Summary This position is located in the Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), Office of the Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) Program Legal Counsel. OJP provides federal leadership, funding, and other critical resources to directly support law enforcement, combat violent crime, protect American children, provide services to American crime victims, and address public safety challenges, including human trafficking and the opioid crisis. Responsibilities The duties and responsibilities for a GS- 0905-15 generally include, but are not limited to, the following: PSOB Law and Regulations Addresses difficult legal issues in providing legal counsel to the Assistant Attorney General, the BJA Director, the program's Legal Counsel and many other stakeholders. Develops materials that justify the program's policies and procedures. Develops decisions, reports, briefs, opinions and other products linked to difficult legal issues in a specialty area affecting a significant segment of public interest. Drafts bills and regulations and prepares complete reports on changes in existing regulations pertaining to PSOB legal matters. Reviews proposed legislation and regulations to determine impact on the PSOB program and drafts memoranda and guidance regarding their impact. Makes recommendations based on the comments of operating organizations, personal program knowledge, awareness of the legal implications of proposed legislation and knowledge of it. Proposes alternative language and policy changes as warranted. PSOB Operations Independently and professionally conducts legal review of PSOB claims. Evaluates evidence and legal arguments, which may include medical evidence and expert opinions; line-of-duty and causation documentation; employment, incident, and death/disability records; statutory and regulatory standards under the PSOB Act; and arguments submitted by the claimant. Renders timely determinations and issues final decisions. Upon determining a claim, files a notice of the same for delivery to the claimant, specifying the factual findings and legal conclusions that support the decision. Trains PSOB legal personnel. Reviews and edits the work product of other legal personnel assigned to the PSOB program, ensuring legal and factual accuracy and program consistency. Performs legal research in connection with issues of higher complexity that arise in particular claims and advises on federal laws, regulations, rules and policies of the Department and other federal agencies, opinions of OJP's General Counsel, the common law, administrative law and state laws. Prepares and renders legal advice for claims before the program. Recommends policies and develops procedures that implement the PSOB Act. Other Position Requirements: Requires admission and current/ongoing membership in a state bar. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To qualify for the position of PSOB Attorney Advisor, at GS-0905-15, you must meet the qualification requirements listed below. Possess a J.D. or LL.B. degree from an accredited law school. Be an active member of the bar in good standing (any U.S. jurisdiction). Have a minimum of four (4) years of post J.D./LL.B legal experience, which must have been in at least one of the following areas: In handling legal matters involving programs such as those providing disability, death, and education benefits, or other complex programs governed by law, regulation and procedures; In handling Torts, insurance claims, workers' compensation or similar matters; or Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program (PSOB). You MUST meet all qualification requirements, including time-in-grade, by the closing date of this announcement, 08/10/2026. Your resume must support your responses to the online questionnaire and the qualification requirements. Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating. See the Required Documents section for important notes about what must be included in your resume. Education Applicants must possess a J.D. or LL.B. degree from an accredited law school. Additional Information Other Position Requirements: Requires admission to the bar and active license in at least one jurisdiction. Requires professional knowledge of the statutes, orders, rules and regulations applicable to the adjudication of federal claims. Requires expertise in how to work in partnership with public safety officers and national public safety organizations or similar organizations. Requires knowledge of the mission, structure and overall responsibilities of public safety agencies at the state and local levels. OJP offers opportunities for flexible work schedules. Additional selections may be made from this announcement. Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. More information can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/media/1425556/dl?inline. DOJ Reasonable Accommodation Policy: Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. The DOJ Reasonable Accommodation policy can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/reasonable-accommodation#policy Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: The Fair Chance Act prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOJ employee or Federal contractor acting on its behalf has violated your rights under this Act, you may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to human.resources@usdoj.gov. Note: In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201(b) certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance Act.
