Honors Attorney (TERM)

About the role

Attorneys provide legal advice and representation to ensure that NGA accomplishes its mission in compliance with applicable laws. They ascertain facts, analyze issues, apply legal authorities, render opinions, and advocate Agency positions. Attorneys work cooperatively with others within the office, the Agency, the Intelligence Community, the DoD, and the U.S. Government.

Attorneys perform legal r

What you will do

• Attorneys provide legal advice and representation to ensure that NGA accomplishes its mission in compliance with applicable laws.
• They ascertain facts, analyze issues, apply legal authorities, render opinions, and advocate Agency positions.
• Attorneys work cooperatively with others within the office, the Agency, the Intelligence Community, the DoW, and the U.S. Government.
• This is a three (3) year TERM appointment within NGA that may be extended not to exceed four (4) years, and is not guaranteed.
• ELIGIBILITY LIMITATION: Eligibility is limited to graduating law students who will graduate from law school between October 1, 2026 and September 30, 2027, and recent law school graduates who began participating, and continue to be employed in, eligibility preserving employment within 24 months of law school graduation.
• Eligibility preserving employment includes full-time activities starting after law school graduation which can preserve a law school graduate's eligibility for the Honors Program such as judicial clerkships or time-limited court staff attorney positions; federal agency or state government Honors Attorney programs; or legal fellowships.
• Candidates will be assessed based upon the information relayed in their submitted (uploaded) resume, cover letter, and supporting documentation.
• Please ensure all work experience details month and year of starting or concluding a position.
• It is important applicants fully complete the following sections of the online application within the candidate portal (***): Start, Prequalify, Personal Information, Preferences, and Education sections of the online application.
• For the Work Experience and Accomplishments sections, applicants need only identify their most recent work experience and accomplishment because the assessment panel will primarily rely upon the information contained within the candidate's submitted resume and supporting documents.
• Applicants will be rated and ranked by an agency Qualifications Review Board using only the information submitted for consideration.
• As applicants for this position are undergoing a competitive process for selection, NGA has the option, subject to availability of funds, to convert the employee into a permanent NGA employee without further competition.
• The term employee must have a "successful or better" overall rating on the most recent performance evaluation to be eligible for conversion.
• This position may be eligible for a RECRUITMENT INCENTIVE: This position may offer a recruitment incentive, subject to eligibility, and candidates must sign a service agreement requiring prorated repayment if the agreement is terminated before completion.

Requirements

• As a condition of employment at NGA, persons being considered for employment must meet NGA fitness for employment standards. - U.S. Citizenship - Security Clearance - Top Secret /Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) - Polygraph & Drug Test - Direct Deposit - Trial Period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.
• We may consider: performance conduct; needs and interests of the agency; and whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government and the efficiency of the Federal service SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: You must be able to obtain and retain a Top Secret security clearance with access to SCI.
• In addition, you are subject to a Counterintelligence Polygraph examination in order to maintain access to Top Secret information.
• All employees are subject to a periodic examination on a random basis in order to determine continued eligibility.
• Refusal to take the examination may result in denial of access to Top Secret information, SAP, or unescorted access to SCIFs.
• Employees with SCI access and who are under NGA cognizance are required to submit a Security Financial Disclosure Report, SF-714, on an annual basis in order to determine continued eligibility.
• Failure to comply may negatively impact continued access to Top Secret information, Information Systems, SAP, or unescorted access to SCIFs.
• NGA utilizes all processes and procedures of the Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS).
• Non-executive NGA employees are assigned to five distinct pay bands based on the type and scope of work performed.
• The employee's base salary is established within their assigned pay band based on their unique qualifications.
• A performance pay process is conducted each year to determine a potential base pay salary increase and/or bonus.
• An employee's annual performance evaluation is a key factor in the performance pay process.
• This position is a DCIPS position in the Excepted Service under 10 U.S.C.
• DoD Components with DCIPS positions apply Veterans' Preference to preference eligible candidates as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 USC, in accordance with the procedures provided in DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, DCIPS Employment and Placement.
• If you are an external applicant claiming veterans' preference, as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 U.S.C., you must self-identify your eligibility.

How you will be evaluated

Applicants are not required to submit a cover letter for employment consideration with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. However, a cover letter is recommended. Applicants will have the option to attach a cover letter in the Qualifications - Attachments step of the online application.

APPLICANT EVALUATION PROCESS: 1) All applicants will be evaluated using the Mandatory Qualification Criteria, 2) Qualified applicants will then be evaluated by an expert or panel of experts using a combination of qualification criteria to determine the best-qualified candidates, 3) Best-qualified applicants may then be further evaluated through an interview process.

Military retiree applicants, if selected, may be impacted by the 180-day appointment restrictions of DODI 1402.01. HD personnel will provide additional information if applicable.

Applicants are encouraged to carefully review the Assignment Description, Additional Information Provided By the Selecting Official, and the Qualification Requirements; and then construct their resumes to highlight their most relevant and significant experience and education for this job opportunity.

This description should include examples that detail the level and complexity of the performed work. Applicants are encouraged to provide any education or degree information referenced in the announcement that is relevant.

If education is listed as a mandatory requirement, only degrees obtained from an institution accredited by an accrediting organization recognized by the Secretary, US Department of Education will be accepted.

You must use the NGA resume builder and limit your resume to 2 pages.

In accordance with section 9902(h) of title 5, United States Code, annuitants reemployed in the Department of Defense shall receive full annuity and salary upon appointment. They shall not be eligible for retirement contributions, participation in the Thrift Savings Plan, or a supplemental or re-determined annuity for the reemployment period.

Discontinued service retirement annuitants (i.e., retired under section 8336(d)(1) or 8414(b)(1)(A) of title 5, United States Code) appointed to the Department of Defense may elect to be subject to retirement provisions of the new appointment as appropriate. (See DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 300).

Reemployed annuitants must meet additional selection criteria as outlined in the DODI 1400.25, v300. All candidates will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, disability, or sexual orientation. NGA provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.

Applications will only be accepted online. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify us at ***. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.

What to expect next

After visiting the NGA Careers Portal and applying via NGA's online application process, applicants can follow their status via that same NGA online application functionality. Several other topics relating to what is involved in the hiring process and how long it takes can be found by visiting the NGA Hiring Process.