Attorney-Advisor (General)

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Office of Inspector General (OIG), is seeking a highly qualified Attorney-Advisor to provide expert legal counsel on complex and sensitive matters. The incumbent will report to a Supervisory Attorney- Advisor and support OIG programs by delivering timely advice, ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and advancing the OIG's mission to detect and prevent fraud, waste, and abuse.

Duties

As an Attorney-Advisor, you will be responsible for:

• Providing authoritative guidance legal advice and services relating to audits, evaluations, investigations, and other products from SBA-OIG components.
• Providing expert legal advice and guidance on complex cases or legal issues in one or more fields, including civil, criminal, and administrative law and procedure; ethics law; appropriations law; procurement law; legislative affairs; information disclosure law (FOIA/Privacy Act); and employment and labor law.
• Serving as a principal legal advisor on a full range of SBA-OIG programs, operations, policies, and legal interpretations, ensuring legal sufficiency and consistency with applicable laws, regulations, and OIG objectives.
• Providing legal advice to executive and senior leadership and representing or supporting the OIG in presenting legal positions before administrative or judicial bodies, congressional staff, or other external entities, as appropriate.
• Resolving complex factual and legal issues by conducting comprehensive legal analysis, developing innovative legal strategies, preparing authoritative legal opinions and recommendations, and advising leadership on matters with significant organizational or government-wide impact.
• The incumbent is expected to work independently in formulating legal advice and work products.

Salary

• $102,415 - $187,093/year

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen
• You must successfully complete a background investigation.
• You may be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
• You must possess a J.D., LL.B., and/or LL.M professional law degree.
• You must be an active member of the bar in good standing.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for this position, your resume must demonstrate sufficient specialized experience to perform the duties of this position. Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your skills, knowledge, and abilities, as they relate to this position. Therefore, we encourage you to submit a thorough resume that directly relates to this position.

Specialized Experience Statement

GS-12: Applicants must possess a J.D., LL.B., and/or LL.M professional law degree from an American Bar Association accredited law school, be an active member of the bar in good standing (any jurisdiction), meet the GS-11 requirements, and possess at least 1 year of professional legal experience after admission to the bar at a level of difficulty comparable to the GS-11 level including activities such as: (1) conducting legal research of policies, regulations, and/or compliance questions, including researching legal precedent; (2) drafting briefs, motions, or other legal documents; and (3) making oral presentations of legal research/analysis, OR received a Scientiae Juris Doctor degree (Doctor of Juridical Science degree).

GS-13: Applicants must possess at least 3 years of professional experience after admission to the bar, including at least ONE YEAR of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the GS-12 level in the Federal service or non-Federal service in the Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act; ethics, whistleblower matters or legislative affairs and experience in ONE of the following legal areas: criminal or administrative investigations and procedure, federal grants or acquisitions, audits, or appropriations law.

GS-14: Applicants must possess at least 4 years of professional experience after admission to the bar, including at least ONE YEAR of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the GS-13 level in the Federal or non-Federal service in the Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act; ethics, whistleblower matters or legislative affairs and experience advising on TWO of the following legal areas: criminal, civil or administrative investigations and procedure, federal grants or acquisitions, audits, or appropriations law.

Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions.

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.

All qualification requirements must be met by 11:59 pm (Eastern Time) on 09/14/2026.

Education You must meet the minimum basic educational requirements for Attorney Advisor positions. Education requirements include: a professional law degree J.D., LL.B., and/or LL.M. Other Information Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments Career and InterAgency Career Transition Assistance Programs: Are programs that applies to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) is a program that helps "surplus" or "displaced" federal employees improve their chances of finding a new job in their current agency (intra-agency, i.e. SBA employees only). Inter-Agency Career Transition Assistance (ICTAP) is a program that helps "surplus" or "displaced" federal employees improve their chances of finding a new job at another agency (inter-agency; i.e. not applying to their current or former agency). You are eligible for CTAP/ICTAP if: 1. You are a current federal employee who meets the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee meaning you have received official notice that your job is no longer needed or that you will lose your job by Reduction-in-Force (RIF). 2. Your agency, or the agency to which you are applying, is accepting applications from within or outside of the permanent workforce. 3. The position to which you are applying MUST BE in the Local Commuting Area of the position of record from which you are being displaced. 4. You meet the qualifications and other requirements of the job for which you are applying. This includes being rated as well-qualified for the position (score of 85 or better based on your responses to the competencies and associated questions listed within the assessment). Required Documents

Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date/time of the vacancy will result in your removal from consideration for this position. Please review your application prior to final submission and ensure you have submitted all appropriate documents. Uploading documents to USAJOBs does NOT ensure inclusion with your application to our system. You must verify that the documents are in the system with your application prior to final submission.

1. Your Resume must not include photographs. Resume length may not exceed 2 pages and must contain the following information:

• Name, address, telephone number, email address;
• Job Title (if Federal Service, provide series and grade; if not in GS plan, provide GS equivalent grade);
• If qualifying based on related unpaid (e.g. volunteer service) experience, you must provide hours worked per week and beginning/ending dates (mm/dd/yyyy to mm/dd/yyyy);
• If other than full time you must provide hours worked per week.
• PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your resume must contain sufficiently detailed information upon which to make a qualification determination. You must address the specific specialized experience required for each grade level of this position on your resume or application or you will be rated "Ineligible" for that grade level.
• Should you submit multiple resumes, only the latest uploaded resume will be reviewed.

2. In addition to the online application (resume and responses to the occupational questionnaire), you are required to submit the following forms, if applicable. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure all documents are legible:

• If you are using education as a substitution for experience (the announcement will state whether this is allowed), or if there is an educational requirement for this position, you must submit a copy of your transcripts (unofficial or official) that clearly describes your qualifying education. If selected, official transcripts will be required;
• If you are claiming Veteran status, you must submit a copy of all required documents to support your claim (e.g.: DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service; Current Active Duty members must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within 120 days; SF-15 Form and related documentation; VA disability letter)--see VetGuide;
• Veterans who are still in the service may be granted tentative preference on the basis of information contained in their applications, but they must produce a DD-214 (showing the character of service) or other proof of service to receive consideration for veterans' preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit FedsHireVets.gov.
• CTAP/ICTAP/RPL Applicants: Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP priority must provide proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF-50 documenting separation (if applicable), your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330, and your most recent performance appraisal.

How to Apply

Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions will affect your rating. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience your rating may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities.

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
1. To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
4. After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you both on screen and via email notification.
5. If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments. Click here for Computer System Requirements
6. Note, set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found on the Additional Application Information page that can be located in the application record in your USAJOBS account.

To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account. There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account at https://www.usajobs.gov/
All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/