Trial Attorney (Vaccine)

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Trial Attorney (Vaccine)

Department of Justice

Offices, Boards and Divisions

Civil Division, Constitutional and Specialized Torts Litigation, Vaccine

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• Summary
• This job is open to
• Duties
• Requirements
• How you will be evaluated
• Required documents
• How to apply

Summary

The Torts Branch defends the United States and its employees in litigation seeking monetary judgment for damages resulting from alleged negligent or wrongful acts. The Torts Branch is the principal guardian of the public fisc in tort suits that seek billions of dollars in monetary damages each year. The Vaccine Act is a critical component of our nations vaccination system and ensures that the very rare cases where people are harmed by covered vaccines, appropriate compensation is available.

Learn more about this agency

Summary

The Torts Branch defends the United States and its employees in litigation seeking monetary judgment for damages resulting from alleged negligent or wrongful acts. The Torts Branch is the principal guardian of the public fisc in tort suits that seek billions of dollars in monetary damages each year. The Vaccine Act is a critical component of our nations vaccination system and ensures that the very rare cases where people are harmed by covered vaccines, appropriate compensation is available.

Learn more about this agency

Overview

Help

Accepting applications

Posted today · Apply by 07/23/26

Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 23, 2026

Location

Many vacancies in the following location:

Washington, DC

No matching locations found.

Work site options

Telework eligible Yes-as determined by the agency policy. Remote job No Relocation expenses reimbursed No Salary $121,785 - $197,200 per year Pay scale & grade

GS 13 - 15

Promotion potential 15

Learn more about pay scale and grade

Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.

Work schedule Full-time Travel Required Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Appointment type Permanent

Occupations and job series

• 0905 Attorney

Supervisory status No Federal service type This job is in the Excepted Service Represented by a union No

Drug test Yes Security clearance Other Financial disclosure required Yes

Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.

Announcement number AT-12979466-26-JDL Control number 872251500

This job is open to

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The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

United States Citizens

Duties

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As a Trial Attorney, the incumbent:

• Prepares for and conducts hearings, settlement negotiations or trials of cases that may

involve difficult and complex factual situations.

• Prepares memoranda such as pleadings, motions, briefs, and other documents on the basis of factual and legal research.
• Participates in pretrial and prehearing conferences.
• Conducts trials or presents oral arguments in federal courts, state courts and administrative proceedings, as appropriate.
• Examines formal filings for legal sufficiency.
• Reviews submissions of party representatives to ensure procedural requirements are met.
• Responds to inquiries from the White House, Congress, federal departments and agencies, state and local authorities, and private individuals on matters within scope of assigned statutory responsibilities.
• Maintains personal contacts and works closely with officials and employees of the Division, officials and employees of the Department and other government agencies and the public on litigation and policy-related matters.

This is not a remote location position. You will be required to work in person five days a week.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
• Must complete a Background Investigation to include drug testing
• All male applicants born after 12/31/1959 must have registered for the selective service. If selected, the applicant must sign a statement certifying his registration, or the applicant must demonstrate exempt status under the Selective Service Law.
• May require completion of a 2-year trial period. (Please refer to the trial period statement under Qualifications.)
• May be required to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance with eligibility for Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) access depending on organizational assignment / duty location.
• It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment.
• Financial Disclosure: If selected, you will be required to disclose financial information in accordance with DOJ and Federal ethics guidelines.

Qualifications

Interested applicants must possess a J.D., or equivalent, degree, be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any State, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia, and be an active member of the bar in good standing.

• To qualify at the GS-13 grade level, applicants must possess at least one and one-half (1.5) years of post-J.D. legal experience.
• To qualify at the GS-14 grade level, applicants must possess at least two and one-half (2.5) years of post-J.D. legal experience.
• To qualify at the GS-15 grade level, applicants must possess at least four (4) years of post-J.D. legal experience.

Qualifications must be met by the closing date of the vacancy announcement.

Preferred qualifications: Applicants with proven advocacy, legal writing, negotiation skills, interpersonal skills and ability to exhibit good judgment preferred. Trial experience is strongly preferred, although not required.

Trial Period Statement

As a condition of employment for accepting this position in accordance with section 11.5 of Executive Order 14284, you will be required to serve a 2-year 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 trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Education

All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see www.ed.gov.

OR

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to timely provide such evidence by submitting proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency with your application materials. More information may be found at https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications

All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.

Additional information

Veteran Preference: If you are entitled to or claim veterans preference (VP), you should indicate the type of veteran preference (5 or 10 points) you are claiming on your resume. In order to determine your eligibility, you can find additional information at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/veterans-services/vet-guide/.

There is no formal rating system for applying veterans preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. 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 Veterans Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdffor a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s).

DOJ EEO Statement/Policy: U.S. Department of Justice Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Issued December 31, 2025

Reasonable Accommodation Statement: Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Schedule A: DOJ welcomes and encourages applications from persons with disabilities and is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department. DOJ also encourages eligible Schedule A applicants to submit their resumes to resume@benderconsult.com, and reference "Federal Career Opportunities" in the subject line. Additional information is found at: www.benderconsult.com.

Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Additional information is found at: www.sss.gov.

Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: Unless otherwise required by law, the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits employees of the U.S. Department of Justice or a federal contractor acting on its behalffrom inquiring about an applicants criminal history record, either in writing or orally, before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to the hiring office using the contact information listed in the announcement.

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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applicants will be on or about June 23, 2026. Additional referral lists will be issued every two weeks thereafter during the open period of this announcement. This announcement may close at any time once all selections have been made. Applicants are encouraged to apply early to ensure full consideration. Applications will be evaluated by a reviewing panel.

Please Note: The Selecting Official may select additional candidates if more positions become available within 120 days after the closing date of the vacancy.

Benefits

Help

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

Required documents

Required Documents

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You must submit the following documents:

• Cover Letter
• Resume showing relevant experience. (Must be 2 pages or less)
• Writing Sample (not more than 15 pages in length, and written in the past 3 years)
• DD-214 and/or veteran documentation, (if applicable).

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

Help

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application questionnaire and submit your supporting documentation. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 07/23/2026 to receive consideration.

• Click "Apply Online" to get started.
• If youre not logged in to your USAJOBS account, you will need to login. If you dont have an account, please create one.
• You will be prompted to select one of your stored (or uploaded) resumes, and any supporting documents you have uploaded to USAJOBS. If you have not uploaded these documents, you can do so later before submitting your application.
• After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, you will be asked to submit your demographic information (if you have provided this in your profile). Submission is optional and anonymous.
• Youll be asked to confirm your choices and certify the accuracy of your information before youre able to continue to the Application Manager system. Until you see the blue border and DOJ logo, you are still on USAJOBS. Youll see a folder animation just before you leave USAJOBS.
• Once you reach DOJs Application Manager system, youll be asked to verify the information you transmitted from USAJOBS. You will then respond to the application assessment questionnaires and indicate your eligibility options.
• After responding to the questionnaires, you will have the opportunity to attach the documents you brought over from USAJOBS OR upload documents directly from your computer or device.
• If you opt to upload a document directly, click the "Upload" button and select the document on your device, then wait for the upload to finish. Repeat as needed. Documents must be less than 3 MB each and should be in a compatible file format.
• Once all your documents are uploaded, you must assign the uploads to the appropriate document category. You may attach more than one document to each category. Click the drop-down menu for a document category, and select one of the available options in the menu. The document will be listed under this category. You can click the drop-down again to add other documents, as needed. You can have up to 15 document assignments.
• Once youve uploaded and assigned all your documents to an appropriate document type, you can proceed to the final verification step, and click Submit.
• If you have correctly submitted your application, you will receive an automated e-mail notification within 30-60 minutes. Be sure to review the announcement fully to make sure that your application contains everything that is required.

If you need help with the application process, please see the USAJOBS Help Site (for everything on the USAJOBS-side), or the Application Manager Help Site (for everything on the DOJ-side).

Regrettably, the Department of Justice cannot assist you with USAJOBS account issues. If you contact us for assistance and the problem is related to your USAJOBS account, we will have to direct you to USAJOBS to remedy the issue.

Agency contact information

Janet Lucci

Email janet.d.lucci@usdoj.gov

Next steps

Once the application package is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. All qualified applications will be sent to the hiring official for review. You will be contacted directly if an interview is desired.

Fair and transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

Criminal history inquiries Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy

Financial suitability New employee probationary period

Privacy Act Reasonable accommodation policy

Selective Service Signature and false statements

Social security number request

Required Documents

Help

You must submit the following documents:

• Cover Letter
• Resume showing relevant experience. (Must be 2 pages or less)
• Writing Sample (not more than 15 pages in length, and written in the past 3 years)
• DD-214 and/or veteran documentation, (if applicable).

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

Help

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application questionnaire and submit your supporting documentation. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 07/23/2026 to receive consideration.

• Click "Apply Online" to get started.
• If youre not logged in to your USAJOBS account, you will need to login. If you dont have an account, please create one.
• You will be prompted to select one of your stored (or uploaded) resumes, and any supporting documents you have uploaded to USAJOBS. If you have not uploaded these documents, you can do so later before submitting your application.
• After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, you will be asked to submit your demographic information (if you have provided this in your profile). Submission is optional and anonymous.
• Youll be asked to confirm your choices and certify the accuracy of your information before youre able to continue to the Application Manager system. Until you see the blue border and DOJ logo, you are still on USAJOBS. Youll see a folder animation just before you leave USAJOBS.
• Once you reach DOJs Application Manager system, youll be asked to verify the information you transmitted from USAJOBS. You will then respond to the application assessment questionnaires and indicate your eligibility options.
• After responding to the questionnaires, you will have the opportunity to attach the documents you brought over from USAJOBS OR upload documents directly from your computer or device.
• If you opt to upload a document directly, click the "Upload" button and select the document on your device, then wait for the upload to finish. Repeat as needed. Documents must be less than 3 MB each and should be in a compatible file format.
• Once all your documents are uploaded, you must assign the uploads to the appropriate document category. You may attach more than one document to each category. Click the drop-down menu for a document category, and select one of the available options in the menu. The document will be listed under this category. You can click the drop-down again to add other documents, as needed. You can have up to 15 document assignments.
• Once youve uploaded and assigned all your documents to an appropriate document type, you can proceed to the final verification step, and click Submit.
• If you have correctly submitted your application, you will receive an automated e-mail notification within 30-60 minutes. Be sure to review the announcement fully to make sure that your application contains everything that is required.

If you need help with the application process, please see the USAJOBS Help Site (for everything on the USAJOBS-side), or the Application Manager Help Site (for everything on the DOJ-side).

Regrettably, the Department of Justice cannot assist you with USAJOBS account issues. If you contact us for assistance and the problem is related to your USAJOBS account, we will have to direct you to USAJOBS to remedy the issue.

Expand Hide how to apply

Agency contact information

Janet Lucci

Email janet.d.lucci@usdoj.gov

Next steps

Once the application package is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. All qualified applications will be sent to the hiring official for review. You will be contacted directly if an interview is desired.

Expand Hide next steps

Fair and transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

Criminal history inquiries Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy

Financial suitability New employee probationary period

Privacy Act Reasonable accommodation policy

Selective Service Signature and false statements

Social security number request

Offices, Boards and Divisions

Trial attorneys with the Vaccine Litigation Staff of the Office of Constitutional and Specialized Tort Litigation represent the interests of the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services in all cases filed in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act ("Vaccine Act"). The cases involve claims of injury as a result of the receipt of vaccines covered by the Act. The office is currently expanding to address a recent increase in cases filed under the Vaccine Act.

This position involves a unique trial practice in which attorneys engage with varied issues of public health, science, and medicine. Once attorneys gain the necessary familiarity with the relevant issues, they will get extensive opportunities to hone their litigating skills. Many cases involve complex scientific issues of causation that require expert witnesses in medical fields such as pediatrics, neurology, immunology, and epidemiology.

Vaccine Litigation is an office that prides itself on collegiality, with robust mentorship and training programs in place to ensure that new attorneys have support as they familiarize themselves with our practice area. Newer attorneys will focus primarily on litigating cases typically involving less complicated issues of science and medicine, with the goal of transitioning to handling more complex cases over time.

Agency contact information

Janet Lucci

Email janet.d.lucci@usdoj.gov

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what its like to work at Offices, Boards and Divisions, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://www.justice.gov/civil/constitutional-specialized-tort-litigation-section

Summary

The Torts Branch defends the United States and its employees in litigation seeking monetary judgment for damages resulting from alleged negligent or wrongful acts. The Torts Branch is the principal guardian of the public fisc in tort suits that seek billions of dollars in monetary damages each year. The Vaccine Act is a critical component of our nations vaccination system and ensures that the very rare cases where people are harmed by covered vaccines, appropriate compensation is available.

Learn more about this agency

Overview

Help

Accepting applications

Posted today · Apply by 07/23/26

Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 23, 2026

Location

Many vacancies in the following location:

Washington, DC

No matching locations found.

Work site options

Telework eligible Yes-as determined by the agency policy. Remote job No Relocation expenses reimbursed No Salary $121,785 - $197,200 per year Pay scale & grade

GS 13 - 15

Promotion potential 15

Learn more about pay scale and grade

Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.

Work schedule Full-time Travel Required Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Appointment type Permanent

Occupations and job series

• 0905 Attorney

Supervisory status No Federal service type This job is in the Excepted Service Represented by a union No

Drug test Yes Security clearance Other Financial disclosure required Yes

Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.

Announcement number AT-12979466-26-JDL Control number 872251500

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