Summary This position is a General Attorney (Investigative Attorney) in the Office of Investigations in the Office of Inspector General at the U.S.National Science Foundation. The mission of the OIG is to provide independent and objective oversight of the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and economy of its programs and operations and to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse. Responsibilities As a General Attorney (Investigative Attorney), you will perform the following duties: Plan, organize, and conduct investigations of alleged or suspected violations of federal criminal and civil laws and administrative regulations. Investigations can include allegations of sexual assault, stalking, grant fraud, contract fraud, and violations of whistleblower protections; Evaluate facts based on current law, specific court decisions, and current policy to provide legal advice and decide the appropriateness in using investigative techniques or equipment and develop new concepts and applications for the successful resolution of work assignments; Provide advice to case team members and decision-makers regarding planning and timing of complex investigation components; Plan, participate in, and organize interrogations, interviews, hearings, and conferences to resolve problems of considerable importance; Interpret OIG/Office of Investigations (OI), other law enforcement, agency, and Federal guidelines; Assist in effective coordination with other federal, state, and local agencies and private contractors in matters related to work assignments; Prepare clear, comprehensive, and cohesive investigative reports in a timely manner in accordance with established policies; Demonstrate strong interpersonal skills and the ability to convey information clearly, appropriately, and professionally with investigators, management, prosecutors, partners, and stakeholders; Recognize, identify, and address undefined investigative issues and elements, coordinating with other investigative participants to determine the nature and scope of the problems and the factors that will be instrumental in their resolution; Exercise sound judgment and discretion in high-visibility, sensitive, or complex matters; and, Analyze, explain, and advise on factual and legal issues arising in cases and investigative trends in order to ensure legal sufficiency and consistent referrals. Requirements Conditions of Employment CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be subject to a background/security investigation This is not a remote position Relocation expenses are not authorized This is an excepted service position An active Bar license is required for verification. Bar license must reference Bar number and indicate the status of good standing. A Self-Certification Form is not acceptable verification. This is a positive education position. Transcripts are required to be considered for this position. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID-compliant cannot be used as acceptable forms of identification for employment. You must meet all eligibility requirements within thirty days of the date the announcement closes and continue to meet these requirements throughout the hiring process. Offers can be rescinded if requirements are not met. You will not need a clearance to accept this position, but you must be able to obtain - and maintain - one if needed. If you are a current federal employee holding a General Schedule (GS) position, you must meet the time-in-grade requirements. All online applicants must provide a valid email address. If your email address is inaccurate or your mailbox is full/blocked, you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position. Qualifications BASIC REQUIREMENT Education: Must have successfully completed a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and have the first professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.). Law school transcripts must be submitted at the time of application. Bar Membership and Certification: Must currently be a member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory, or commonwealth of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Your active Bar license must include your Bar number and indicate your good standing status. In addition to the BASIC REQUIREMENTS, applicants must also meet the following: To qualify at the GS-13 or GS-14 level, you must have one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the grade below. For the GS-14 level, applicants must have one year of specialized experience at the GS-13 level that includes: planning, organizing, and conducting investigations of alleged or suspected violations of federal criminal and civil laws and administrative regulations; evaluating facts based on current law, specific court decisions, and current policy to provide legal advice and decide the appropriateness in using investigative techniques or equipment; providing advice to case team members and decision-makers regarding planning and timing of complex investigations; planning, participating in, and organizing interrogations, interviews, hearings, and conferences; demonstrating strong interpersonal skills and the ability to convey information clearly, appropriately, and professionally with investigators, management, prosecutors, partners, and stakeholders; coordinating with other investigative participants to recognize, identify, and address undefined investigative issues and elements; analyzing, explaining, and advising on factual and legal issues arising in cases and investigative trends in order to ensure legal sufficiency. For the GS-13 level, applicants must have one year of specialized experience at the GS-12 level that includes: supporting the planning, organizing, and conducting of investigations of alleged or suspected violations of federal criminal and civil laws and administrative regulations; assisting in evaluating facts based on current law, specific court decisions, and current policy; planning, participating in, and organizing interrogations, interviews, hearings, and conferences; demonstrating strong interpersonal skills and the ability to convey information clearly, appropriately, and professionally with investigators, management, prosecutors, partners, and stakeholders; coordinating with other investigative participants to recognize, identify, and address undefined investigative issues and elements; analyzing, explaining, and researching factual and legal issues arising in cases and investigative trends in order to ensure legal sufficiency. This experience must be fully supported and articulated in your resume to receive consideration. Please do not cut and paste the specialized experience from this announcement into your resume, as this will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position. NOTE: 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 (NOTE: All Agency employees must provide a copy of their SF-50 "Notice of Personnel Action" that indicates proof of status. Do not submit an award SF-50. It is highly recommended that multiple SF-50s be submitted to verify that time-in-grade requirements are met. Education If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating. Additional Information Relocation Expenses will not be paid. This is a non-bargaining unit position. This announcement may be used to fill similar positions in other organizations within the U.S. National Science Foundation and other federal agencies, including OIG offices. PLACEMENT POLICY: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by Promotion or Reassignment. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): 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; be physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate, to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and receive a rating of at least "Very Good" 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 OPM's Career Transition Resources. Veteran's Preference: If you are entitled to veterans' preference, you should indicate the @type of veterans' preference you are claiming on your resume. Your veterans' preference entitlement will be verified by the employing agency. For 5-point veterans' preference, please provide your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty, or other official documentation (e.g., documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that proves your military service was performed under honorable conditions. For 10-point veterans' preference, please submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, DD-214, and the VA letter or other required documentation as specified on the SF-15.
