney-Advisor (General)

Clarification from the agency

Excepted Service

As an Attorney-Adviser with the Department of the Interior, Office of the Solicitor, Departmental Ethics Office, located in Washington, DC your specific duties will include:

• Researching and writing opinions on complex and novel ethics issues in response to requests for ethics guidance, including on issues that are novel, complex and/or have cross-departmental impact;
• Rendering appropriate and timely legal advice and ethics training to officials and employees in the Department of the Interior on all legal issues pertaining to Government ethics, including criminal conflict of Interests laws, Executive Branch Standards of Conduct and the Hatch Act;
• Reviewing public and confidential financial disclosure reports including reports of Presidential nominees and recommending appropriate action;
• Coordinating advice with the Office of Government Ethics, the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel, the Office of Special Counsel, the Office of White House Counsel, and other agencies' ethics officials as necessary;
• Identifying, reviewing, and analyzing the impacts of changes in law or regulations on the operations of the Department's programs and ethics implications of such changes;
• Reviewing legislative proposals and assisting with the Department's response on items that affect the Department's ethics program.

Salary Range Information (Per Annum):
GS-12: $102,415 (Step 01) - $133,142 (Step 10)
GS-13: $121,785 (Step 01) - $158,322 (Step 10)
GS-14: $143,913 (Step 01) - $187,093 (Step 10)
*First time hires to the federal government typically start at the beginning salary in the range for their respective grade level.

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Direct Deposit participation required.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit www.dhs.gov/EVerify/.
• You are required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority.
• Requirement: Active bar membership is required for all attorneys engaged in the practice of law in Federal government.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 2-year trial period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.

This 2-year trial period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the trial period, such appointments are terminated.

Upon completion of your 2-year trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

Basic Qualification Requirements
Applicants must be law school graduates with LL.B. or J.D. degrees AND applicants must be an active member in good standing of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico bar.

• To qualify for a GS-12 applicants must possess at least 2 years of professional legal experience following law school graduation;
• To qualify for a GS-13 applicants must possess at least 3 years of professional legal experience following law school graduation;
• To qualify for a GS-14 applicants must possess at least 4.5 years of professional legal experience following law school graduation;

For any of the grades indicated above you can also substitute one year of experience with any of the following:

• have a second professional law degree; OR
• meet any of the criteria indicated below;
  1. academic standing in top one-third of law school graduating class;
  2. graduation with academic honors;
  3. significant participation on the law school's law review;
  4. significant participation in the law school's moot court competition;
  5. significant participation in a clinical legal aid program;
  6. significant summer law office clerk experience; or
  7. other equivalent evidence of clearly superior achievement.

Candidates should have excellent oral communication, writing, research and analysis skills, and the ability to work effectively with other people, and exercise sound judgment.

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.

Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website:https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your resume must not exceed 2 pages. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed.

Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire will be made.

Please note applicants must meet the all qualifications requirement and submit all required documentation by closing date of the announcement for consideration for this position. Failure to meet all qualifications requirement and/or submit all required documents will result in an ineligible for consideration rating.

Applicants who are found to be qualified and referred to the selecting official for consideration may be asked to provide a writing sample. Instructions will be included in the email communication sent to qualified candidates.

Basis of Rating: Applicants will not be rated or ranked. All applicants that meet the basic eligibility and qualification requirements of the position will be referred to the selecting official for consideration.

The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361.

Providing false or misleading information on your resume or supporting documentation may result in removal from consideration or other action consistent with applicable federal hiring regulations. Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.

To preview the announcement questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13077607

All Applicants
The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 10/15/2026 - unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement:

1. Your resume must contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements as stated in this vacancy announcement and OPM qualification standards for each grade level(s) for which you are applying. It is strongly recommended that you use the USAJobs Resume Builder as it was designed to ensure that your resume includes the standard information needed. The Resume Builder is available at: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/account/documents/resume/build.
2. All college transcript(s), unofficial transcripts will be accepted at the time of application, but official transcripts will be required before entry on duty.
3. You must submit proof that you are licensed and authorized to practice law. Such proof can include a current active bar card, a screen print from a bar website that reflects you are an active member of the bar or a letter/certificate from the bar certifying you are licensed and authorized to practice law. Documents (bar card, screen print, letter/certificate) must be dated within 3 months of the closing date of the announcement. If using a screen print, make sure it is clear when the screen print was taken. For bar cards that do not have a date on them, please also submit a screen print or letter/certificate certifying you are licensed and authorized to practice law dated within 3 months of the announcement closing date.
   1. Cover letter: A 1-2 page cover letter is required expressing your interest and qualifications for this position.

Current & Former Federal Employees
If you are a current or former Federal employee, please submit the following by the closing date of this announcement:

• a copy of a recent SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" documenting tenure, position title, occupational series, grade level, step and salary; and
• your most recent performance appraisal (if you do not have your most recent performance appraisal, please submit an explanation as to why it is unavailable)

If you are claiming veterans' preference you must submit a copy of your DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, by the closing date of this announcement. If you are currently on active military duty, you must provide documentation (e.g., campaign document, award citation, etc.), that verifies entitlement to veterans preference and that your character of military service is honorable. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, in addition to the DD-214, you must submit documentation that supports your claim (e.g., an official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs or from a branch of the Armed Forces certifying the existence of a service-connected disability; or receipt of a Purple Heart). If you fail to submit any of the required documentation, you will not be granted veterans preference. Additional information on veterans' preference can be found in the VetGuide.

Next steps