Deputy Director (RECA)

The Civil Division (Division) of the U.S. Department of Justice is seeking an individual to serve as the Senior Executive Service (SES) Deputy Director in its Torts Branch, Constitutional & Specialized Tort Litigation Section - Radiation Exposure Compensation Program (CSTL - RECA).

Duties

The Deputy Director oversees the work of the RECA Staff, which is responsible for administering claims for benefits filed under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. The Act provides partial restitution to individuals who contracted certain illnesses following exposure to radiation while mining, milling, or transporting uranium ore for defense related purposes, or because of atmospheric nuclear weapons testing during the Cold War. On July 4, 2025, the Act was expanded and now covers more areas of the country and individual workers and adds compensation for injuries connected to the Manhattan Project.

The Deputy Director carries out significant executive leadership and management responsibilities overseeing the work of the RECA Staff. Major duties include:

• Personally handling difficult and precedent-setting claims of unusual complexity.
• Supervising and directing the work of attorneys, claims examiners, support staff, and contractors in all phases of the program's operations and related administrative matters.
• Advising and participating with the Director in the establishment of program policy, as well as advising and consulting with staff on new Act-derived directions.
• Preparing and analyzing policy papers for the highest-level officials in the Division, as well as participating in the formulation of and plan for implementation of new legislation impacting CSTL and the Division.
• Providing input to management offices for budget requests ensuring RECA Staff has sufficient resources to meet its responsibilities.
• Serving as a resource to attorneys throughout the Division in planning, briefing and strategically handling specialized tort compensation programs, as well as implementing other nationwide tort reform programs. Providing advice and assistance to stakeholders.

Salary

• $150,160 - $225,700/year

Conditions of Employment

1. You must be a United States Citizen or National.
2. Veterans' preference is not applicable to the Senior Executive Service.
3. Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31st, 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
4. You will be required to complete a pre-employment security investigation and background check for the security level designated for this position.
5. You will be required to undergo a drug screening and obtain favorable results prior to being appointed.
6. You may be subject to a one-year probationary period effective from the date on which you are appointed.
7. This position requires you to submit a Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE 278) upon entry, and annually thereafter in accordance with DOJ and Federal ethics guidelines.

As a basic requirement for entry into the SES, applicants must provide evidence of progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior executive level management capability and directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under the Mandatory Technical Qualifications and Executive Core Qualifications.

Qualifications

The application process used to recruit for this position is RESUME-ONLY. Applicants must show clear evidence of their demonstrated leadership ability by addressing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) embedded within their resume. The resume-based application must not exceed 2 pages (1-sheet double-sided or 2 sheets one-sided).

**Note: Applicants who have completed the SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) and have had their ECQs certified by OPM must provide a copy of their certificate as part of their application. Candidates must still satisfy the MTQs of the position.

We recommend that your resume emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of the programs managed, and your program accomplishments, including the results of your actions. You will be evaluated to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications required of the position and to the extent your application demonstrates that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of the Deputy Director position. Please be sure to give concrete examples of your experience and demonstrate the complexity of the knowledge you possess.

ECQ1 - COMMITMENT TO THE RULE OF LAW AND THE PRINCIPLES OF THE AMERICAN FOUNDING. Demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the Rule of Law, and commitment to serve the American people.

ECQ2 - DRIVING EFFICIENCY. Demonstrated ability to strategically and sufficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades.

ECQ3 - MERIT AND COMPETENCE. Demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality.

ECQ4 - LEADING PEOPLE. Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals; To drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture.

ECQ5 - ACHIEVING RESULTS. Demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to state goals from superiors.

For this position, the following Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) have been established and should be addressed within the resume application.
MTQ1. Demonstrated significant legal experience and expertise in compensation programs which serve as an alternative to traditional torts litigation, particularly in managing and handling a variety of complex claims in accordance with statutory and regulatory criteria.
MTQ2. Demonstrated significant experience in planning and oversight of the activities of a legal organization, including developing legal strategies to be utilized in processing and evaluating a large volume of claims and providing sound and timely program advice and legal counsel at the highest levels.

Education The incumbent must be a graduate from a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association and be a 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. IMPORTANT: Applicants are responsible for citing J.D. and bar membership information (institution name, state(s) for bar, and dates) on their respective resumes. Other Information Equal Employment Opportunity 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. To learn more, please visit the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Reasonable Accommodations This agency 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 agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Legal and Regulatory Guidance Social Security Number - Your Social Security Number may be requested under the authority of Executive Order 9397 to uniquely identify your records from those of other applicants who may have the same name. As allowed by law or Presidential directive, your Social Security Number is used to seek information about you from employers, schools, banks, and others who may know you. Privacy Act - Privacy Act Notice (PL 93-579): The information requested here is used to determine qualifications for employment and is authorized under Title 5 U.S.C. 3302 and 3361. Signature - Before you are hired, you will be required to sign and certify the accuracy of the information in your application. False Statements - If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be fired after you begin work; or you may be subject to fine, imprisonment, or other disciplinary action. Selective Service - If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Required Documents

To a apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Complete resume that addresses the MTQs and ECQs. Your resume must not exceed 2 pages.
• Recent SF-50 that shows Official Title, Grade Level
• Recent Performance Appraisal (for current or former federal employees)
• Proof of active bar membership
• Provide certification of OPM QRB approval (for graduates of SES Candidate Development Programs)
• Other supporting documentation as required.

How to Apply

To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account.

Failure to submit a complete application (resume and all supporting documents) by 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on (01/13/2026) may result in an ineligible rating and loss of consideration. Please follow all instructions carefully as missing application information will not be requested. It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

If more than one resume is received, only the last resume submitted will be reviewed.

Note: To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login select Application Status, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.

The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account, or your application will be incomplete.

Do not email or send hard copy resumes/applications to the Contact Information or Agency Information listed in this vacancy announcement. All resumes/applications received at the addresses listed in the Contact Information or Agency Information will be destroyed and will not be considered for this vacancy announcement.