Attorney Advisor (Supervisory) - GS-15 - Ethics Division

The Office of the General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is currently seeking applications for an Attorney Advisor position in its Ethics Division.

Who May Apply: This vacancy announcement is open to all US Citizens and may be used to fill multiple positions.

Duty Station: Washington, DC; Bethesda, MD; Rockville, MD

Pay Scale & Grade:  GS-15

Salary Range: $169,279 - $197,200

Open Period:  April 24, 2026 - until filled (applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis).

Job Summary:

The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) is the legal team for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), providing quality representation and legal advice on a wide range of highly visible national issues. OGC supports developing and implementing the Department’s programs by providing the highest quality legal services to the Secretary of HHS and the Department’s various agencies and divisions. OGC is comprised of three principal subcomponents: The Immediate Office, Headquarters Divisions, and Regional Offices. Each Headquarters Division is led by an Associate General Counsel.

The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) is seeking one or more attorneys to join its Ethics Division in a supervisory GS-15 level position. The OGC Ethics Division runs one of the largest and most complex federal sector ethics programs. If you are passionate about public integrity and federal ethics laws, have an eye for very detailed work, and want to join a collegial, diligent and dedicated legal team, this may be the job for you. The OGC Ethics Division is responsible for the management and operation of the HHS federal sector ethics program. Attorneys in the Ethics Division provide legal advice and services to HHS employees on matters relating to federal criminal conflicts of interest statutes, federal and HHS standards of ethical conduct regulations, financial disclosure requirements for federal employees, procurement integrity provisions, and federal anti-lobbying and political activity restrictions.

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

Duties:

As a Supervisory Attorney-Advisor you will:

  • Coordinate and plan the activities of subordinate attorneys and ethics specialists (as applicable), communicating assignments, projects, actionable events, milestones, program issues under review, and provide deadlines and time frames for completion.
  • Facilitate/support briefings to Department leadership.
  • Serve as the PMAP rating official and handle all PMAP requirements, including rating the attorneys you supervise, as applicable.
  • Prepare/draft award recommendations for team members.

The Supervisory Financial Disclosure Counsel will:

  • Manage the Financial Disclosure section of three attorneys and three ethics specialists.
  • Oversee the Department’s electronic financial disclosure reporting systems, to ensure technical sufficiency and implement continuous improvements that allow HHS ethics officials to better discharge their responsibilities.
  • Conduct detailed reviews of public financial disclosure reports for Presidentially Appointed, Senate Confirmed senior leaders, as well as other HHS political appointees and leaders Department-wide. This review will include drafting ethics agreements and recusals and screening documents, working with outside attorneys, accountants or financial advisors, staff of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics and the White House Counsel’s Office to ensure any potential conflicts of interest are resolved for appointees prior to appointment at HHS.
  • Oversee both the HHS public and confidential financial disclosure programs covering more than 30,000 employees.
  • Provide advice and support to the Associate General Counsel, Ethics Division (who serves concurrently as the HHS Designated Agency Ethics Official), the Deputy Associate General Counsel for Ethics Program Administration, and other senior officials of the Department. Advice topics for this position usually focus on financial disclosure issues but may also include other matters covered by the Ethics in Government Act, the federal criminal ethics statutes, other federal ethics laws, the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch, and all related regulations, the Supplemental Ethics Regulations for HHS, anti-lobbying restrictions, and the Hatch Act.
  • The incumbent will also provide training on various topics related to federal ethics financial disclosure requirements.

The Supervisory FDA Ethics Counsel will:

  • Manage the FDA OGC Ethics Division Satellite Office, supervising up to four attorneys, and contracted administrative staff, to include satellite office budget discussions.
  • Provide ethics advice and guidance to senior FDA leadership and the FDA Division of Ethics and Integrity that serves the scientists, doctors, and other critical staff of the FDA. The incumbent will be expected to provide advice and counsel on the federal criminal conflict of interest statutes, standards of ethical conduct regulations, financial disclosure requirements, procurement integrity provisions, anti-lobbying restrictions, and Hatch Act political activity restrictions.
  • Conduct review and certification of federal public financial disclosure for the Commissioner, FDA, and other FDA political appointees, and federal confidential financial disclosure report reviews for attorneys and other officials with the OGC Food and Drug Division, and for special government employees assigned to FDA-managed Federal Advisory Committee Act committees.
  • The incumbent will also provide training on various topics related to federal ethics requirements.

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.

At the GS-15: You must possess a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) or LL.B from an accredited ABA law school, active bar status in good standing, and four years of professional legal experience post bar admission with one year of experience equivalent to the GS-14 level.

 The following are required qualifications:

Conditions of Employment:

  • 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 have superior legal writing and research ability; outstanding oral, analytical, and interpersonal skills and be adept at working directly with clients and staff members.
  • Candidates should have outstanding organizational and time management skills and a demonstrated commitment to professionalism, ethics, civility, and public service.
  • 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.
  • Upon final job offer from HHS OHR, the successful candidate must submit official law school transcripts.
  • Security and Background Requirements:  If not previously completed, 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 at a later time.  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.
  • 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.
  • All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
  • Financial disclosure statement may be required.
  • Two-year trial period may be required.
  • Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid.
  • This position is not in a 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.

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

Instructions to Apply:

Please submit the following documents to OGCEthicsVacancy@hhs.gov to receive full consideration:

  • Short cover letter addressed to the OGC Ethics Division Hiring Team explaining your interest in the HHS ethics program.
  • 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 and supervisor name(s) and telephone number(s) – you may add a notation asking to be notified prior to Ethics Division contacting the listed supervisor.
  • One legal writing sample (no more than 10 pages):
    • A brief, motion, memo or other document that persuasively argues a position and/or demonstrates strong legal analysis and reasoning is preferred; and
    • The sample should represent your own work to the extent possible.
  • A copy of unofficial law school transcripts for candidates that have graduated from law school within the past five years.
  • Proof of active bar status in good standing and eligibility to practice law in the highest court of a State, U. S. commonwealth, U. S. territory, or the District of Columbia.
  • Names and contact information for at least three professional references, with preferably at least one reference who is a current or was a former supervisor.
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