Federal

Attorney Adviser

U.S. Agency for International Development ยท Other Agencies and Independent Organizations
๐Ÿ“ Washington, District of Columbia GS-11/14 $85,447 - $187,093/yr
Posted: Mar 17, 2026 Deadline: Apr 14, 2026 (Closes in 9 days days left)

About This Position

By law, this Office of Inspector General has continued oversight responsibility for United States funded foreign assistance activities across multiple agencies, to include the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the Inter-American Foundation, the US African Development Foundation, USAID and the Department of State. Responsibilities may additionally include oversight of and/or oversight coordination for foreign assistance programs with other interagency partners throughout the US Government.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the Basic and the Qualification Requirements described below.

Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience. A copy of your unofficial or official transcripts must be provided with your application. Basic Requirements (applicable to ALL grade levels): A. Education: Possess a J.D.

OR

LL.B degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association. AND, B. Bar Membership: Be an active member in good standing of a state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or territory of the United States.

In addition to meeting both of the Basic Requirements above, you must meet the qualification and/or education requirements for the applicable grade level listed below. Minimum Qualification Requirement for GS-11: Applicant must possess the minimum requirements of (1) a law degree (J.D.

OR

LL.B.) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association, and (2) Bar admission, being licensed and in good standing to practice law as an Attorney under the laws of a state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or territory of the United States. Qualification Requirement for GS-12: Applicant must have at least 1 year of progressively responsible professional experience working as a practicing attorney in any of the following duty areas: compliance, litigation, investigations, legal review, regulations/policy, or other similar areas. This experience must be comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-11 federal grade level, participating in providing legal advice, analysis, research, or litigation work.

This must include activities such as: (1) conducting legal research of policies, regulations, and/or compliance questions, including researching legal precedent; (2) drafting briefs, motions, or other legal documents; (3) assisting with taking depositions and/or sworn statements from witnesses or parties; and (4) making oral presentations of legal research/analysis. Qualification Requirement for GS-13: Applicant must have at least 2 years of progressively responsible professional experience working as a practicing attorney in any of the following duty areas: compliance, litigation, investigations, legal review, regulations/policy, or other similar areas. At least one year of this experience must be comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-12 federal grade level participating in providing legal advice, analysis, research, or litigation work.

This must include activities such as: (1) conducting legal research of policies, regulations, and/or compliance questions, including researching legal precedent; (2) drafting briefs, motions, or other documents in preparation for trial or administrative proceedings; (3) assisting with taking depositions and/or sworn statements from witnesses or parties; (4) assisting senior staff with settlement negotiations with another party or their respective counsel; or (5) making oral presentations of legal arguments or results of legal research/analysis. Qualification Requirement for GS-14: Applicant must have at least 3 years of progressively responsible professional experience working as a practicing attorney in any of the following duty areas: compliance, litigation, investigations, legal review, regulations/policy, or other similar areas. At least one year of this experience must be comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-13 federal grade level providing legal advice, analysis, research, and/or litigation work.

This must include activities such as: (1) conducting extensive legal research of policies, regulations, and/or compliance questions, including researching precedent or opinions bearing on a legal issue; (2) writing briefs, motions, reports, or recommendations in preparation for trial or administrative proceedings; (3) taking depositions and/or sworn statements from witnesses or parties; (4) participating in negotiating settlement agreements with another party or their respective counsel; or (5) presenting oral arguments in a court or administrative hearing. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, relevant to the duties of the position to be filled, including volunteer experience. Qualifications must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement. CTAP/ICTAP If you are requesting special employment consideration under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) or CTAP, you must provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies.

If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP or CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP or CTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified you must meet the following: OPM qualification requirements for the position, all selective factors, where applicable; special OPM approved qualifying conditions for the position; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate, to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and receives a rating of at least "well-qualified" on the questionnaire.

You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP or CTAP eligibility, or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information regarding ICTAP or CTAP eligibility is available from Career Transition (opm.gov).

Note: Appointing an individual under an excepted service appointing authority may be an exception to ICTAP selection priority.

Major Duties

As an Attorney Adviser at the full performance level, you will, Provide legal advice and guidance on all matters related to OIG audits, investigations, and operational activities. Conduct legal research and prepare memoranda and reports on congressional inquiries, oversight matters, and legal issues affecting OIG programs and authorities. Perform legal research and advisory work related to criminal, civil, and administrative enforcement matters within the OIG's jurisdiction.

Prepare legal documents such as subpoenas, administrative pleadings, and other investigative and litigation support materials. Participate in matters involving the Department of Justice and other enforcement authorities and coordinate on criminal, civil, and administrative referrals. Serve as legal counsel on personnel matters and discrimination complaints, including EEO matters, MSPB appeals, Foreign Service Grievance Board (FSGB) proceedings, and related matters.

Interpret and apply laws governing federal personnel ethics, whistleblower reprisal matters, suspension and debarment, and FOIA and Privacy Act matters. Advise on procurement, fiscal law, grants and cooperative agreements, foreign assistance authorities, and interagency agreements and arrangements. Perform other duties as assigned.

Education

This position has a positive education requirement; see qualification section above.

How You Will Be Evaluated

We use a multi-step process to review and evaluate applicants: Evaluation will be based on your application materials (such as your resume and supporting documents), your responses to the application questionnaire, and the results of all required assessments. Resume Requirement Please limit your resume to 2 pages with the font size no smaller than 10 points. If your resume is more than 2 pages, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed and considered for the qualification's determination.

Minimum Qualification Question As part of the application process, you must answer a minimum qualification question addressing whether you meet the Specialized Experience required for this position, as described in this announcement.

Your response must be supported by the experience documented in your resume. If your resume does not demonstrate the required Specialized Experience, you may be found not qualified. SME Resume Review Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine whether you meet the required Specialized Experience.

SME Structured Interview You may be invited to participate in a structured interview with one or more Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to assess the required competencies for the position. Applicants who successfully pass the assessment(s) may be referred to the Hiring Manager for consideration.

You must complete all required steps in the process, including submitting an application and resume and participating in the structured interview, to be considered for this position.

Additional Information

These are Testing Designated Positions (TDPs) under the Agency's approved Drug-Free Work Place Program. All applicants selected for this position will be subject to random drug testing once they begin working for the Agency. SELECTIVE SERVICE: http://www.sss.gov/ EEO Policy Statement: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/EEO_Policy_Statement Reasonable Accommodation Policy Statement: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Reasonable_Accommodation_Policy_StatementVeterans Information: http://www.fedshirevets.gov/Telework: www.telework.gov Disability: www.opm.gov/disability/mngr_3-13.asp Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities: The following links contain information on the eligibility requirements to be considered under a noncompetitive appointing authority: http://www.opm.gov/hr_practitioners/lawsregulations/appointingauthorities/ Selections are made on the basis of merit without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other non-merit-based factor.

If needed, additional selections will be made from this announcement.

How to Apply

The following instructions outline our application process.

You must complete this online application process and submit any applicable required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. If applying online poses an extreme hardship, you must contact the human resources office no later than two business days before the closing date of this vacancy announcement. Our Office will provide an alternative application method upon approval of the hardship notification.

After the advertisement has closed, we will not grant requests to apply via alternative plans. Please note, we must receive all required documents by the closing date via online or alternative methods. We will determine your eligibility and qualifications based solely on the material received by the closing date.

Step 1 - Review the Job Announcement (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12910316) Before you apply, we suggest you review the entire job announcement. Pay close attention to the Major Duties section and the How You Will Be Evaluated section, where you will see the areas upon which an HR Specialist or Subject Matter Expert will evaluate your application and a link for previewing online questions. Step 2 - Create or Upload a resume with USAJOBS (www.usajobs.gov) Create or upload a resume in USAJOBS.

You may wish to customize your resume to ensure it supports your responses to the online questions and addresses the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section of the job announcement. For resume tips, click here.-Although you must enter your Social Security Number (SSN) for USAJOBS, we will only see the last four digits for identification purposes. Step 3 - Apply Online Click the "Apply Online" button on this announcement and then select the resume you wish to submit with your application.

You will be redirected to the OPM's USA Staffing website to complete the application process. Step 4 - Answer the Online Questions and Submit Your Online Application If this is your first time on OPM's USA Staffing website, the system will prompt you to register by answering questions about your eligibility for Federal employment. Select "Take me to the assessment" and click on the "Next" button to answer the job-specific questions. The system will save these responses and take you back to the main screen so that you can answer the job-specific questions.

You must answer all the questions and click the "Finish" button. Step 5 - Review and Confirm Your Submission You will now have the option to upload a document or print fax cover sheets for documents (see Step 6 for details). Once you click "Done," you will see a summary of your application for your review, and you may also print a copy for your records.

When you click "Finish" at the bottom of the page, our system will then direct you back to USAJOBS, where you can confirm that you correctly submitted your application, and you can track your application status. Step 6 - Submit Documents You can submit any applicable required or optional documents (see below) by document upload, fax, or e-mail. Whichever method you choose, please include the job announcement number with your records.

To protect your privacy, we encourage you to remove your SSN from any documents that you submit. Document Upload: You may upload documents in one of two ways: Once you finish answering the questions in the job announcement, the system will prompt you to upload your document(s) to your application.

You will be given a choice to either upload the document as part of the application process or select a copy that you've already loaded on USAJOBS.

OR

You can upload a document to an existing application by logging into your USAJOBS account profile.

Click on "My Applications" and search for the vacancy. Once you've located the vacancy, click on the vacancy and select "Apply Online." Move through your existing application to the Documents page and select upload to add a document to your application. Be sure to review your complete application for confirmation that you uploaded the document.

Required Documents

Resume (limited to 2 pages) showing relevant experience. College Transcripts (proof of J.D.

OR

LL.B degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association). Proof of Bar Membership. Must be an active member in good standing of a state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or territory of the United States.

Most recent performance appraisal if applicable Veterans' documentation, if requesting consideration under any veterans' hiring eligibilities such as VRA, preference point entitlement (e,g, DD214, SF-15, and Veteran's Administration Letter). For a detailed list of documents, click here. Supporting documentation if seeking eligibility based any other special hiring authority (e.g., disabled veteran, Schedule A) For a detailed list of documents, click here.

Supporting documentation ICTAP/CTAP if applicable Status candidates submit a recent copy of your SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action); your document must reflect grade, step, tenure code 1 or 2, and type of position occupied. Proof of government service documenting that you have met the time-in-grade requirements if applicable. Documents That Are Required for Verification of Eligibility: Your resume: your resume must support the specialized experience described in this announcement.

Please limit your resume to 2 pages with the font size no smaller than 10 points. If your resume is more than 2 pages, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed and considered for the determination of your qualifications. Other supporting documents: Proof of Eligibility to Apply: Your application must include the documents which prove you are eligible to apply for the vacancy.

You must meet the requirements of at least one of the authorities listed in the Who May Apply section above to receive further consideration. (If applies) Copies of transcripts are required if qualifying based on education for this announcement; failure to submit will result in removal from consideration. If you are selected for the position, official transcripts are required before appointment to official duty Veterans' documentation, if requesting consideration under any veterans' hiring eligibilities such as VRA, preference point entitlement (e,g, DD214, SF-15, and Veteran's Administration Letter). Proof of United States Citizenship (birth certificate or other acceptable documentation, may be required upon request).

Proof of military service (DD214s or other equivalent documents). Proof of government service providing reinstatement eligibility Notification of Personnel Action, SF-50 or other equivalent document. SF15, Application for 10-Point Veteran's Preference and appropriate documentation (for 10-point compensable or non-compensable disability preference, Purple Heart, disability pension, or preference based on service of spouse or child).

Supporting documentation if seeking eligibility based any other special hiring authority (e.g., disabled veteran, Schedule A) For a detailed list of documents, click here. Status candidates can submit a recent copy of your SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action), your document must reflect grade, step, tenure code 1 or 2, and type of position occupied. Proof of government service documenting that you have met time-in-grade requirement: If you are applying for a higher grade and your SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you meet the one year time-in-grade requirement so you will need to provide an SF-50 which clearly demonstrates you meet the time-in-grade requirements (examples of appropriate SF-50s include Promotions, Within-grade Grade/Range Increases, and SF-50s with an effective date more than one year old).

If this position requires proof of higher education, you must submit a copy of your transcript (unofficial transcript) or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours rated.

You may use education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the requirements. Please refer to http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp for more information. Please be advised that an official transcript will be required if the hiring manager selects you for the position.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the salary for the Attorney Adviser position at U.S. Agency for International Development?
The salary range for this position is $85,447 - $187,093/yr. This is a GS-11/14 position on the General Schedule pay scale. Actual pay may vary based on locality adjustments.
Where is the Attorney Adviser job located?
This position is located in Washington, District of Columbia. This is an on-site position.
What qualifications do I need?
In order to qualify, you must meet the Basic and the Qualification Requirements described below. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience. A copy of your unofficial or official transcripts must be provided with your application. Basic Requirements (applicable to ALL grade levels): A. Education: Possess a J.D. or LL.B degree fro...
How do I apply for this position?
Apply through USAJobs.gov by clicking the 'Apply on USAJobs' button. You'll need a USAJobs account, a federal-style resume, and supporting documents. The deadline is Apr 14, 2026.
Is a security clearance required?
Yes, a Secret clearance is required.
What does GS-11/14 mean?
GS-11/14 refers to the General Schedule grade level. Higher grades require more experience and offer higher pay. Visit our GS Pay Scale page for full salary tables by grade and locality.
What benefits do federal employees receive?
Federal employees receive comprehensive benefits including health insurance (FEHB), retirement through FERS, Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with government matching, paid annual and sick leave, paid parental leave, life insurance, and student loan repayment programs.