Opening at HHS Office of General Counsel

The Office of the General Counsel of the United States Department of Health

and Human Services (HHS) is seeking to fill several advisory-attorney

positions (GS 11/12/13/14) for its Ethics Division, which provides legal

services involving federal criminal conflict of interest statutes, standards

of ethical conduct regulations, financial disclosure requirements,

procurement integrity provisions, lobbying rules, and Hatch Act political

activity restrictions.  

Ethics Division attorneys work closely with the White House Counsel’s Office and the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) in clearing new Presidential appointees in the Senate confirmation process and also provide, in consultation with state bar authorities, guidance on legal ethics and professional responsibility issues.  Although the positions will have generalist ethics responsibilities, depending upon staffing needs, the positions may be focused on providing these services to a principal client agency, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the Administration for Children and Families (ACF).  

The duty station for the positions may be at the HHS headquarters in Washington, DC, or at an Ethics Division satellite office in Silver Spring, MD.

Candidates must have strong writing, oral, and analytical skills and be

adept at working with and advising clients.  Knowledge of federal or state

government ethics law, professional responsibility rules, political activity

restrictions, procurement integrity, or related subjects is preferred, but

recent law graduates and other attorneys with a strong interest in the

subject matter will be considered.  Knowledge of food and drug law, or the

legal framework for health and social services programs, will be considered

a plus.  

Salary currently ranges from $63,091 (Grade 11, Step 1) to

$138,136, (Grade 14, Step 10), depending upon experience.

This is an open continuous announcement.  The first deadline for application

packages will be April 10, 2014.  Review of applications will begin after

this date.  All applications received on or before this date will receive

first consideration.  After this deadline, applications will be considered

as needed on a rolling basis until the vacancies are filled.  To be

considered, applicants must email to OGCEthicsVacancy@hhs.gov

OGCEthicsVacancy@hhs.gov

> the following items: 

(1) a cover letter summarizing relevant experience; (2) a résumé; (3) a list of three

references; (4) law school transcripts (required only if the applicant has

graduated within the last five years); and (5) two writing samples.   Those

individuals who are unable to submit materials electronically may send hard

copies to Elizabeth J. Fischmann, Deputy Associate General Counsel,

Attention: Linda Conte, Operations Specialist, HHS/OGC/Ethics Division, Room

710-E, Hubert H. Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Ave., SW, Washington,

DC 20201.

These career positions are in the Excepted Service under a Schedule A

appointment.  Applicants must be U.S. citizens.  If selected, an applicant

must submit, prior to appointment, (1) an SF 85P, Questionnaire for Public

Trust Positions; (2) a copy of the applicant’s state bar card or a

certificate of good standing from all jurisdictions in which the applicant

holds an active license to practice law; and (3) within thirty (30) days of

entrance on duty, an OGE 450 Confidential Financial Disclosure Form.  HHS is

an equal opportunity employer and a smoke-free workplace.