Honors Attorney (TERM)

Summary

Attorneys provide legal advice and representation to ensure that NGA accomplishes its mission in compliance with applicable laws. They ascertain facts, analyze issues, apply legal authorities, render opinions, and advocate Agency positions. Attorneys work cooperatively with others within the office, the Agency, the Intelligence Community, the DoD, and the U.S. Government. Attorneys perform legal r

Duties

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTION: Attorneys provide legal advice and representation to ensure that NGA accomplishes its mission in compliance with applicable laws. They ascertain facts, analyze issues, apply legal authorities, render opinions, and advocate Agency positions. Attorneys work cooperatively with others within the office, the Agency, the Intelligence Community, the DoW, and the U.S. Government. This is a three (3) year TERM appointment within NGA that may be extended not to exceed four (4) years, and is not guaranteed. ELIGIBILITY LIMITATION: Eligibility is limited to graduating law students who will graduate from law school between October 1, 2026 and September 30, 2027, and recent law school graduates who began participating, and continue to be employed in, eligibility preserving employment within 24 months of law school graduation. Eligibility preserving employment includes full-time activities starting after law school graduation which can preserve a law school graduate's eligibility for the Honors Program such as judicial clerkships or time-limited court staff attorney positions; federal agency or state government Honors Attorney programs; or legal fellowships. Candidates will be assessed based upon the information relayed in their submitted (uploaded) resume, cover letter, and supporting documentation. Please ensure all work experience details month and year of starting or concluding a position. It is important applicants fully complete the following sections of the online application within the candidate portal (https://careers.nga.mil): Start, Prequalify, Personal Information, Preferences, and Education sections of the online application. For the Work Experience and Accomplishments sections, applicants need only identify their most recent work experience and accomplishment because the assessment panel will primarily rely upon the information contained within the candidate's submitted resume and supporting documents. Applicants will be rated and ranked by an agency Qualifications Review Board using only the information submitted for consideration. As applicants for this position are undergoing a competitive process for selection, NGA has the option, subject to availability of funds, to convert the employee into a permanent NGA employee without further competition. The term employee must have a "successful or better" overall rating on the most recent performance evaluation to be eligible for conversion. This position may be eligible for a RECRUITMENT INCENTIVE: This position may offer a recruitment incentive, subject to eligibility, and candidates must sign a service agreement requiring prorated repayment if the agreement is terminated before completion.

Qualifications

MANDATORY QUALIFICATION CRITERIA: For this particular job, applicants must meet all competencies reflected under the Mandatory Qualification Criteria to include education (if required). Online resumes must demonstrate qualification by providing specific examples and associated results, in response to the announcement's mandatory criteria specified in this vacancy announcement: Demonstrated experience applying critical thinking to complex problem identification, analysis and resolution to provide superior legal research and legal writing. Demonstrated ability to evaluate pertinent facts; research, analyze and apply laws, rules, and regulations; and execute legal strategies. Demonstrated ability to provide timely, accurate, and practical written and oral legal advice to enable an organizational mission consistent with applicable laws. EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: A. Education: Juris Doctorate degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association. -AND- LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS: Must be a member in good standing of a bar of a U.S. state or territory, the District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. DESIRABLE QUALIFICATION CRITERIA: In addition to the mandatory qualifications, experience in the following is desired: Special high-level recognition for academic excellence in law school, such as selection to Order of the Coif, CALI Awards, etc. Work or achievement in the law school's law review or other recognized law journal. Participation in a moot court or mock trial competition or membership on a moot court or mock trial team. Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, orally and in writing. Demonstrated experience collaborating with others (i.e. clients and colleagues) to enable effective and proactive resolution of legal and policy matters. Understanding of, demonstrated interest in, and/or experience in one of the following: administrative law, intelligence law, national security law, international law, information technology law, litigation, ethics, privacy, civil liberties, intelligence oversight, acquisition law, or intellectual property law.

How You Will Be Evaluated

Applicants are not required to submit a cover letter for employment consideration with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. However, a cover letter is recommended. Applicants will have the option to attach a cover letter in the Qualifications - Attachments step of the online application. APPLICANT EVALUATION PROCESS: 1) All applicants will be evaluated using the Mandatory Qualification Criteria, 2) Qualified applicants will then be evaluated by an expert or panel of experts using a combination of qualification criteria to determine the best-qualified candidates, 3) Best-qualified applicants may then be further evaluated through an interview process. Military retiree applicants, if selected, may be impacted by the 180-day appointment restrictions of DODI 1402.01. HD personnel will provide additional information if applicable. Applicants are encouraged to carefully review the Assignment Description, Additional Information Provided By the Selecting Official, and the Qualification Requirements; and then construct their resumes to highlight their most relevant and significant experience and education for this job opportunity. This description should include examples that detail the level and complexity of the performed work. Applicants are encouraged to provide any education or degree information referenced in the announcement that is relevant. If education is listed as a mandatory requirement, only degrees obtained from an institution accredited by an accrediting organization recognized by the Secretary, US Department of Education will be accepted. You must use the NGA resume builder and limit your resume to 2 pages. In accordance with section 9902(h) of title 5, United States Code, annuitants reemployed in the Department of Defense shall receive full annuity and salary upon appointment. They shall not be eligible for retirement contributions, participation in the Thrift Savings Plan, or a supplemental or re-determined annuity for the reemployment period. Discontinued service retirement annuitants (i.e., retired under section 8336(d)(1) or 8414(b)(1)(A) of title 5, United States Code) appointed to the Department of Defense may elect to be subject to retirement provisions of the new appointment as appropriate. (See DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 300). Reemployed annuitants must meet additional selection criteria as outlined in the DODI 1400.25, v300. All candidates will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, disability, or sexual orientation. NGA provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Applications will only be accepted online. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify us at recruitment@nga.mil. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.

Required Documents

None

How to Apply

Application submission involves applying using NGA's online application process at NGA Careers Portal. Additional information concerning NGA's hiring process can be found by visiting NGA Hiring Process. All announcements close at 11:59PM EDT on the closing date listed. Be sure to complete and submit your application by that time in order to be considered. ONLY ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED. Both applicants for employment and current employees of NGA are entitled to request religious accommodations from generally applicable employment-related rules and requirements, so long as the accommodation requested would not result in an undue hardship to the conduct of NGA's business. You can apply for the job opening at https://careers.nga.mil/psp/CAREERS/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM_FL.HRS_CG_SEARCH_FL.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_JBPST_FL&Action=U&FOCUS=Applicant&SiteId=1&JobOpeningId=20260294&PostingSeq=2

What to Expect Next

After visiting the NGA Careers Portal and applying via NGA's online application process, applicants can follow their status via that same NGA online application functionality. Several other topics relating to what is involved in the hiring process and how long it takes can be found by visiting the NGA Hiring Process.

MANDATORY QUALIFICATION CRITERIA: For this particular job, applicants must meet all competencies reflected under the Mandatory Qualification Criteria to include education (if required). Online resumes must demonstrate qualification by providing specific examples and associated results, in response to the announcement's mandatory criteria specified in this vacancy announcement: Demonstrated experience applying critical thinking to complex problem identification, analysis and resolution to provide superior legal research and legal writing. Demonstrated ability to evaluate pertinent facts; research, analyze and apply laws, rules, and regulations; and execute legal strategies. Demonstrated ability to provide timely, accurate, and practical written and oral legal advice to enable an organizational mission consistent with applicable laws. EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: A. Education: Juris Doctorate degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association. -AND- LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS: Must be a member in good standing of a bar of a U.S. state or territory, the District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. DESIRABLE QUALIFICATION CRITERIA: In addition to the mandatory qualifications, experience in the following is desired: Special high-level recognition for academic excellence in law school, such as selection to Order of the Coif, CALI Awards, etc. Work or achievement in the law school's law review or other recognized law journal. Participation in a moot court or mock trial competition or membership on a moot court or mock trial team. Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, orally and in writing. Demonstrated experience collaborating with others (i.e. clients and colleagues) to enable effective and proactive resolution of legal and policy matters. Understanding of, demonstrated interest in, and/or experience in one of the following: administrative law, intelligence law, national security law, international law, information technology law, litigation, ethics, privacy, civil liberties, intelligence oversight, acquisition law, or intellectual property law.