Legal Careers
Law Student Volunteer, Spring 2025/ Summer 2025/ Fall 2025, National Security Cyber Section
The National Security Cyber Section (“NatSec Cyber”) leads the Department’s efforts in the investigation, prosecution, and other disruptions of computer intrusions, attacks, other malicious cyber-enabled activities that affect national security, including those conducted by nation-state actors and their proxies. To carry out this mission, the NatSec Cyber partners with U.S. Attorney’s offices (USAOs), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the United States Intelligence Community (USIC), other U.S. government departments and agencies, and foreign and private sector partners, using a wide range of tools and authorities, including prosecution, technical operations, economic sanctions, and military, intelligence, and diplomatic efforts. NatSec Cyber often represents the Department in the National Security Council’s inter-agency policy process regarding such operational efforts and works closely with the Office of the National Cyber Director to advance related cybersecurity policy efforts. NatSec Cyber also plays the leading role in managing the Department’s National Security Cyber Specialists (NSCS) Network, which consists of at least one prosecutor in every USAO who possesses expertise in national security-related cyber investigations. NatSec Cyber also coordinates the application of Classified Information Procedures Act (CIPA) to criminal cyber cases that may involve classified information.
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.
NatSec Cyber seeks exceptionally qualified candidates for volunteer internship opportunities. NatSec Cyber intern responsibilities include: conducting legal research and analysis; assisting with the drafting of motions and other pleadings; assisting with presentations and supporting materials; and otherwise supporting NatSec Cyber’s efforts to disrupt cyber-enabled threats to national security. Academic year internship positions are either part time (16 hours/week minimum) or full time (32 hours/week minimum). Summer internships are full time (40 hours/week). NatSec Cyber does not offer remote externships.
Open to all law students, joint degree, or LL.M. students. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and able to obtain and maintain a security clearance. Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited U.S. law school at the time of application and throughout their internship. Strong analytic, research and writing skills are required. Prior interest or experience in national security, criminal litigation, and internet, digital asset, or blockchain technology is highly preferred. Courses such as Criminal Procedure, Evidence and Trial Practice are also helpful. Interns cannot participate in another internship while interning with NatSec Cyber.
If interested in applying, please send a cover letter indicating the period in which you are interested, a resume, a legal writing sample (not to exceed ten pages), an unofficial law school transcript (if available), and the contact information for three references, via email, to natseccyber.vacancies@usdoj.gov.
Deadline:
Spring 2025: August 15, 2024
Summer 2025: For Current 2L Students – December 15, 2024
For Current 1L Students – December 15, 2024 (Please note that we will not consider applications submitted before December 1, 2024).
Fall 2025: All Students – April 15, 2025
Internships are unpaid. If your school offers interns academic or work study, we will work with you to meet school requirements whenever possible.
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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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This and other vacancy announcements can be found under Attorney Vacancies and Volunteer Legal Internships. 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.