Attorney Adviser

This Attorney Adviser position is with Office of the Inspector General (Department of Homeland Security) in Phoenix, AZ. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) is an independent office whose mission is to promote excellence, integrity, and accountability throughout the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In our dynamic environment, the OIG conducts investigations, audits, evaluations, and inspections to enhance program effectiveness and efficiency and to detect and prevent waste, fraud, and mismanagement in DHS programs and operations. Key duties: • This is an OPEN CONTINOUS ANNOUNCEMENT, applications will be accepted until January 25, 2027 or until vacancies are filled. Attorney Advisors (General) in the Office of Counsel (OC) provide legal advice, services, and policy recommendations to the Inspector General and a nationwide staff of auditors, information technology experts, investigators, and program analysts. Typical work assignments include representing the OIG before administrative bodies, conducting investigations into suspected violations of laws of the United States and rules and regulations relating to programs and operations of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), providing legal advice and policy recommendations to the Inspector General and OIG program offices on civil, criminal, and administrative law matters, including program fraud, ethics, contracting, and procurement. The range of legal duties include: GENERAL LAW DIVISION Advising OIG leaders and program offices on matters associated with civil and criminal procedure, investigative techniques, law enforcement, immigration, counterterrorism, intelligence, federal acquisitions law, federal ethics law, fiscal law, national security law, federal criminal prosecution and administrative law. Conducting legal sufficiency reviews of DHS OIG audits, inspections, investigations, subpoenas, law enforcement/ investigative policy, Giglio determinations, consistent with the Inspector General Act of 1978 and other applicable authorities. Providing advice concerning the conduct of criminal investigations, inspections, and evaluations. Serving as Agency Counsel to the DOJ and USAOs for federal litigation involving DHS OIG matters. Providing training to various DHS OIG audiences regarding issues within the General Law Division's portfolio. Advising clients on the proper handling, safeguarding, and dissemination of classified information. INFORMATION LAW AND DISCLOSURE DIVISION Providing legal advice to internal and external stakeholders on issues impacting the entire breadth of the DHS OIG's portfolio, including Touhy regulations, information disclosure, Privacy Act (PA), and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Serving as an attorney advisor researching, interpreting, and opining on novel and complex information law issues, including laws, statutes, and regulations pertaining to the FOIA and PA. Serving as agency counsel in FOIA/PA litigation. Providing training to various DHS OIG audiences on various disclosure related topics. PERSONNEL LAW DIVISION Providing advice to managers on various personnel issues to include, but not limited to, misconduct, discipline, performance, leave issues, and Equal Employment Opportunity matters. Providing advice to the Human Resource Division on personnel issues, drafting, and providing legal sufficiency reviews for directives, policies, and guidance. Providing training to managers and employees on various personnel related topics. Representing DHS OIG before various administrative bodies including the Office of Special Counsel, Merit Systems Protection Board, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Serving as Agency Counsel to the DOJ and USAOs for federal litigation involving personnel matters. WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION DIVISION - INVESTIGATIVE COUNSEL Conducting investigations, drafting and preparing the investigative case, which includes: identifying the primary nature of the allegations, specifying the potential violations of law, rule or regulation, specifying the focus of the investigations, considering coordination of investigative efforts with other authorities, projecting the type of evidence that will be required and the investigative steps and strategies that should be employed, and conducting interviews and reviewing and analyzing of documentary evidence during the course of the investigation. Analyzing the record, evaluating facts, determining questions of law, and either recommend adoption of a decision prepared by another attorney/investigator or draft a thorough decision with well-reasoned analysis and recommendation for consideration and adoption by agency officials who exercise final authority in such matters. Conducting complaint intake to determine whether complaints, supplemented when necessary by complainant interviews, constitute complaints of reprisal warranting investigation. Serving as experts in the area of federal whistleblower law and policy, advising the Inspector General and Counsel on updates and developments in the law. Qualifications: BASIC REQUIREMENTS: Applicants must have a first professional law degree (Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) or Juris Doctor (J.D.)) obtained from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association at the time the degree was obtained. Licensure: Applicants must be an active member in good standing of the bar of a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States. Supporting documentation must be included with the application package. In addition to applicants meeting the minimum education and licensure requirement, you must meet the below grade-level requirement of the Attorney position: To qualify at the GS-13 grade level, applicants must have J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar in good standing (any jurisdiction), have at least 3 years of post J.D. legal experience, one of which was specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-12 grade level. To qualify at the GS-14 grade level, applicants must have J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar in good standing (any jurisdiction), have at least 4 years of post J.D. legal experience, one of which was specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-13 grade level. To qualify at the GS-15 grade level, applicants must have J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar in good standing (any jurisdiction), have at least 5 years of post J.D. legal experience, one of which was specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-14 grade level. Applicants must meet all qualification requirements, including the following, by closing date of this announcement:1.) Be a graduate of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association at the time of graduation.2.) Be a current member of a bar with a valid license to practice law in a state or territory of the United States, District of Columbia or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. 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, including volunteer experience. The qualification requirements listed above must be met by the closing date. 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. View the full announcement and apply on USAJOBS.gov.