Senior Technical Leader - Associate General Counsel for Technology Law Job in Fort Meade, MD

Vacancy No. 1263115 Department National Security Agency/Central Security Service
Salary $209,600.00 to $209,600.00 Grade 1 to 1
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 9/22/2026 Close Date 10/5/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Fort Meade, MD


Senior Technical Leader - Associate General Counsel for Technology Law

Department of Defense
National Security Agency/Central Security Service

Summary

This position is located in the Office of General Counsel (OGC) of the National Security Agency. NSA is a component of the Department of War (DoW) and NSA/OGC is part of the Defense Legal Service Agency. The General Counsel (GC) of the DoW serves as the chief legal officer of DOW. The DOW GC is also dual-hatted as the Director of DLSA, which provides a full range of legal services to the Office of the Secretary of War, the Defense Agencies, and DoW Field Activities.

Duties

(U) Specific Duties:
a) In support of the NSA GC, NSA PDGC, and NSA Deputy GC, provide advice and guidance to senior officials within NSA, to include DIRNSA, regarding the matters described above.

b) Interpret all statutes, Presidential Directives, and Executive Branch regulations related to artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and cybersecurity and provide legal advice and counsel to the Director and Senior Leadership Team, as directed by the NSA GC or NSA PDGC, with respect to the authorities for NSA activities and conditions and restrictions thereon.

c) Advise on all matters related to NSA's cybersecurity mission to include responsibilities that arise under National Security Presidential Memorandum-12 and applicable laws and policy directives.

d) Provide dynamic support to the OGC Front Office and across OGC practice groups as part of the leadership team responsible for supervising and mentoring a staff of multiple attorneys and unit chiefs; ensuring they are appropriately challenged, rewarded, and given support and tools necessary to succeed.

e) Represent the Agency in interactions with the Department of Justice, Department of War, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security, Congress, other government agencies, foreign partners, and the general public.

f) Confer with and educate clients, customers, or stakeholders on legal and policy issues.

g) Determine legal sufficiency of documents.

h) Make legal determinations in accordance with laws, regulations, professional standards, and NSA/CSS policies and procedures.

i) Build partnerships with the public and private sectors and within the national security community to advance mission objectives.

j) Perform such other duties as the NSA OGC GC, PDGC, or DGC may prescribe.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

  • Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a security background investigation and polygraph.

Qualifications

The applicant must be a graduate of an accredited law school. In addition, the applicant must be able to demonstrate prior to appointment that he/she is permitted to engage in the active practice of law in the bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. Commonwealth, U.S. Territory, or the District of Columbia. Active status must be maintained in at least one state or other jurisdiction during the course of employment.

The applicant must have broad legal experience and professional knowledge of statutes and regulations governing the Intelligence Community. The applicant must also have demonstrated the ability to perform complex legal analysis and give effective oral and written presentations; the ability to forge working relationships with senior-level clients; the ability to effectively manage attorneys; and substantive knowledge and experience with DoD policies and procedures.

Ideal candidates will have demonstrated experience as a technical legal expert in one or more of the following areas: technology transfer, CIO authorities, and operational law (e.g., application of DoD Manual 5240.01 and the SIGINT Annex to authorized intelligence activities).

Evaluation Criteria:
Applicants must meet all the Technical Qualifications (TQs). Applicants must submit a resume, no longer than two pages, reflecting demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and TQs. If your resume exceeds two pages or does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the TQs, you may not receive further consideration for the position. Fully qualified applicants will be reviewed by a Panel.

For current DISES, you must submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 in addition to your resume. For all non-DISL applicants, in addition to your resume, you must submit a 3-page document (no less than 11-point font, 1-inch margins) showing evidence that you meet the Executive Core Qualifications described in this Posting. Failure to submit either an SF-50 or your 3-page Executive Core Qualification write-up will disqualify you from consideration.

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: Defense Intelligence Senior Level (DISL) Tier 1 - Up to $209,600

enefits: NSA offers a comprehensive benefits package.

Work Schedule: This is a full-time position.

Appointment Term: Permanent

Reporting Date: As Soon As Possible

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.

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.

TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): All new entrants into the Defense Intelligence Senior Level (DISL) under a career appointment will be assessed for technical competency against the following mandatory TQs.

1. Technical/Professional Achievements:
Specific Technical/Professional Achievement focuses on personal technical achievement, which demonstrates innovative research and/or breakthrough successes. While achievement may take the form of participation in group efforts, the candidate under review should be distinguished from the accomplishments of the team as a whole and evaluated in terms of the impact of individual skills and knowledge on the team effort.

2. Technical/Professional Development of Others:
Focuses on supporting and encouraging the development of knowledge, skills and behaviors to enable the next generation of experts to reach their full potential. Covered in this category are not only concrete skills and knowledge, but also such intangibles as how to approach problems, how to balance risk against the chance of success, factors in building problem-solving teams, how to communicate effectively, and the like. Developing skills in others can be accomplished in a multitude of ways beyond mentoring, including but not limited to: building curricula, teaching, or transferring knowledge through papers and talks.

3. Technical Professional Leadership/Decision Making:
Demonstrates development as a technical leader to include expertise in logical reasoning, problem solving and emotional intelligence. In this area also fall intangible components of leadership such as integrity, perseverance and dependability.

4. Continued Technical/Professional Development:
Focuses on the continuous enhancement of technical/professional skills and knowledge, to include technical leadership skills. Formal training, 'stretch' assignments, research and writing projects, interaction with other experts, and other activities appropriate to the particular discipline should be evaluated as part of the appraisal process.

5. Leading the Intelligence Enterprise:
Demonstrates a broad point of view on the intelligence mission and an understanding of individual or organizational responsibilities in relation to the larger Intelligence Community strategic priorities. Aspirant's perspective is shaped by experience and education, and characterized by a strategic, top-level focus on broad requirements, joint experiences, fusion of information, collaboration, and vertical and horizontal integration of information.

Required Documents

**VETERANS AND TRANSITIONING SERVICE MEMBERS**
Thank you for your service! The National Security Agency (NSA) is part of the Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS). All positions at NSA are in the Excepted Service under Title 10, United States Codes (U.S.C.), Section 1601 appointment authority.

Veterans' Preference
In accordance with the procedures provided in DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, "DoD Civilian Personnel Management System: Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System Employment and Placement," NSA applies veterans' preference, as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5, U.S.C., to eligible candidates. If you are claiming veterans' preference, you are required to provide acceptable documentation of your preference eligibility upon application.

Acceptable documentation includes:
- DD-214: "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions (Copy 4);
OR
- Certification of Service:
A written document on letterhead from the appropriate branch of 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 signed. The certification should include the military service dates, including the expected discharge or release date;
AND
- Standard Form 15 (SF-15)
Application for 10-point Veteran Preference (http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/sf15.pdf).

If you are claiming a service-connected disability of 30 percent or more, the documentation you provide must specifically demonstrate this level of disability;
AND
- VA Letter of Disability (for 10pt and Sole Survivorship rating)

You may obtain a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs reflecting your level of disability for preference eligibility by visiting a VA Regional Office, contacting a VA call center, or online (https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/).

**Failure to provide sufficient documentation of veterans' preference eligibility may preclude NSA from identifying you as a preference eligible candidate during the hiring selection process.

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

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Next steps

Please visit our application site to apply: https://apply.intelligencecareers.gov/job-description/1263115

National Security Agency/Central Security Service

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