Summary

Join the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)! We are seeking experienced attorneys to serve as PSOB Hearing Officers, providing the first level of de novo appellate review following claim denials. The Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program (PSOB) delivers death, disability, and education benefits to public safety officers catastrophically injured or killed in the line of duty and to their survivors and families.

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Veterans

Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces or a spouse, widow, widower or parent of a veteran, who may be eligible for derived preference

Individuals with disabilities

Individuals who are eligible under Schedule A.

Clarification from the agency

Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.

Duties

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) is responsible for providing federal leadership and assistance in support of state and local criminal justice strategies to achieve safe communities and its Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) Program provides death and education benefits to survivors of fallen law enforcement officers, firefighters and other first responders, and disability benefits to officers catastrophically injured in the line of duty.

Reviews and analyzes information in a claim record after initial denial of that claim, as well as additional evidence provided by claimants or representatives. Coordinates with the PSOB staff for access to records as needed and advice regarding matters of law.

Holds hearings, issues subpoenas, administers oaths, examines witnesses, conducts examinations and receives evidence.

When hearings are granted, presides over them (written record or oral, as applicable). Establishes procedures and timelines, rules on procedural matters and admissibility of evidence. Ensures all parties have a fair opportunity to present arguments.

Evaluates evidence and legal arguments, which may include: medical evidence and expert opinions; line-of-duty and causation documentation; employment, incident and death/disability records; statutory and regulatory standards under the PSOB Act; and arguments submitted by the claimant and PSOB staff.

Renders timely appellate determinations once evidence collection is concluded and the administrative record is closed.

Files notices of determination specifying the factual findings and legal conclusions that support the decision.

Maintains a record of all proceedings and makes complete and timely entries in PSOB's case management system.

Participates in all required training and maintains a working knowledge of the PSOB Act and its implementing regulations.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Other Position Requirements: Must possess a Juris Doctor degree and be a current member in good standing of a State Bar which continues throughout the length of this position.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

U.S. Citizenship required.
Subject to background/suitability investigation/determination.
Federal payments are required to be made by Direct Deposit.
Requires registration for the Selective Service. Visit www.sss.gov.
Pre-employment drug testing required.
This position requires active bar membership (any jurisdiction) in good standing.
Confidential Financial Disclosure may be required.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

Applicants must:

Possess a J.D. or LL.B. degree from an accredited law school.
Be an active member of the bar in good standing (any U.S. jurisdiction).
Have a minimum of four (4) years of post J.D./LL.B legal experience, which must have been in at least one of the following areas:
- In handling legal matters involving programs such as those providing disability, death, and education benefits, or other complex programs governed by law, regulation and procedures;
- In handling Torts, insurance claims, workers' compensation or similar matters; or
- Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program (PSOB).

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

Education

Applicants must possess a J.D. or LL.B. degree.

Additional information

Duty Station: This position has a duty station of Washington, D.C.
These are temporary Excepted Service, Special Government Employee (SGE) appointment, not to exceed 1-year. Appointments may be extended at Agency discretion.
OJP employees are eligible for one transportation benefit - parking or the Department of Justice (DOJ) transit subsidy.
Please do not indicate current or former position salary in your application or resume.
This position is excluded from the bargaining unit.
This position may be eligible for telework per agency policy.
OJP offers opportunities for flexible work schedules.
Recruitment incentives may not be authorized.
This vacancy announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. To learn more, please visit the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment.
The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information.
Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: Unless otherwise required by law, the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits employees of the U.S. Department of Justice or a federal contractor acting on its behalf from inquiring about an applicant's criminal history record, either in writing or orally, before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to the hiring office using the contact information listed in the announcement.

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.

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.

Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the eligibilities and qualifications listed on the announcement. If you are found to be basically qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your resume and application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job.

Required Documents

REMINDER: ALL DOCUMENTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY MIDNIGHT Eastern Time (Washington, D.C. time) ON 02/20/2026.

Required Documents

Cover Letter
Resume (not to exceed two pages), Your resume must include education, including name of undergraduate and law school, degree received, and date graduated; date admitted to bar and jurisdiction; a general description of all past employment relevant to the practice of law, including dates of employment.
Writing Sample demonstrating your legal analytical abilities, for which you must be the principal author (It should not exceed 10 double-spaced pages)
Unofficial law school transcripts (degree conferred must be reflected; official transcripts will be required if selected)
Proof of bar membership in good standing (any U.S. jurisdiction)
Veterans' Preference Documentation (if applicable; see below for more information)

Note: Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Veterans Preference There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service- connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that their retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that they were transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).

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.

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 for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the supporting documentation specified in the Required Documents section above.

A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 02/20/2026 to receive consideration.

To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.

Follow the prompts to select your résumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. If you need help with the application process, please see the USAJOBS Help Site .

If you are unable to apply via email, please contact Jessica Harman at
jessica.harman@usdoj.gov or 202-856-8521 for alternate application procedures.

Agency contact information

Jessica Harman

Phone: 202-856-8521
Email: jessica.harman@usdoj.gov

Address: Bureau of Justice Assistance
DO NOT MAIL
Washington, DC 20531
US

Next steps

Once your completed application is certified and received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After a review of your complete application is made you will be notified of your status and/or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required you will be contacted. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. We expect to make a final job offer within 80 days after the closing date of the announcement.

PSOB Hearing Officer Job in Washington, DC