General Attorney

Organizational Location: This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, within OCC, Chief of the Commercial and Administrative Law Division (CALD).

As a General Attorney, you will serve as an attorney providing employment law advice to the Chief of the Commercial and Administrative Law Division (CALD), the Chief Counsel, and USCIS officials.

Practices and applies federal labor and employment law with a particular emphasis on reviewing disciplinary and performance actions.

Represents the agency against complaints and appeals before the Merit Systems Protection Board and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Provides litigation support to Assistant U.S. Attorneys litigating employment cases before federal district and appellate courts.

Advises supervisors and managers on a range of personnel issues, including employee misconduct, poor performance, disability and religious accommodations, compliance with FMLA and Rehab Act and whistleblower, probationary and veterans issues, etc.

Reviews the legal sufficiency of performance improvement plans and notices of personnel decisions.

Provides oral and written legal advice and develops and conducts training on a wide variety of performance, misconduct, disability and religious accommodation, Veterans' rights, and Equal Employment Opportunity issues.

Resolves questions, provides accurate legal advice to both attorneys and non-attorneys on complex legal matters, and reviews reports of investigation.

Conditions of Employment: You must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National to apply for this position Successfully pass a Background Investigation including financial disclosure You must pass a drug screening Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with the Selective Service Political appointees may require OPM approval before on-boarding USCIS applies the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 to its telework program This position IS NOT considered "essential" for purposes of reporting to work when the facility might otherwise be closed.

Residency Requirement: There is a residency requirement for all applicants not currently employed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. This residency requirement states that candidates must have, for three of the last five years immediately prior to applying for this position; (1) resided in the United States; OR (2) worked for the United States Government as an employee overseas in a Federal or Military capacity, OR (3) been a dependent of a U.S.

Federal or Military employee serving overseas. Exceptions may be granted to applicants if they can provide complete state-side coverage information required to make a suitability/security determination. Examples of state-side coverage information include: The state-side address of the company headquarters where the applicant's personnel file is located, The state-side address of the Professor in charge of the applicant's "Study Abroad" program, The church records for the applicant's overseas church mission, and/or The state-side addresses of anyone who worked or studied with the applicant while overseas.

Applicants must be able to provide information at a later date if deemed necessary. Trial Period: A two-year trial period is required for all appointees to a federal attorney position. Based on the documentation provided, you maybe subject to this requirement. If you previously met this requirement, and you have not had a break in service, please submit any SF-50s that support this claim.

EDUCATIONAL SUBSTITUTION: There is no educational substitution for this position.

Applicants must possess a J.D.

OR

LL.M. degree from an ABA-accredited law school or serve a legal apprenticeship in California, Virginia, Vermont, or Washington and pass the bar exam in order to be permitted to practice law in one (1) of those jurisdictions. Bar Requirement: Be an active member of the bar (any jurisdiction).

You will be evaluated based upon your resume, citing qualifications and work experience, your writing sample, cover letter and, if selected for an interview, your responses provided. In responding to structured interview questions, be sure to cite specific examples of experience, explain exactly what you did, and the outcome. All applicants will be rated against the following factors: Ability to resolve questions and provide accurate legal advice to both attorneys and non-attorneys on complex legal matters.

Ability to handle a heavy workload and meet deadlines. Legal aptitude as reflected in the resume provided. Must be able to obtain and maintain eligibility to hold a sensitive position. All information you provide may be verified by a review of the work experience and/or education as shown on your application forms, by checking references and through means, such as the interview process.

The verification could occur at any stage of the application process. An exaggeration or falsification of your experience, or attempts to conceal information may be grounds for a rating of ineligible, rescinded offer, or termination after the start date. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12998503.

Note: Applicants who are referred to the hiring office for selection consideration may be required to complete a writing sample and/or other writing exercise as part of the interview/selection process. If the hiring office decides to request a writing sample and/or other writing exercise as part of its selection process, a designated contractor or Agency representative will contact you to: (1) inform you of this requirement; and (2) provide further instructions.

This job is being filled by an alternative hiring process and is not in the competitive civil service. Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Personnel Management guidance and U.S.

Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change. Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.

Common definitions for hiring terms found in this announcement.

Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation. This may include a review of financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.

The background investigation process is initiated after a selection is made. For more information visit the OPM Mythbuster Page. The candidate selected will be required to obtain a "Secret" clearance and continued employment is contingent on being able to maintain at least a "Secret" clearance.

DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities. It is our responsibility to eliminate any risks to national security, public health, and public safety that could be posed by individuals who use illegal drugs.

This position may be subject to random testing as a condition of employment. A positive drug test or refusal to be tested will result in disciplinary action, up to and including removal from Federal service.

Note: If you previously retired from the Federal service and are receiving an annuity, your salary may be offset by the amount of your annuity. Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment (VSIP): Per 5 CFR 576.202, An employee who receives a Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment (VSIP) and later accepts employment for compensation with the Government of the United States within 5 years of the date of the separation on which the VSIP is based, including work under a personal services contract or other direct contract, must repay the entire amount of the VSIP to the agency that paid it (proof of payment is required) before the individual's first day of reemployment. The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Homeland Security and its Components from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment.

In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to our Staffing Helpdesk.

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: Click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.

Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement 07/17/2026. To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/.

Your application status page is where you can view your application status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application. The vacancy questionnaire includes four short, free-response essay questions. This provides an opportunity for you to highlight your dedication to public service for the hiring manager and agency leadership (or designee(s)). While your responses are not required and will not be scored, we encourage you to thoughtfully address each question. Please provide a response of 200 words or less to each question.

You will be asked to certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) such as a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT or Copilot. To preview the questionnaire please click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12998503. Announcement is open to multiple locations. Applicants are limited to selecting ONE location only. The actual salary will be set based on the grade, step, and location of the selectee(s) and/or position.

You may be expected to report for work at a local USCIS facility based on the needs of the hiring office. View the 2026 Locality Pay Charts for more information. We strongly encourage you to apply online.

If you cannot apply online, you must contact the Human Resource Office listed below at least one business day prior to 07/17/2026 for instructions. Applications will not be accepted by mail. Relocation expenses will NOT be reimbursed for this position.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Resume: You must submit a resume that clearly demonstrates you have experience that meets the requirements of this position as outlined in the "Qualifications" section. Limit your resume to no more than two pages. The USAJOBS database will not allow an applicant to submit an application that includes a resume over two pages. To help ensure your resume remains clear and easy to read, we recommend using margins of at least 0.8 inches and a font size of at least 11 point.

Your responses to the job questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12998503, which are submitted through the on-line application process in USAJOBS, DO NOT need to be attached as an additional document to your application.

In addition to completing an online questionnaire, the following supporting documents must be received by the closing date of this announcement: A cover letter addressed to the Office of the Chief Counsel (OCC) no more than 1 page in length summarizing your background and interest in the position not otherwise evident from the other required documents. Resume. A writing sample not to exceed 10 pages.

No more than 3 optional recommendations total. A declaration under penalty of perjury that the applicant is a member in good standing with the bar of a state, territory of the U.S., the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and that his or her fitness to practice law or conduct as an attorney have never been challenged in any jurisdiction, OR if either has been challenged, a sworn declaration concerning the facts and circumstances together with any explanation the applicant may deem appropriate. This notarized sworn statement must be dated within 3 months of the date the application is submitted.

A copy of your last Notification of Personnel Actions, Form SF-50, which shows tenure group, promotion potential and salary, and your most recent or last performance appraisal. Recommendations must be scanned and uploaded into the system along with other supporting documents and addressed to the OCC. It is your responsibility to ensure that your correct documents are uploaded and received.

Please only submit documents listed in the Required Documents section. Are you a veteran?

You must provide acceptable documentation of your preference or appointment eligibility. The member 4 copy of your DD214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," is preferable. If claiming 10 point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form (SF-15), "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference." If applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification.

This must indicate your dates of service, your rank, and confirm that you will be separated under honorable conditions. View more veterans' information. Special Employment Consideration: The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707.

Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

Are you a current or former Federal employee? Submit a copy of your official SF-50* (no text version) or other official "Notification of Personnel Action" document that shows the following information: Tenure Grade and step Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50*, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment: Position Title Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee) Agency Beginning and ending dates of appointment * A General Adjustment, Detail, Any Award (Cash, Time Off, Performance, etc.) or Realignment SF-50 may NOT have the information needed.