Attorney - Experienced to Expert Level (Maryland)

National Security Agency/Central Security Service•Fort Meade, MD

About The Position

The Office of General Counsel (OGC) is the exclusive NSA component responsible for providing legal services to all NSA elements. The Office of General Counsel protects NSA's interests concerning the legal and regulatory authorities, requirements, entitlements, obligations and oversight requirements under which the Agency operate. NSA Office of General Counsel (OGC) is seeking highly motivated, accomplished attorneys who are interested in joining its elite team of lawyers. The highest priority areas of law currently needed in NSA OGC are: - artificial intelligence - administrative law - human resources - government ethics - equal employment opportunity - litigation. Other practice areas that are needed throughout the office are: - cybersecurity and national security law - government contracts - privacy and civil liberties - compliance programs - Congressional affairs. At NSA OGC, you will analyze cutting-edge technical and intelligence issues and will frequently provide legal advice that relates to high-profile current events affecting our national security. Attorneys working in NSA OGC apply their expertise, skills, and education to solve a variety of challenges not found in the private sector or at any other government agency. You will have the opportunity to make a global impact on a daily basis as you work with other top caliber professionals at the highest levels of the Agency and across the U.S. Government. This critical work ensures that Agency operations comply with the law while also protecting both our national security and our civil liberties. Because the twin missions of NSA, signals intelligence and cybersecurity, which are two of the most important and dynamic challenges our Government faces today, there is rarely a typical day for an NSA attorney. We are routinely presented with exciting and novel legal issues at the intersection of technology and law. In tackling these challenges, our attorneys work directly with senior officials at various Intelligence Community and Executive Branch agencies, as well as with relevant committees of Congress. NSA attorneys work in a highly classified setting and are entrusted with tremendous responsibility as they advise the Director and other senior leaders at the Agency on a diverse and complex spectrum of issues related to gathering the foreign intelligence information needed to fight international terrorism, espionage, transnational crime, and narcotics, to defeat foreign cyber adversaries trying to steal national secrets, and to provide intelligence support to critical military overseas tactical operations, all while protecting our civil liberties and ensuring strict compliance with the Constitution and our laws. Because the NSA is a Department of War agency, our attorneys have a unique opportunity to be directly involved in national security operations working alongside military and civilian colleagues, as well as to interact with the private sector in cybersecurity and other matters. In short, many OGC attorneys say they can't imagine working in a more exciting and important position. NSA OGC has several exciting and challenging career opportunities available in a range of legal practice groups that provide advice in the areas of: Artificial Intelligence; Administrative Law & Ethics; Security matters; Litigation; Intelligence Operations; Procurement; Research and Development; Information Security; Environmental Law, Patents, Telecommunications; and Acquisition, Research & Technology Law.

Requirements

  • Appointment to this position requires a minimum commitment of 2 year(s) in OGC before you can be eligible to apply for any other positions at the Agency.
  • Cover letter (include which areas of law you are interested in and not interested in, and explain why)
  • Professional resume
  • Legal writing sample (short, <15 pages)
  • Unofficial law school transcript
  • Past professional references (approximately three; include name, title, phone number, and email). Current employer references will only be required after a successful interview is completed.
  • All applicants and employees are subject to random drug testing in accordance with Executive Order 12564.
  • The ideal candidate is a highly-motivated and qualified attorney with excellent oral and written communication skills, a desire for continual learning, possesses problem-solving, analytic, and interpersonal skills, and is: - detail-oriented - customer and results oriented - able to adjust to changing situational requirements - able to build relationships across the Agency and with external stakeholders - able to manage multiple tasks with competing timelines and deliverables

Responsibilities

  • Advising the Agency on legal matters involving a particular subject matter (e.g., artificial intelligence, employment/personnel issues, ethics, security matters, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Privacy Act (PA), intelligence operations, procurement, research and development, information security, patents, legislation, or Federal Records Act (FRA) questions)
  • Analyzing legislation, programs, policies, regulations, or plans to determine impact on the Agency
  • Representing the Agency's official position in legal and legislative proceedings
  • Representing the Agency in interactions with outside customers, DoD, Congressional representatives, foreign partners, or the general public
  • Conferring with/educating clients, customers, or stakeholders on legal or policy issues
  • Determining the legal sufficiency of documents
  • Drafting legal briefs, pleadings, etc
  • Making legal determinations in accordance with laws, regulations, professional standards, or Agency policies and procedures

Benefits

  • NSA offers 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.
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