Senior Counsel (Detail Opportunity)

About the role

The Department of Justice, Criminal Division investigates and prosecutes complex criminal matters and assists the United States Attorney 's Offices in investigations, trials, and appeals.

Senior Counsel in the Office of the Assistant Attorney General (OAAG) for the Criminal Division work at the center of the Division's most consequential policy, legislative, and strategic initiatives, helping shape how the Division communicates its work to Congress, Department leadership, and the public.

What you will do

• While this vacancy announcement expires 09/29/2026, the announcement may be closed at any time if a selection is made.
• This is a 6-month reimbursable assignment, with the possibility of extension with the approval of the originating and receiving component/agency.
• Applicants must be a current Federal employee and should receive supervisory approval before applying.
• Senior Counsels are responsible for: Leadership support and counsel.
• Providing strategic support, advice, and assistance to the Assistant Attorney General, the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, the Chief of Staff, Deputy Chief of Staff, and the Deputy Assistant Attorneys Generals in the Criminal Division's Front Office, ensuring leadership has timely, accurate, and actionable information to advance Division priorities.
• Legislative affairs and congressional engagement.
• Coordinating the Criminal Division's legislative affairs work, including managing congressional correspondence, briefing congressional staff, and ensuring timely, accurate responses to inquiries from Congress on criminal cases, policy matters, and Division operations.
• Strategic communications.
• Drafting and refining testimony, hearing prep materials, policy papers, memoranda, talking points, and other communications to support the Division's engagement with internal and external stakeholders.
• Written-product review and quality control.
• Reviewing, editing, and quality-controlling a wide range of high-visibility written products - including press releases, correspondence, and reports - for accuracy, clarity, and consistency with Division and Department positions.
• Cross-component and interagency coordination.
• Managing requests for information from Criminal Division sections, other Department components, federal agencies, and external partners, overseeing and ensuring timely and accurate responses.

Education

A J.D., or equivalent, degree. Applicants who possess an equivalent degree rather than a J.D. may be subject to additional review by the Office of Attorney Recruitment and Management.

What to expect next

We will notify you of your status as a candidate after each step of the recruitment process (receipt of application, determination of basic qualifications, notice of forward to selecting official, and final selection).

After extending a tentative job offer and receiving acceptance by the selectee, we will conduct an employment suitability/security background investigation to confirm that the selectee meets all requirements to fill the position. We expect to make a final job offer once all such reviews have been completed.

Additional information

Additional selections may be made from this vacancy announcement to fill vacancies that occur subsequent to this announcement.

Permanent relocation is not authorized but the detailee may be eligible for either a temporary change of station (TCS) or EX-TDY if long-term travel is required for the detail.

If eligible, a cost comparison will be conducted to evaluate which option will be offered and more information will be provided at that time The Criminal Division participates in the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify). E-Verify helps employers to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees.

The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor.

Additional information on DOJ's EEO policy can be found on our website. It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment.

Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review and the United States Attorneys' Offices.

Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, non-U.S. Citizens may apply for employment with other organizations, but should be advised that appointments of non-U.S. Citizens are extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements.

Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement.

Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information. If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, please reach out to *** or *** for alternative application procedures.

Reasonable Accommodation Statement: Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the Human Resources team at ***. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Fair Chance to Compete: The Fair Chance Act prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment.

If you believe a DOJ employee or Federal contractor acting on its behalf has violated your rights under this Act, you may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to ***.

Note: In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201(b) certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance Act.