Legal Program Manager - Entry to Mid Level (Maryland) Job in Fort Meade, MD

Vacancy No. 1247850 Department National Security Agency/Central Security Service
Salary $35,395.00 to $90,898.00 Grade 2 to 9
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 9/8/2025 Close Date 9/9/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Fort Meade, MD


Summary

The NSA Office of General Counsel (OGC) is seeking highly motivated, accomplished legal program managers (LPM) to assist OGC attorneys to protect interests of NSA concerning the legal and regulatory authorities, requirements, entitlements, obligations and oversight requirements under which the Agency operates.

For more information, please visit: https://apply.intelligencecareers.gov/job-description/1247850

Duties

Under the general supervision of NSA OGC leadership, the Legal Program Manager (LPM) will assist in the management and direction of the practice group's functions and responsibilities pertaining to technology, intellectual property and patents. The responsibilities of the LPM include:

- Advising leadership on program management matters (particularly pertaining to patent preparation and prosecution), offering recommendations, and providing liaison to clients (e.g., inventors) and external entities (e.g., the USPTO) as required.
- Providing general legal and information management support to leadership, attorneys, and clients.
- Developing and maintaining methods to manage, organize, and track information that requires specialized technical subject-matter knowledge or legal skills.
- Monitoring and assigning client requests for legal advice to ensure efficient, timely workflows and responsiveness to clients.
- Recommending process improvements to OGC leadership to better support the provision of quality legal services.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • All applicants and employees are subject to random drug testing in accordance with Executive Order 12564. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a security background investigation and polygraph.

Qualifications

The qualifications listed are the minimum acceptable to be considered for the position.

ENTRY/DEVELOPMENTAL
Entry is with a high school diploma or GED and no experience.
Computer skills (for example, e-mail, web browsers, word processing, spreadsheets) are required; no additional experience is necessary.

FULL PERFORMANCE
Entry is with a high school diploma or GED plus 4 years of relevant experience, or an Associate's degree or higher degree plus 2 years of relevant experience. A degree in any field is acceptable. Relevant experience must include computer skills (for example, e-mail, web browsers, work processing, spreadsheets) and at least one of the following: program management, working with a database, legal work (including work as a legal administrator, legal office manager, or paralegal).

Education

The qualifications listed are the minimum acceptable to be considered for the position.

Entry is with a high school diploma or GED.

Additional information

Pay: Salary offers are based on candidates' education level and years of experience relevant to the position and also take into account information provided by the hiring manager/organization regarding the work level for the position.

Salary Range: $35,395 - $90,898 (Entry/Developmental, Full Performance)
Salary range varies by location, work level, and relevant experience to the position.

Training will be provided based on the selectee's needs and experience.

Benefits: NSA offers a comprehensive benefits package.

Work Schedule: This is a full-time position, Monday - Friday, with basic 8hr/day work requirement between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (flexible).

DCIPS Trial Period:
If selected for this position, you will be required to serve a two-year DCIPS trial period, unless you are a veterans' preference-eligible employee, in which case you are required to serve a one-year trial period. This trial period runs concurrently with your commitment to the position, if applicable. Before finalizing your appointment at the conclusion of your trial period, NSA will determine whether your continued employment advances the public interest. This decision will be based on factors such as your performance and conduct; the Agency's needs and interests; the Agency's organizational goals; and the efficiency of the Federal service.

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.

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.

The ideal candidate is someone with a desire for continual learning and who possesses strong communication (oral and written), problem-solving, analytic, interpersonal skills, and is:

- motivated
- detail-oriented and well organized
- customer and results oriented
- able to adjust to changing situational requirements
- able to build relationships across the Agency and with external stakeholders
- able to manage multiple tasks with competing timelines and deliverables

Program management expertise or experience and knowledge of law in one or more of the following areas is required:

- research and development
- capabilities development
- patents and other intellectual property
- technology transfer (e.g. cooperative research and development agreements, patent licensing agreements)
- CIO activities and responsibilities

Although experience and knowledge of the law in any of the above areas will meet the requirement, knowledge of intellectual property, especially patents, is highly desirable.

Required Documents

The National Security Agency (NSA) is part of the DoD Intelligence Community Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS). All positions in the NSA are in the Excepted Services under 10 United States Codes (USC) 1601 appointment authority. DoD Components with DCIPS positions apply Veterans' Preference to eligible candidates as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 USC, in accordance with the procedures provided in DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, DCIPS Employment and Placement. If you are a veteran claiming veterans' preference, as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 U.S.C., you may be asked to submit documents verifying your eligibility.

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 apply, please visit: https://apply.intelligencecareers.gov/job-description/1247850

Agency contact information

NSA POC
Address
NSA External Hiring
9800 Savage Road
Fort Meade, MD 20755
US

Next steps

For more information, please visit: https://apply.intelligencecareers.gov/job-description/1247850


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