Legal Careers
Attorney Advisor
WASHINGTON, DC 20530 - United States
The Office of Privacy and Civil Liberties (OPCL), United States Department of Justice, is seeking a dynamic, collaborative attorney with excellent oral and written communication skills and experience in privacy and civil liberties law and policy to handle a wide range of privacy and civil liberties issues.
OPCL is responsible for ensuring the Department’s compliance with privacy and civil liberties-related laws, policies, and technical requirements, and appropriately minimizing related risks, including under the Privacy Act of 1974, the privacy provisions of the E-Government Act of 2002 and Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 (FISMA), and technical standards and requirements promulgated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). OPCL also develops and provides Departmental privacy training; oversees the Department’s responses to data breaches; ensures the Department has adequate procedures to receive, investigate, respond to, and redress complaints from individuals; prepares privacy-related reporting to Congress and other oversight bodies; actively engages in multiple Department-wide working groups, including the Emerging Technology Board; and reviews the information handling practices of the Department to ensure that such practices are consistent with the protection of privacy and civil liberties. OPCL is responsible for advising Department leadership and components concerning international data protection and privacy laws and policies, including representing the Department in international negotiations designed to harmonize privacy related laws, policies, and practices related to the Department’s missions. Finally, OPCL provides administrative support to the Data Protection Review Court (DPRC), the second layer of a two-layer independent and binding redress process, a critical pillar in the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework established in 2023.
As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.
The primary purpose of the position is to provide legal advice and guidance to Department leadership and components on privacy and civil liberties matters, provide policy advice concerning proposed legislative, regulatory, or policy proposals that impact privacy and civil liberties, and ensure the Department’s compliance with privacy and civil liberties laws, regulations, and policies, and appropriately mitigate related risks.
Applicants must possess a J.D. degree from an accredited law school, be an active member of the bar (any jurisdiction) in good standing, and have at least six (6) years of relevant post-J.D. experience. Applicants must have demonstrated experience in handling privacy issues and working in a demanding, fast-paced environment.
Clearance: The applicant must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI security clearance and is required to file a confidential financial disclosure form (OGE Form 450).
The successful applicant will likely also possess:
- Exceptional writing and oral communication skills;
- Strong speaking and presentation skills;
- Excellent interpersonal skills, and the demonstrated ability to lead a team and also collaborate with others to achieve a common goal;
- Creative problem-solving skills to resolve unusually complicated legal matters, often with little on-point legal authority, with the goal of supporting a client’s mission while minimizing privacy-related risks;
- Working knowledge of privacy laws, regulations, and policies that apply to the U.S. Government, and familiarity with law enforcement and national security law and policy;
- Highly developed ability to recognize knowledge and abilities the applicant lacks, and to learn new skills quickly and seek help where necessary;
- Demonstrated ability to adapt, quickly shift priorities, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Preferred qualifications: Relevant certification in a privacy-related field, for example, one of the International Association of Privacy Professionals Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP) certifications.
To apply, please email: privacy.employee-hiring@usdoj.gov with the subject line “OPCL Attorney Advisor Opportunity.” Applicants must submit the following:
- Cover letter addressing the qualifications listed above;
- Resume showing relevant experience, including the dates the experience was obtained;
- Unofficial law school transcript (note: if you are selected for this position, an official transcript will be required prior to your first day);
- Three professional references;
- Two writing samples of varying length: one demonstrating general writing skills (e.g., correspondence, published material, memorandum, talking points, policies, procedures, blog, or material written for the web); and one sample of formal legal analysis, demonstrating ability to analyze and expound on complicated, nuanced legal issues (e.g., a legal brief or formal opinion, or other similar memo);
- Copy of most recent performance appraisal or rating;
- Note: Writing samples and performance appraisals may be redacted, as appropriate to protect sensitive information.
Applicants should familiarize themselves and comply with the relevant rules of professional conduct regarding any possible conflicts of interest in connection with their applications. In particular, please notify this Office if you currently represent clients or adjudicate matters in which this Office is involved and/or you have a family member who is representing clients or adjudicating matters in which this Office is involved so that we can evaluate any potential conflict of interest or disqualification issue that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.
This is a GS-15 position, with an annual salary range of $ 163,964 - $ 191,900.
Telework: This position may be eligible for telework in accordance with OPCL policy.
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Department Policies
Equal Employment Opportunity: The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex - including gender identity, sexual orientation, or pregnancy status - or because of age (over 40), physical or mental disability, protected genetic information, parental status, marital status, political affiliation, or any other non-merit based factor. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. For more information, please review our full EEO Statement.
Reasonable Accommodations: This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Outreach and Recruitment for Qualified Applicants with Disabilities: The Department encourages qualified applicants with disabilities, including individuals with targeted/severe disabilities to apply in response to posted vacancy announcements. Qualified applicants with targeted/severe disabilities may be eligible for direct hire, non-competitive appointment under Schedule A (5 C.F.R. § 213.3102(u)) hiring authority. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to contact one of the Department’s Disability Points of Contact (DPOC) to express an interest in being considered for a position. See list of DPOCs.
Suitability and Citizenship: 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. Congress generally prohibits agencies from employing non-citizens within the United States, except for a few narrow exceptions as set forth in the annual Appropriations Act (see, https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/non-citizens/). Pursuant to DOJ component policies, only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review, U.S. Trustee’s Offices, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, qualifying non-U.S. citizens meeting immigration and appropriations law criteria may apply for employment with other DOJ organizations. However, please be advised that the appointment of non-U.S. citizens is 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. All DOJ employees are subject to a residency requirement. Candidates must have lived in the United States for at least three of the past five years. The three-year period is cumulative, not necessarily consecutive. Federal or military employees, or dependents of federal or military employees serving overseas, are excepted from this requirement. This is a Department security requirement which is waived only for extreme circumstances and handled on a case-by-case basis.
Veterans: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service- connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that their retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that they were transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).
USAO Residency Requirement: Assistant United States Attorneys must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.
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