Summary The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of the Principal Legal Advisor OPLA) is seeking an experienced and dedicated attorney to serve as a Deputy Chief of the ICE Ethics Office (IEO). This position is in Washington, D.C. These positions may offer up to $50,000 in signing and retention bonuses. Responsibilities OPLA is the largest legal program in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), employing nearly 2,000 attorneys nationwide. OPLA provides a full range of legal services to all ICE programs and offices. The IEO provides training and guidance on the Executive Branch Standards of Conduct for Executive Branch employees and on attorney professional responsibility matters. The responsibilities of this position will consist primarily of: supervising attorneys and assisting the Division Chief in the general management of workflow and personnel within the division; providing legal advice, guidance, and training on substantive federal ethics law topics and policy; providing legal advice, guidance, and training on substantive attorney professional conduct matters; ensuring the quality of attorney written work product; working with OPLA and ICE leadership on complex federal ethics matters; representing OPLA in meetings with the DHS's Office of the General Counsel and other DHS components; and strategic planning. Selectee will immediately be given significant supervisory responsibilities. Selectee will be expected to routinely provide timely legal opinions to ICE officers and agents, division management, and leadership within OPLA, ICE, and the DHS Office of the General Counsel. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Unless otherwise noted, you must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by 11:59 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time on 11/06/2025. Please note that qualification claims will be subject to verification. Applicants must possess the following characteristics and competencies: significant experience practicing, and superior knowledge of, federal ethics law or the rules governing attorney professional conduct; leadership integrity; organizational skills; excellence in time management; reliability; perseverance; decisiveness; initiative; professionalism; discretion; the ability to function independently and as part of a team; interpersonal relationship skills including managing conflict and fostering productive relationships with internal and external partners; and outstanding written and oral advocacy skills. The applicant selected will be given significant responsibilities immediately. Prior supervisory experience is preferred but is not required. Bar Membership: You must be an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Current or Former Political Appointees: 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. 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 C.F.R. § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 C.F.R. § 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. Education Applicants must be graduates of an accredited law school with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) or LLM degree. Additional Information Promotion Potential: This position is at the full performance level of GS-15. Bargaining Unit Status: This is a non-bargaining unit position. E-Verify: 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. Direct Deposit: All federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing. Veterans' Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the Excepted Service; however, OPLA considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Financial Disclosure: If you are hired, you may be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days after appointment. Suitability: If you receive a conditional offer of employment, you must complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment. Background Investigation: DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet these standards, all selected applicants must undergo a background investigation and successfully obtain and maintain a security clearance at the Top Secret level as a condition of placement into this position. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and tax obligations, and a review of certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs. Drug Test: Pursuant to Executive Order 12564 and the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan, ICE is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace. All applicants tentatively selected for employment are subject to pre-employment drug testing and a final offer of employment is contingent upon a negative result. One or more positions may be filled using this vacancy announcement. A student loan repayment incentive may be available, in which case a service agreement will be required. OPLA will ensure that applicants with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations when appropriate. If reasonable accommodation is required for any part of the application process, please contact the OPLA representative listed on this announcement.
