| Location | Washington, DC |
| Salary | $121,785–$197,200 Per Year |
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Trial Attorney
Department of Transportation
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Summary
The Litigation & Enforcement Division of the Office of Chief Counsel handles a wide range of investigatory and litigation activities relating to motor vehicle safety as well as defensive litigation, rulemaking, and counseling.
Learn more about this agency
Summary
The Litigation & Enforcement Division of the Office of Chief Counsel handles a wide range of investigatory and litigation activities relating to motor vehicle safety as well as defensive litigation, rulemaking, and counseling.
Learn more about this agency
Overview
Help
Accepting applications
Location
Many vacancies in the following location:
Washington, DC
No matching locations found.
Work site options
Telework eligible Yes-This position may be eligible for situational telework. Telework approval will be determined by your immediate supervisor or manager following the agency's telework policy and guidance. If participating in the telework program, you will be required to sign a telework agreement detailing agency telework policy requirements, working conditions, and expectations for the position. 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 - Full Time Travel Required Occasional travel - Occasional travel will be required for this position.
Appointment type Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status No Federal service type This job is in the Excepted Service Represented by a union No
Drug test No Security clearance Other Position sensitivity and risk Moderate Risk (MR)
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required Yes - The Ethics in Government Act of 1978 requires the applicant selected for this position to submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of appointment and annually thereafter.
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number NHTSA.CC-2027-0001 Control number 889024600
This job is open to
Help
The public
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
Federal employees - Excepted service
Current federal employees whose agencies have their own hiring rules, pay scales and evaluation criteria.
Clarification from the agency
Applications will be accepted from any U.S. Citizen. This position is in the Excepted Service. For information on the Excepted Service, please visit: Excepted Service Appointing Authorities@ https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/excepted-service/
Videos
Duties
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As a Trial Attorney, you will:
As a Trial Attorney in the Litigation and Enforcement Division you will have opportunities to be involved with a diverse portfolio of high-profile and innovative legal issues including enforcing the Nation's motor vehicle safety laws and the laws governing fuel economy. Attorneys in the Litigation and Enforcement Division lead investigations into potential violations of law and seek civil penalties or other sanctions when warranted. Attorneys work in close partnership with technical experts on recalls and on investigations of potential safety defects in motor vehicles and noncompliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. Attorneys also prepare regulations related to enforcement and advise on a wide range of other legal issues.
With the Department of Justice, attorneys in the Litigation and Enforcement Division also participate in a range of litigation over rules and regulations, such as motor vehicle safety standards and fuel economy regulations, and other agency actions under the Administrative Procedure Act, Vehicle Safety Act, Freedom of Information Act, and other statutes. Attorneys in this Division also represent the agency in personnel cases before administrative tribunals such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB).
This position is perfect for a professional looking to grow with a great Federal agency. We are seeking highly qualified individuals who are willing to meet the challenges of public service and support our mission. NHTSA is looking for someone who is highly motivated and who can communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, at all levels of the organization.
The ideal candidate will demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills, a customer/client service-oriented approach, creativity and initiative, and sound legal and practical judgment.
Requirements
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Conditions of employment
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
Qualifications
To qualify, your experience should include experience and education equal or equivalent to the following:
GRADE 13 - Possess a professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) and be in good standing of a bar. Applicants must have 2 years of relevant professional legal experience.
GRADE 14 - Possess a professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) and be in good standing of a bar. Applicants must have 3 years of relevant professional legal experience.
GRADE 15 - Possess a professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) and be in good standing of a bar. Applicants must have 4 years of relevant professional legal experience.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:
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.
For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4
All applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this 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. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4
All applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Education
MANDATORY EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:
In order to qualify for this position, candidates must have successfully completed a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and have a professional law degree, and must currently be a member in good standing of the bar of a State or Territory of the United States or the District of Columbia.
Additional information
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, 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:
Upon completion of your 2-year trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicants criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Transportation by email at, FairChanceAct@dot.gov. To learn more, please visit our page at: The Fair Chance to Compete Act | US Department of Transportation
This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.
Expand Hide additional information
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
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.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE: Please be clear and specific when describing your experience, as HR evaluates applications strictly on the facts provided and will not make assumptions. To receive full credit, your narrative responses must be written in paragraph format and explicitly match your resume. Begin each response by listing the exact position title, organization, employment dates (MM/YYYY-MM/YYYY), full- or part-time status, average weekly hours, and federal series/grade (if applicable). Within the body of the paragraph, clearly describe your specific duties, actions taken, tools used, and measurable outcomes. HR will cross-check these details against your resume; if your resume does not fully support every claim and timeframe, the experience will not be considered for credit, which may result in an ineligible determination.
You will not be considered for the position if any part of the application or supporting documentation is incomplete. Falsifying your background, education, and/or experience is cause for not hiring you or adverse action after hiring.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Applicants will not be rated or ranked. All applications that are verified to meet the basic qualifications will be referred to the selecting official.
You may preview questions for this 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
Help
The following is a list of documents that are only required based on the type of position. Please review each of the following sections to determine which documents you need to provide with your application.
RESUME:In accordance with the OPM memorandum titled Merit Hiring Plan, dated May 29, 2025, resumes with a maximum of two (2) pages in length will be accepted as part of your application. These should be legible and in a readable font size. A determination of your eligibility and/or qualifications will be based only on those two (2) pages.
Your resume MUST contain specific information that can be used to make a qualification determination, including employment beginning and ending dates for each position, whether employment is Full-time or Part-time (e.g., Program Analyst, GS-343-11 | January 2009-Present | 40 Hours/Week) and position titles. If the position is/was in the Federal government, you will need to provide the position series and grade level. The resume should show relevant experience and education, as well as support the required specialized experience.
For assistance with the resume builder, please visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/
PROOF OF BAR MEMBERSHIP: Must currently be a member in good standing of the bar of a State or Territory of the United States or the District of Columbia.
TRANSCRIPTS - Transcripts are REQUIRED as there is a stated education requirement for the series. The transcripts need not be official, but must show that you meet the stated education requirements, including specific major or class requirements. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Educations website - click here.
VETERANS: Department of Transportation attorney positions are in the excepted service, not the competitive civil service. There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Transportation considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in the attorney hiring process. If you are eligible for veterans' preference in hiring, you are encouraged to include that information in your application along with supporting documentation, e.g., SF15, DD214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, or other supporting documentation.
SPECIAL ATTENTION: To be considered, you must submit all required resume details and applicable documents by the closing date of the announcement. Note: You must review and verify that all files are successfully transferred to our system before final submission.
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
You must submit a complete application package (including the required documents specified below) no later than 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the closing date of the announcement by email to NCC100@dot.gov.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:
If you are having difficulty applying online, please email https://www.usajobs.gov/job/877872400.
Agency contact information
Automated Staffing Office
Phone 000-000-0000 Fax 000-000-0000 Email TRANSJOBS@dot.gov Address DOT, NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMIN
Submit Application and Documents Online
1200 New Jersey Ave SE / HAHR - 50
Washington, District of Columbia 20590
United States
Next steps
You may check your application status by logging into USAJobs.com (Select "My USAJobs" and click "Applications". Within two weeks of the closing date, a Human Resources Specialist will evaluate your application. Qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager. Appropriate veterans preference will be applied. If you are selected for an interview, the hiring agency will contact you directly. Once the position is filled, we will notify all applicants of their final status.
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
The following is a list of documents that are only required based on the type of position. Please review each of the following sections to determine which documents you need to provide with your application.
RESUME:In accordance with the OPM memorandum titled Merit Hiring Plan, dated May 29, 2025, resumes with a maximum of two (2) pages in length will be accepted as part of your application. These should be legible and in a readable font size. A determination of your eligibility and/or qualifications will be based only on those two (2) pages.
Your resume MUST contain specific information that can be used to make a qualification determination, including employment beginning and ending dates for each position, whether employment is Full-time or Part-time (e.g., Program Analyst, GS-343-11 | January 2009-Present | 40 Hours/Week) and position titles. If the position is/was in the Federal government, you will need to provide the position series and grade level. The resume should show relevant experience and education, as well as support the required specialized experience.
For assistance with the resume builder, please visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/
PROOF OF BAR MEMBERSHIP: Must currently be a member in good standing of the bar of a State or Territory of the United States or the District of Columbia.
TRANSCRIPTS - Transcripts are REQUIRED as there is a stated education requirement for the series. The transcripts need not be official, but must show that you meet the stated education requirements, including specific major or class requirements. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Educations website - click here.
VETERANS: Department of Transportation attorney positions are in the excepted service, not the competitive civil service. There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Transportation considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in the attorney hiring process. If you are eligible for veterans' preference in hiring, you are encouraged to include that information in your application along with supporting documentation, e.g., SF15, DD214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, or other supporting documentation.
SPECIAL ATTENTION: To be considered, you must submit all required resume details and applicable documents by the closing date of the announcement. Note: You must review and verify that all files are successfully transferred to our system before final submission.
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
You must submit a complete application package (including the required documents specified below) no later than 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the closing date of the announcement by email to NCC100@dot.gov.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:
If you are having difficulty applying online, please email https://www.usajobs.gov/job/877872400.
Expand Hide how to apply
Agency contact information
Automated Staffing Office
Phone 000-000-0000 Fax 000-000-0000 Email TRANSJOBS@dot.gov Address DOT, NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMIN
Submit Application and Documents Online
1200 New Jersey Ave SE / HAHR - 50
Washington, District of Columbia 20590
United States
Next steps
You may check your application status by logging into USAJobs.com (Select "My USAJobs" and click "Applications". Within two weeks of the closing date, a Human Resources Specialist will evaluate your application. Qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager. Appropriate veterans preference will be applied. If you are selected for an interview, the hiring agency will contact you directly. Once the position is filled, we will notify all applicants of their final status.
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
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is focused on what matters most: prioritizing the safety of our transportation systems, modernizing our aging infrastructure, unleashing American innovation, and maximizing efficiency by removing bureaucratic red tape. We are looking for mission-driven professionals ready to deliver real results with discipline, urgency, and accountability to support American families, workers, and businesses.
As we usher in a Golden Age of Transportation, DOT values a results-oriented, high-performing workforce dedicated to continuous improvement, operational excellence, and a safe, collaborative environment. If you want to build big, beautiful infrastructure, scale transformative technologies, and achieve results that will serve our nation for generations to come, please consider joining the DOT family.
Did You Know? The Department of Transportation is consistently ranked as one of the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government!
Agency contact information
Automated Staffing Office
Phone 000-000-0000 Fax 000-000-0000 Email TRANSJOBS@dot.gov Address DOT, NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMIN
Submit Application and Documents Online
1200 New Jersey Ave SE / HAHR - 50
Washington, District of Columbia 20590
United States
Summary
The Litigation & Enforcement Division of the Office of Chief Counsel handles a wide range of investigatory and litigation activities relating to motor vehicle safety as well as defensive litigation, rulemaking, and counseling.
Learn more about this agency
Overview
Help
Accepting applications
Location
Many vacancies in the following location:
Washington, DC
No matching locations found.
Work site options
Telework eligible Yes-This position may be eligible for situational telework. Telework approval will be determined by your immediate supervisor or manager following the agency's telework policy and guidance. If participating in the telework program, you will be required to sign a telework agreement detailing agency telework policy requirements, working conditions, and expectations for the position. 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 - Full Time Travel Required Occasional travel - Occasional travel will be required for this position.
Appointment type Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status No Federal service type This job is in the Excepted Service Represented by a union No
Drug test No Security clearance Other Position sensitivity and risk Moderate Risk (MR)
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required Yes - The Ethics in Government Act of 1978 requires the applicant selected for this position to submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of appointment and annually thereafter.
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number NHTSA.CC-2027-0001 Control number 889024600
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