General Attorney (Civil Rights), GS-0905-11/12/13 FPL GS-13 (Open Continuous)

APPLICATION LIMIT: This is an open continuous announcement with cutoff dates. Applications will be referred based on receipt of application and established cutoff dates as follows:

1st cutoff date: 08/26/2026

2nd cutoff date: 09/09/2026

3rd cutoff date: 09/23/2026

Last cutoff date: 09/28/2026

This is an Excepted Service position. The job will be filled by alternative hiring process and is not in the competitive civil service. Applicants selected for an excepted service position are subject to a one-year trial period. Join our Team! The U.S. Department of Education (ED) is looking for the best and brightest to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence throughout the nation.

As a General Attorney (Civil Right), GS-0905-13, you will be responsible for:

• Ensuring that complaints and proactive enforcement activities are processed in accordance with the Assistant Secretary's directives, regulations, policies, case law and conform to established case-processing procedures. Ensures that appropriate remedies are obtained.
• Conducting legal research and provides legal and policy advice to team members on matters of considerable complexity relating to the investigation, negotiation, resolution of complaints, and compliance reviews
• Preparing and presenting training to team members on complex issues, complex statutory and regulatory standards, changes in case law, new policy decisions, investigatory techniques, negotiation skills and other case development issues
• Providing legal advice in the development of technical assistance materials (i.e., responses to recipient inquiries) and reviews such materials to ensure conformity with established legal and policy standards. Provides technical assistance to stakeholders

As a General Attorney (Civil Right), GS-0905-12, you will be responsible for:

• Making civil rights compliance determinations and ensuring that complaints and proactive enforcement activities are processed in accordance with the Assistant Secretary's directives, regulations, policies, case law and conform to established case-processing procedures. Ensures that appropriate remedies are obtained.
• Participating in all aspects of complaint and proactive enforcement investigations including on-site investigations. Duties include: evaluating complaints; planning investigations; determining legal issues; determining investigation and legal strategy; conducting legal research; collecting/analyzing/interpreting investigation data/information and conducting necessary interviews; implementing approaches to organizing and conducting evaluation, planning, investigation, resolution and/or enforcement activities.
• Drafting letters (e.g., dismissal letters, notification letters, data requests, letters of finding) and other documents (e.g., statements of the case, legal memoranda, resolution agreements).

As a General Attorney (Civil Right), GS-0905-11, you will be responsible for:

• Evaluating complaints; planning investigations; determining legal issues; determining investigation and legal strategy; conducting legal research; providing legal/policy advice; collecting/analyzing/interpreting investigation data/information and conducting necessary interviews;
• Implementing approaches to organizing and conducting evaluation, planning, investigation, resolution and/or enforcement activities; drafting letters (e.g., dismissal letters, notification letters, data requests, letters of finding) and other documents (e.g. statements of the case, legal memoranda, resolution agreements)
• Conducting legal research and provides legal advice to team members on matters of routine complexity relating to the investigation, negotiation, resolution of complaints and compliance reviews and directed investigations and the monitoring of corrective action agreements.

Conditions of employment

Condition of Employment: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a probationary period or 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 probationary period OR trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Key Requirements:

1. Must be a US Citizen.
2. Males 18 and over must be registered with the Selective Service.
3. Must be determined suitable for federal employment.
4. Relocation expenses will not be paid.
5. You may be subject to serve a one-year trial period.

You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this vacancy announcement. 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. We will consider all qualifying experience, including any volunteer experience.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications Requirements for GS-11:

Is an active member in good standing in the Bar of a State, Territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

AND

One year of professional legal experience at the level of difficulty and responsibility at the next lower grade level or equivalent.

Specialized Experience for the GS-11

One year of experience in either federal or non-federal service that is equivalent to at least a GS-09 performing two (2) out of three (3) of the following duties or work assignments:

1. Experience in assisting with legal compliance or the enforcement of state or federal laws, regulations, or policies that apply to public entities including but not limited to elementary, secondary, or post-secondary education programs.
2. Experience conducting legal research and drafting legal documents or portions of legal opinions.
3. Experience communication information through written memoranda and oral briefings to staff and supervisors.

OR

EDUCATION (see Education Requirement section of the announcement)

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)

The quality of your experience will be measured by the extent to which you possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs). You do not need to provide separate narrative responses to these KSAs, as they will be measured by your responses to the occupational questionnaire (you may preview the occupational questionnaire by clicking the link at the end of the Evaluations section of this vacancy announcement).

1. Knowledge of basic principles of research and data gathering.
2. Ability to identify pertinent information relative to the issues.
3. Knowledge the civil rights laws as they apply in the context of education.

Minimum Qualifications Requirements for GS-12:

A. Is an active member in good standing in the Bar of a State, Territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

AND

B. Has obtained the first professional law degree or training which is permitted in some states in lieu of attendance at the law school.

AND

Two years of professional legal experience at the level of difficulty and responsibility at the next lower grade level or equivalent.

AND

Specialized Experience for the GS-12

One year of experience in either federal or non-federal service that is equivalent to at least a GS-11 performing two (2) out of three (3) of the following duties or work assignments:

1. Experience in analyzing legal compliance or the enforcement of state or federal laws, regulations, or policies that apply to public entities including but not limited to elementary, secondary, or post-secondary education programs.
2. Experience with investigative, analytical, and evaluative techniques to support or lead compliance-driven casework.
3. Experience communicating complex legal information clearly and effectively through written memoranda and oral briefings to staff and supervisors.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)

The quality of your experience will be measured by the extent to which you possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs). You do not need to provide separate narrative responses to these KSAs, as they will be measured by your responses to the occupational questionnaire (you may preview the occupational questionnaire by clicking the link at the end of the Evaluations section of this vacancy announcement).

1. Ability to apply the civil rights laws and regulations.
2. Knowledge of investigative, analytical, negotiation, mediation, and resolution techniques.
3. Skills in oral and written communications and ability to analyze and resolve legal problem using civil rights legal research.

Minimum Qualifications Requirements for GS-13:

A. Has obtained the first professional law degree or training which is permitted in some states in lieu of attendance at the law school AND

B. Is an active member in good standing in the Bar of a State, Territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

AND

Specialized Experience for the GS-13

One year of experience in either federal or non-federal service that is equivalent to at least a GS-12 performing two (2) out of three (3) of the following duties or work assignments:

1. Experience in leading legal compliance or the enforcement of state or federal laws, regulations, or policies that apply to public entities including but not limited to elementary, secondary, or post-secondary education programs.
2. Experience with serving as a technical authority or subject matter expert civil rights laws, administrative law, or some other comparatively complex body of law.
3. Experience providing legal advice and developing legal strategies, opinions, and guidance on complex civil rights law, administrative law, or some other comparatively complex body of law.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)The quality of your experience will be measured by the extent to which you possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs). You do not need to provide separate narrative responses to these KSAs, as they will be measured by your responses to the occupational questionnaire (you may preview the occupational questionnaire by clicking the link at the end of the Evaluations section of this vacancy announcement).

1. Ability to review complaints, apply regulations and case law, and determine appropriate remedies, including systemic corrective actions.
2. Ability to research complex legal issues and provide clear legal and policy guidance to support investigations, negotiations, complaint resolutions, and compliance reviews.
3. Ability to review complaints, apply regulations and case law, and determine appropriate remedies, including systemic corrective actions.