Attorney-Adviser (Ethics)

This is a non-bargaining unit position located in the Deputy General Counsel of Law Division of the Office of General Counsel (OGC) at the Federal Election Commission (FEC). The Deputy Ethics Officer reports directly to the General Counsel, who serves as the Designated Agency Ethics Officer. The Deputy Ethics Officer provides legal advice, analysis, and research work in ethics and is primarily responsible for administering the day-to-day operations of the Commission's Ethics Program.

Duties

As the Attorney-Adviser (Ethics) in this position, you will:

• Have frequent contact with the leadership of the agency and is relied upon to provide confidential advice to ensure compliance with the applicable ethic's laws.
• Administer the day-to-day operations of the Commission's ethics programs, working closely with the Designated Agency Ethics Official (DAEO), Alternate Designated Agency Ethics Official (ADEAO), and Special Counsel to the General Counsel on important issues pertaining to the ethics program.
• Generate and deliver expert-level guidance on a wide variety of ethics and/or Hatch Act issues to employees at every level of the Commission.
• Serve as the agency's liaison to the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), and other relevant federal agencies regarding ethics laws and program operations.
• Coordinate with the White House, Congressional Liaison, and OGE to support Commissioner nomination and appointment processes.
• Create and provides ethics briefings and training to various audiences.
• Independently lead the Public and Confidential Financial Disclosure programs for the agency.
• Depending on workload considerations, the incumbent may assist on projects from other divisions within OGC.

Salary

• $121,785 - $187,093/year

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen or national.
• You must be able to pass a background investigation.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see Legal and regulatory guidance below).
• You may be required to serve a 2 year probationary period.
• Direct Deposit of Pay is required.
• You must meet qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the Basic Requirements and the Experience Requirements described below. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience. A copy of your unofficial or official transcripts must be provided with your application.

Basic Requirements (applicable to both grade levels):

A. Education: Possess a J.D. or LL.B degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.

AND

B. Bar Membership: Be an active member in good standing of a state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or territory of the United States.

In addition to meeting both of the Basic Requirements above, you must meet the experience requirements for the applicable grade level listed below.

Experience Requirement for the GS-13 Level:

You must have at least 2 years of progressively responsible professional experience working as a practicing attorney in any of the following duty areas: compliance, litigation, investigations, legal review, regulations/policy, or other similar areas. At least one year of this experience must be comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-12 level participating in providing legal advice, analysis, research, or litigation work. This must include activities such as: (1) conducting legal research of policies, regulations, and/or compliance questions, including searching legal precedent; (2) drafting briefs, motions, or other documents in preparation for trial or administrative hearing; (3) assisting with taking depositions and/or sworn statements from witnesses or defendants; (4) assisting senior staff with settlement negotiations with another party or their respective counsel; or (5) making oral presentations of legal arguments or results of legal research/analysis.

Experience Requirement for the GS-14 Level:

You must have at least 3 years of progressively responsible professional experience working as a practicing attorney in any of the following duty areas: compliance, litigation, investigations, legal review, regulations/policy, or other similar areas. At least one year of this experience must be comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-13 level providing legal advice, analysis, research, and/or litigation work. This must include activities such as: (1) conducting extensive legal research of policies, regulations, and/or compliance questions, including searching precedent or opinions bearing on the issue; (2) writing briefs, motions, reports, or recommendations in preparation for trial or administrative hearing; (3) taking depositions and/or sworn statements from witnesses or defendants; (4) participating in negotiating settlement agreements with another party or their respective counsel; or (5) presenting oral arguments in a court or administrative hearing.

In addition, you must provide a cover letter of at least two pages summarizing your evidence of the following competencies:

1. Legal Writing: Writes clear, concise, persuasive legal documents.
2. Legal Analysis: Researches, analyzes, and explains complex legal issues.
3. Investigations: Gathers information and examines facts for investigations or research; takes depositions; conducts witness interviews; drafts formal and informal written discovery.
4. Negotiating: Develops negotiation strategy; drafts and negotiates settlement agreements; works with others towards an agreement; negotiates to find mutually acceptable solutions.
5. Oral Communication: Makes clear and convincing oral presentations to individuals or groups; listens effectively and clarifies information as needed; communicates complex legal principles succinctly and clearly.

We recommend your cover letter include examples that are clear, concise, and emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of the functions, activities, or services you delivered; level of contacts; the sensitivity and criticality of the issues you addressed, and the results of your actions.

Part-time or unpaid experience: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

Volunteer work experience: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Please Note: Selection at the GS-13 level does not guarantee promotion to the GS-14, full performance level.

• If you are selected at the GS-13 grade level, you may be promoted without further competition to the GS-14 level once you have served 18 months at the GS-13 level and met performance requirements.

Education Applicants must submit a copy of unofficial or official transcripts conferring a J.D., or LL.B., or higher degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association. A self-created transcript or a list of courses you have prepared is not acceptable. Other Information FEC 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, telework and transportation subsidies. Salary Ranges: GS-13: $121,785 - $158,322 GS-14: $143,913 - $187,093 If you receive a tentative offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment. Veterans: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Federal Election Commission considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required by that form. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement. Additional selections may be made from this announcement. Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package including the documents listed below. We strongly encourage applicants to doublecheck that all required items are properly submitted to ensure consideration.

1. Your Resume listing hours worked per week, dates of employment (month/year) and duties performed for each position held. Limit your resume to two pages. Only resumes 2 pages or less in length will be accepted to determine eligibility and qualifications. For more information, view the following link. USAJOBS Help Center - Update your resume now so it meets new resume requirements
2. Cover Letter addressing the competencies in the Qualifications section above. Please limit your cover letter to 2 pages.
3. Unofficial law school transcripts to verify you meet the educational requirements of this position. All applicants are required to submit unofficial law school transcripts prior to the closing of this announcement. If selected for this position you will be required to submit official law school transcripts upon entry into duty. Self-created "transcripts" will not be accepted.
4. Copy of Bar License to verify you are licensed and in good standing to practice law as an Attorney under the laws of a state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or territory of the United States. You must submit a copy of your current Bar card, or letter of good standing. Alternatively, a PDF or printout from an online bar database reflecting your status is acceptable.
5. Veterans documents (if applicable): DD-214 including character of service, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions within 120 days, and if applicable, SF-15 Form, VA letter, or other documentation required by that form.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 03/13/2026 to receive consideration.

To begin, click Apply Online. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account.

You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application. You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement.

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.