Senior Attorney

This position is located in Office of Commission Appellate Adjudication. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies within the agency. The supervisor is Cathy Kanatas. This position is subject to Confidential Financial Disclosure reporting requirements. This position is subject to security ownership restriction reporting requirements.

Duties

The successful candidate will perform the full range of attorney duties for the office.
Such duties may include but are not limited to:

• Monitors cases pending before the Atomic Safety and Licensing Boards (ASLB) and associated legal matters and provides the Commission with an analysis of available legal options. Advises the Commission of decisions which must be made and in the formulation of legal opinions. Consults with and coordinates the views of the Office of the General Counsel (OGC) in preparing draft decisions and performing such other legal services as requested.
• Has full responsibility for reviewing and where necessary recommending the affirmance, reversal or modification of decisions of the ASLB concerning the licensing of nuclear facilities, and the reviewing and preparing appropriate dispositions of such other matters as may come before the Commission in its quasi-judicial capacity.
• Develops, when necessary and appropriate, recommendations to the Commission in improvements in the methods of procedure in quasi-judicial proceedings.
• In rendering legal services to the Commission and Commissioner offices, incumbent is required to perform difficult, original legal research in special situations, and render decisions and make recommendations orally or in formal memoranda, based upon the legal principles involved, as determined by the results of such research. In addition, the incumbent is often required to develop solutions to problems from a legal standpoint in situations in which law has not been defined by judicial precedent in which the Commission policy has not yet been developed, employing a sound legal approach with due regard for policy considerations.
• Consults and coordinates the views of OGC in preparing draft Commission decisions involving the most difficult and complex technical and legal matters.
• Recommends policies and procedures in support of the conduct of the Commission's appellate adjudicatory functions.
• Regularly represents the OCAA in meetings and conferences with the Commissioners, their staffs and OGC.

Salary

• $169,279 - $197,200/year

Conditions of Employment

You must meet the qualifications for this position by no later than 30 calendar days after the closing date of this announcement and before placement in the position.

All information in your resume must be true and accurate.

Conditions of Employment:

• U.S. Citizenship Required
• This is a Drug Testing position
• Must be able to meet and maintain security & suitability requirements.
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
  • your performance and conduct;
  • the needs and interests of the agency;
  • whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
  • whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for this position, you must have at least one year of specialized experience at the next lower grade level in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE is defined as: demonstrated expert knowledge and understanding of legal principles in the area of administrative law and have prepared written legal memoranda, briefs or opinions in judicial or administrative matters.

The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate the following:

1. Demonstrated ability to provide legal advice and support to the Commission, the Commission staff, and the Office of the General Counsel on a variety of complex legal matters. Applicants should respond by providing examples of demonstrated ability to provide legal counsel across multiple substantive legal practice areas.
2. Demonstratedability ability to effectively identify, interpret and analyze Federal laws, statutes, regulations, and cases as they relate to adjudications and other areas (rulemaking, licensing, enforcement, oversight, agency administration).
3. Demonstrated excellent written and oral communication skills, particularly in connection with providing legal opinions, advice and counsel. Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective work relationships with management and staff, coworkers, and personnel of other government agencies.

A description of how you possess the specialized experience as well as how you meet the qualifications desired in an ideal candidate must be addressed in your resume. Applicants may also use the supplemental vacancy question to provide additional information pertaining to the specialized experience and ideal candidate criteria.

PLEASE BE CLEAR AND CONCISE. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Education Applicant must possess a J.D. degree; or an LL.M. degree; and be an active member of the bar in good standing (any jurisdiction), You must include an unofficial or official copy of your college and/or university transcripts with your application. Transcript must include the School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). Education must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If you have multiple degrees (e.g., BS, MS, PhD) please submit transcripts for each degree. FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. If you are qualifying on foreign education, you MUST submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Transcripts must be uploaded with your application to verify education. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation. Other Information This position may be eligible for situational telework in accordance with agency policy. Selectees will be required to complete a "Declaration of Federal Employment", (OF-306), prior to being appointed to determine their suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. False statements or responses on your resume or questionnaire can jeopardize your employment opportunity and subject you to disciplinary action, including removal from Federal service. The NRC is a zero-tolerance agency with respect to illegal drug use. Individuals selected for these positions will be subject to pre-appointment drug testing. A transferable security clearance from another agency or a background investigation leading to a clearance is required for all new hires. To begin work at the NRC without a security clearance, you must be granted a temporary waiver of the required clearance, referred to as a 145(b) waiver. To be eligible for a 145(b) waiver you will need a favorable education verification, reference, credit, and criminal history checks. If a waiver is granted, the successful completion of a background investigation and favorable adjudication is required for continued employment. If you have resided outside the U.S. for an extended period of time, the agency may not be able to (1) grant the 145(b) waiver where the required investigation cannot be completed in a timely manner, or (2) achieve timely completion of the background investigation required for a security clearance. Required Documents

The following documents are required for your application package to be complete. If you fail to provide any required documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

• Resume that includes: 1) personal information such as name, address, contact information; 2) education; 3) detailed work experience including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment, title, series, grade (if applicable); and 4) other qualifications. Please limit your resume to 2 pages. See below for Additional Resume Information.
• Transcripts: You must submit an official or unofficial copy of your college and/or university transcripts with your application, if the position has a positive education requirement. Failure to submit transcripts will result in loss of consideration. Diplomas do not provide the information needed for determining qualifications and will not be accepted in lieu of transcripts.
• Writing Sample: Include a sample of your legal writing, no longer than 10 pages, that is unedited by anyone else (portions of longer writing samples may require separate written introductions to provide context)

In addition to the above, you must submit the documents below if you claim the following eligibilities:

• Current Federal Employees/Reinstatement Eligibles: You must submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) to verify competitive status or reinstatement eligibility. This SF-50 should not be an award SF-50.
• Veteran Preference Eligibles: You must submit DD-214 showing type of discharge/character of service (e.g. DD-214 Member 4 Copy); SF-15 Form; and related documentation such as a VA letter showing disability percentage. If currently on active duty, you must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active-duty service under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted. Veteran's preference must be verified prior to appointment. You can find additional information about Veterans' Preference at http://www.fedshirevets.gov/.
• Individuals with Disabilities: If you are applying under the Schedule A Hiring Authority, you must submit supporting documentation (i.e., Schedule A Letter). You may refer to the following link for additional information. USAJOBS Help Center - Individuals with disabilities.
• Military Spouse: All military spouses must submit documentation verifying marriage to the service member (e.g., marriage certificate); AND
  • Current military orders (e.g., statement of service) to support active-duty service for more than 180 consecutive days; OR
  • If you are a spouse of a 100% disabled service member, documentation must include service member's DD-214 and 100% service disability (e.g., VA Letter); OR
  • If you are an un-remarried widow or widower of a service member killed while on active duty, documentation must include verification of service member's death while on active duty (e.g., DD-1300).
• Peace Corps: You must submit a copy of your description of service or other proof of non-competitive eligibility.

All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English.

Additional Resume Information:
Your resume is crucial in our evaluation of your qualifications. Resumes should clearly demonstrate your skills, knowledge, and abilities. Please limit your résumé to 2 pages. To ensure your resume contains all required information, we encourage you to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder. If you choose to use your own resume, please ensure it contains all the required information, and you organize it so we can associate the following information with each experience/position:

• Job title
• Name of employer
• Beginning and ending dates of employment (month/year) format
• Hours worked per week. We will assume full-time unless otherwise stated. We will pro-rate part-time employment in crediting experience.
• Concise, results-focused language for job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable).
• Series and grade or equivalent (if a federal position).

Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) or other inappropriate material on your resume or cover letter. If your resume contains prohibited information as listed above, your application may be determined ineligible, and you will not receive consideration for this position. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter, links to social media such as LinkedIn, to determine your qualifications. Cover letters are optional.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all instructions before you begin an application. To be considered for this position, you must complete the online application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 06/01/2026. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. For a preview of the application questions, please see https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12968617.

To begin your application, select the "Apply" button located on the right side of this screen. Follow the subsequent prompts to log in or register, submit all required documents, answer the questions, and complete the application process. You may either select your required documents within your USAJOBS profile to upload with your application or directly upload them during the application process. The following types of document types can be uploaded: .gif, jpg., .jpeg, .png, .rtf, .pdf, .doc, and .docx.

Important Considerations:

• Paper Applications: Paper applications will not be accepted unless you can demonstrate hardship circumstances through the agency contact listed below.
• Application Extensions: Requests for application extensions will not be granted.
• Hardship Assistance: If you experience hardship applying online, please contact the Human Resources Specialist listed below for assistance. You must reach out during business hours before the announcement closing date and speak with someone who can provide support for your online submission.
• The NRC provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the coordinator at (301) 415-5888 or TDD 240-482-3217. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Your complete application must include your resume, responses to all required vacancy questions, and any required documents that prove your eligibility to apply.

Benefits As an NRC employee you will enjoy excellent Federal Benefits, including: comprehensive health and life insurance plans; Flexible Spending Account Program for health and dependent care; Dental and Vision Insurance; retirement savings and investment plan similar to 401(k) (Thrift Savings Plan); annual (vacation) and paid sick leave; family friendly leave policies; 11 paid holidays per year; transit benefits. This link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to Federal employees.