Protect your homeland and defend your culture. Join USCIS, America's frontline defense against illegal foreign infiltration and fraud. Do you desire to be a part of the vibrant United States immigrant admission process, to protect American interests and to secure our nation while building a meaningful and rewarding career? If so, United States Citizenship and Immigration (USCIS), and its Office of the Chief Counsel are calling!
Duties
- The responsibilities described are for the full performance level. At developmental grade levels, assignments will be of more limited scope performed with less independence, and limited complexity.
- USCIS OCC Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys (SA USA) are assigned to USCIS-connected civil litigation drawn from the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices (USAO) to which they are assigned.
- Litigate cases under the supervision of the U.S. Attorneys’ Office to which they are assigned, and in close collaboration with other Department of Justice (DOJ) attorneys and staff, USCIS OCC counsel, and relevant USCIS clients
- Exercise independent judgment and initiative in handling their caseloads.
- Responsible for all aspects of litigation management, including developing case strategies, drafting and filing pleadings, participating in oral arguments, and ensuring compliance with court orders and deadlines
- Must be adept at navigating the intersection of agency policy and federal litigation and are expected to maintain strong working relationships with USAO, DOJ and USCIS OCC colleagues.
Salary
Qualifications
The qualifications for this position must be met by 11:59 PM (Eastern Time) on 08/07/2026. You qualify at the GS-13 level if you: are currently an attorney in federal employment with the equivalent of being a GS-12 and at least one year experience at that level, or if not a federal employee and you have at least one year of post-J.D. professional legal experience commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. You qualify at the GS-14 level if you: are currently an attorney in federal employment with the equivalent of being a GS-13 and at least one year experience at that level, or if not a federal employee and you have at least two years of post-J.D. professional legal experience commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. You qualify at the GS-15 level if you: are currently an attorney in federal employment with the equivalent of being a GS-14 and at least one year experience at that level, or if not a federal employee and you have at least three years of post-J.D. professional legal experience commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. Applicants must possess a J.D. or LL.M. degree from an ABA-accredited law school or serve a legal apprenticeship in California, Virginia, Vermont, or Washington and pass the bar exam in order to be permitted to practice law in one (1) of those jurisdictions. Bar Requirement GS-13 thru GS-15: Be an active member of the bar (any jurisdiction). All applicants will be rated against the following factors: Ability to resolve questions and provide accurate legal advice to both attorneys and non-attorneys on complex legal matters. Ability to handle a heavy workload and meet deadlines. Legal aptitude as reflected in the resume provided. Quality of writing sample not to exceed 10 pages. Quality of the cover letter addressed to OCC summarizing interest in the position not to exceed 1 page. Quality of recommendations provided (No more than 3 recommendations total). Please read the following important information to ensure you submit everything we need to consider your application: It is your responsibility to ensure that you submit your responses and appropriate documentation prior to 08/07/2026. You must upload your resume under the "Resume" category. Resumes submitted under the "Other Documents" category will not be considered. Your most recently submitted resume will be used to determine your qualifications for the position advertised in this announcement. Therefore, your resume must highlight your most relevant, significant experience related to the requirements found in the qualification section of this announcement, as well as any applicable education. Limit your resume to no more than two pages. The USAJOBS database will not allow an applicant to submit an application that includes a resume over two pages. To help ensure your resume remains clear and easy to read, we recommend using margins of at least 0.8 inches and a font size of at least 11 point. Be clear and specific when describing your work history since human resources cannot make assumptions regarding your experience. Your application will be rated and ranked based on your responses to the online questions. Please ensure EACH work history includes ALL of the following information: Job Title (include series and grade if Federal Job) Duties (be specific in describing your duties) Employer's name and address Supervisor name and phone number Start and end dates including month, day and year (e.g. June 18 2007 to April 05 2008) Start and end dates for each grade/pay level if you've held a federal position. Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week) Salary Determining length of General or Specialized Experience is dependent on the above information and failure to provide the above information may result in a finding of ineligible. Note: Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Federal Experience: If you are using current or prior federal experience as a basis for qualifying for this position, the grade levels and length of employment (mm/dd/year) at each grade level must be listed in your work history. This information will be further validated if selected for this position. National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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. Promotional Potential: This position starts at the 13/14/15, depending on such factors as the selectee's experience and current salary, and has promotion potential to the GS-15/10. When promotion potential is shown, the agency is not making a commitment and is not obligated to provide future promotions to you if you are selected. Future promotions will be dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, the continuing need for an employee assigned to the higher level, and administrative approval.
Education
EDUCATIONAL SUBSTITUTION: There is no educational substitution for this position. Applicants must possess a J.D. or LL.M. degree from an ABA-accredited law school or serve a legal apprenticeship in California, Virginia, Vermont, or Washington and pass the bar exam in order to be permitted to practice law in one (1) of those jurisdictions. Bar Requirement GS-13 thru GS-15: Be an active member of the bar (any jurisdiction). Do you possess a J.D. or LL.M.? Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) from an accredited institution. Once selected and prior to appointment, applicants must provide an official college transcript. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. Your foreign education accreditation must come from an evaluation service that is endorsed by the Association of International Credential Evaluators or the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. Failure to provide foreign accreditation from one of these organizations will result in removal from consideration.
Required Documents
Resume: You must submit a resume that clearly demonstrates you have experience that meets the requirements of this position as outlined in the "Qualifications" section. Limit your resume to no more than two pages. The USAJOBS database will not allow an applicant to submit an application that includes a resume over two pages. To help ensure your resume remains clear and easy to read, we recommend using margins of at least 0.8 inches and a font size of at least 11 point. Your responses to the job questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13019341, which are submitted through the on-line application process in USAJOBS, DO NOT need to be attached as an additional document to your application. In addition to completing an online questionnaire, the following supporting documents must be received by the closing date of this announcement: A cover letter addressed to the Office of the Chief Counsel (OCC) no more than 1 page in length summarizing your background and interest in the position not otherwise evident from the other required documents. Resume. A writing sample not to exceed 10 pages. No more than 3 optional recommendations total. A declaration under penalty of perjury that the applicant is a member in good standing with the bar of a state, territory of the U.S., the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and that his or her fitness to practice law or conduct as an attorney have never been challenged in any jurisdiction, OR if either has been challenged, a sworn declaration concerning the facts and circumstances together with any explanation the applicant may deem appropriate. This notarized sworn statement must be dated within 3 months of the date the application is submitted. If you are or have been a FEDERAL EMPLOYEE, please submit a copy of your last Notification of Personnel Actions, Form SF-50, which shows tenure group, promotion potential and salary, and your most recent or last performance appraisal. Recommendations must be scanned and uploaded into the system along with other supporting documents and addressed to the OCC. It is your responsibility to ensure that your correct documents are uploaded and received. Please only submit documents listed in the Required Documents section. Are you a veteran? You must provide acceptable documentation of your preference or appointment eligibility. The member 4 copy of your DD214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," is preferable. If claiming 10 point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form (SF-15), "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference." If applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification. This must indicate your dates of service, your rank, and confirm that you will be separated under honorable conditions. View more veterans' information. Special Employment Consideration: The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement. Are you a current or former Federal employee? Submit a copy of your official SF-50* (no text version) or other official "Notification of Personnel Action" document that shows the following information: your appointment in the competitive service tenure grade and step full performance level Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50*, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment: Position Title Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee) Agency Beginning and ending dates of appointment * A General Adjustment, Detail, Any Award (Cash, Time Off, Performance, etc.) or Realignment SF-50 may NOT have the information needed.
How to Apply
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. 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: Click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement 08/07/2026. To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application. The vacancy questionnaire includes four short, free-response essay questions. This provides an opportunity for you to highlight your dedication to public service for the hiring manager and agency leadership (or designee(s)). While your responses are not required and will not be scored, we encourage you to thoughtfully address each question. Please provide a response of 200 words or less to each question. You will be asked to certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) such as a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT or Copilot. To preview the questionnaire please click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13019341. The actual salary will be set based on the grade, step, and location of the selectee(s) and/or position. You will be expected to report for work at a local USCIS facility based on the needs of the hiring office. View the 2026 Locality Pay Charts for more information. We strongly encourage you to apply online. If you cannot apply online, you must contact the Human Resource Office listed below at least one business day prior to 08/07/2026 for instructions. Applications will not be accepted by mail. Relocation expenses will NOT be reimbursed for this position. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.
Benefits
DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include flexible work schedules; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select "Benefits." Disabled veteran leave will be available to any federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service- connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.
