Attorney Advisor (Non-Supervisory) - GS-15 OGC Staff Only

The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is currently seeking applications for multiple Attorney Advisor positions.

Who May Apply: This vacancy announcement is open to all internal OGC staff ONLY and may be used to fill multiple positions.

Duty Station: Washington, DC; Baltimore, MD; Philadelphia, PA; Atlanta, GA; Kansas City, MO; Denver, CO; Chicago, IL

Pay Scale: GS-15

Base Salary Range: $147,945 - $192,331 (subject to change based on location) Also refer to the salaries and wages from the OPM site for locality pay: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/

Open Period: This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until December 31, 2026, or until the position is filled. Applications received will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis.

Job Summary:

The Office of the General Counsel is the legal team for HHS, providing quality representation and legal advice on a wide range of highly visible national issues. OGC supports the development and implementation of the Department’s programs by providing the highest quality legal services to the Secretary of HHS and the organization’s various agencies and divisions.

For additional information about OGC’s mission, please visit our website at: http://www.hhs.gov/ogc/index.html

Duties:

This position is located in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of the Secretary (OS), Office of the General Counsel (OGC). The attorney will primarily provide a variety of legal services including representation during litigation, handling legal matters that include extremely complex legal and factual issues and have no legal precedents. The attorney is the legal advisor to the Associate General Counsel for the assigned program areas. As an attorney advisor, you will be responsible for the preparation of briefs, opinions, legal memoranda, and litigation in assigned program areas.

As an attorney advisor, you will perform duties, including but not limited to the areas of Medicare and Medicaid Services, Administration for Children and Families, civil rights, and ethics, procurement, fiscal, information, claims and employment law, and public health services. As an attorney advisor, you will provide legal counsel and advice to the Secretary and the HHS divisions concerning the interpretation, application and enforcement of the laws, rules and regulations of the Department.

We are seeking to fill the position at the GS-15 level depending on experience and qualifications. The position will be in the needed location and reimbursement for relocation expenses is not available.

Qualifications Required:

Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the position qualifications listed on this announcement. Salary will be commensurate with education and experience.

The following qualifications are required:

  • Applicants at the GS-15 level must have at least four years of professional legal experience post bar admission with one year of experience equivalent to the GS-14 level. Applicants at the GS-15 level must also have a demonstrated ability to work independently with minimum levels of supervision.
  • You must possess a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from an accredited ABA law school.
  • Proof that bar status is active, in good standing and eligible to practice in the highest court of a State, U. S. commonwealth, U. S. territory, or the District of Columbia.
  • Candidates must also have exemplary legal writing, oral advocacy abilities, and possess excellent interpersonal skills.
  • The ideal candidate for this position would also have familiarity and experience with laws, regulations and precedent concerning the statutes and regulations enforced by various offices.

Conditions of Employment:

Must maintain active bar membership in good standing and the eligibility to practice law in the highest court of a state, territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia throughout employment in the Office of the General Counsel. Provide a copy of Active Bar Card. Upon final job offer from HHS OHR, the successful candidate must submit official law school transcripts.

Security and Background Requirements: A background security investigation will be required for all appointees. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements may be grounds for appropriate personnel action. In addition, if hired, a background security reinvestigation or supplemental investigation may be required later. Applicants are also advised that all information concerning qualifications is subject to investigation. False representation may be grounds for non-consideration, non-selection and/or appropriate disciplinary action.

Security Requirements: Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory pre-employment adjudication. This includes fingerprints, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. In addition, continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.

E-Verify: If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-Verify" System. Federal law requires DHS to use the E-Verify System to verify employment eligibility of all new hires and as a condition of continued employment obligates the new hire to take affirmative steps to resolve any discrepancies identified by the system. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is an E-Verify Participant.

Direct Deposit: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.

Financial disclosure statement may be required.

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

Two-year trial period may be required.

Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid.

Telework eligibility: Yes – as determined by the agency policy.

Remote eligibility: No

This position is not in the bargaining unit.

Multiple selections may be made from this announcement.

In accordance with Executive Order 12564 of September 14, 1986, The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is A Drug-Free Federal Workplace. The Federal government, as the largest employer in the Nation, can and should show the way towards achieving drug-free workplaces through programs designed to offer drug users a helping hand, and at the same time demonstrating to drug users and potential drug users that drugs will not be tolerated in the Federal workplace. The use of illegal drugs, on or off duty, by Federal employees is inconsistent not only with the law-abiding behavior expected of all citizens, but also with the special trust placed in such employees as servants of the public. Applicants tentatively selected for this position may be required to submit to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and be subject to reasonable suspicion and post-accident drug testing upon hiring. If required to submit to urinalysis, the appointment to the position will be contingent upon a negative applicant drug test result. In order to demonstrate commitment to the HHS goal of a drug-free workplace and to set an example for other Federal employees, employees not in a testing designated position may volunteer for unannounced random testing by notifying their Drug-free Federal Workplace Program Point of Contact upon hiring.

Instructions To Apply:

Please submit the following documents to the respective office’s resource email box below using the subject line identifying the specific office you would like to work in the forwarding email. To receive full consideration, submit all materials by 11:59 p.m. on the closing date of the announcement.

  • Cover letter addressed to the Office of the General Counsel Hiring Official.
  • 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 (full time or part time) and supervisors name and telephone number(s).
  • Legal writing sample.
  • Unofficial law school transcripts.
  • Proof that bar status is active, in good standing, and eligible to practice in a state, territory of the US, the District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
  • Names and contact information for at least three professional references.

Note: This is a generic announcement. Please be aware that not every office is hiring for this position at this time. Candidates are encouraged to verify current openings with the specific location of interest before applying.

Office email address:

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