Attorney Advisor (General)

About the role

This position is located in U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the General Counsel, Civil Rights, Labor, and Employment Law Division in Washington, D.C. The incumbent provides legal advice and services on a centralized basis to the Secretary of Agriculture and all other officials and agencies of the Department.

This is an open-continuous announcement with an initial cut-off date of 12/9/2026 and then every month thereafter. Please see the "How to Apply" section.

What you will do

• Represent the Secretary of Agriculture in the litigation of cases and appeals before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
• Customer service and communication to client Agencies and Mission Areas.
• Provide training in civil rights, labor and employment law issues as requested by management.
• Legal research and opinion-writing on novel and complex legal issues related to civil rights, labor and employment law.
• Assisting in other litigation responsibilities as requested by management.
• Duties listed above are described at the FPL GS-14, the GS-11, GS-12, and GS-13 are developmental leading to such performance.

How you will be evaluated

Your resume and supporting documentation will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications, to include any selective placement factor(s), if applicable, for the position. Under the provisions of the Direct Hire Authority (DHA), veteran's preference does not apply.

While veterans' preference does not apply to the DHA, veterans are encouraged to submit their documentation. Applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements, to include any selective placement factor(s), if applicable and who are otherwise eligible to apply for the position, will be referred for selection consideration.

For more information on OPM's authorization for DHA, please visit *** Applicants who are displaced Federal employees within the local commuting who are requesting priority consideration under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) or Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) must be determined Well Qualified using the below evaluation criteria.

Well Qualified-Meets the minimum qualifications of the position and is proficient in some, but not all, of the relevant competencies. Qualified-Meets the minimum qualifications of the position but is not proficient in the relative competencies to a substantive degree.

Legal Government and Juris Prudence Problem Solving Written Communication Oral Communication Structured Resume Review: Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. SMEs will review ONLY two (2) pages of your resume, starting at your work experience.

SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., links embedded in your resume will not be opened). Applicants passing the resume review will move on to the next phase of the assessment process. Any selections made under this notice will be processed as new appointments to the civil service.

Current Federal employees would therefore, be given new appointments to the civil service and new probationary period required.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating.

Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service. Clicking the link below will present a preview of the application form; i.e. the online questionnaire. The application form link below will only provide a preview and does not initiate the application process.

To initiate the online application process, click the "Apply" button to the right. To view the application form, visit: ***

Documents you must provide

• The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete.
• Encrypted documents will not be accepted.
• Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.
• Resume that includes: Personal Information: name, address, contact information; Education; Work Experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); other qualifications.
• Resume cannot exceed 2 pages.
• If education is required or you are using education to qualify, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts.
• An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application if it includes your name and the necessary course information; however, if you are selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty.
• Education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college or university.
• If any education was completed at a foreign institute, you must submit with your application evidence that the institute was appropriately accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as equivalent to U.S. education standards.
• There are private organizations that specialize in this evaluation and a fee is normally associated with this service.
• For a list of private organizations that evaluate education, visit the NACES website.
• All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.
• Cover Letter Bar Membership: Proof of Bar Membership Written Narrative: In order for your application to be considered, you must submit a written narrative not to exceed 1,200 words, showing you possess the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies listed in this announcement.
• If claiming veteran's preference, you must submit a DD214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions.
• If currently on active duty you must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty service under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted.
• Veteran's preference must be verified prior to appointment.
• Without this documentation, you will not receive veteran's preference and your application will be evaluated based on the material(s) submitted.
• If claiming 10-point veteran's preference you must provide the DD214 or certification requirements (see above bullet), plus the proof of entitlement of this preference as listed on the SF-15 Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference.
• The SF-15 should be included but is not required.
• Failure to submit these documents could result in the determination that there is insufficient documentation to support your claim for 10-point preference.
• For more information on veterans' preference visit FedsHireVets.
• Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP priority must provide: proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), current performance appraisal with rating of at least "Fully Successful" or equivalent, and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330.
• Although Veteran's Preference does not apply to the Direct Hire Authority, upon selection Veteran's documentation may be required.

What to expect next

Your application will be reviewed to verify that you meet the eligibility and qualification requirements for the position prior to issuing referral lists to the selecting official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. Log in to your USAJOBS account to check your application status.

You must choose to turn on email notifications in your USAJOBS profile if you want to receive important email notifications that may impact your applicant experience (e.g. If you start an application and do not submit it prior to the closing date, USAJOBS will send an email reminder that the closing date is approaching and your application is in an incomplete status).

Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 2-year trial period (as applicable to appointment type) during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.

In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Under the Fair Chance Act, agencies are not allowed to request information about an applicant's criminal history until a conditional offer of employment has been made, except as allowed for access to classified information; assignment to national security duties or positions; acceptance or retention in the armed forces; or recruitment of a Federal law enforcement officer.

An applicant may submit a complaint or any other information related to an organization's alleged noncompliance with the Fair Chance Act. The complaint must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the date of the alleged noncompliance.

To make a Fair Chance Act inquiry or complaint, send an email with the appropriate information to ***, subject line: Fair Chance Act.

Additional information

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors.

CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.

If selected, you will be required to submit Form OGE-450 within 30 days of your initial appointment date, and annually thereafter.

Selectee is subject to financial Disclosure Requirements in accordance with 5 CFR, Part 2635, Sub part E regarding business or personal transactions with applicants, borrowers, or business contacts who have or who are seeking business with this Agency. Selectee must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance.

If selected you will be subject to a National Agency Check and Inquiry (NACI) and a credit report. (Applicable to the GS-13 and GS-14 grade levels only).

If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed. Incentives may be authorized.

Direct Hire Authority: This announcement is issued under the direct-hire authority to recruit for positions for which there is acritical need. Selectee(s) will receive a career or career-conditional appointment in the competitive service and may be required to serve a one-year probationary period.

Category rating, veteran's preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply to this public notice.