Summary
The Torts Branch is seeking a trial attorney for its Aviation, Space & Admiralty Litigation Section. The trial attorney will be responsible for all aspects of representing the United States in actions brought under the Federal Tort Claims Act and a variety of admiralty and maritime laws, including maritime pollution laws. Specific duties include preparation of pleadings, pretrial discovery, researching, writing and arguing motions, alternative dispute resolution, and trial and appellate work.
This job is open to

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

Clarification from the agency
United States Citizens
Duties
In its aviation practice, the Section defends the United States in wrongful death, serious personal injury, and extensive property damage actions arising from aircraft accidents. Federal activities giving rise to these lawsuits include air traffic control, military aviation operations, weather dissemination, charting of obstacles, operation of navigational aids, and certification of aircraft, airports, and air personnel. Since its establishment, the Section has litigated all commercial airline accident cases involving the United States. The Section is also responsible for litigation arising from space launch or space vehicle incidents, and handled litigation and claims arising from the Space Shuttle Columbia and Challenger disasters.
In its admiralty practice, the Section represents the United States in the government's role as ship-owner, regulator, and protector of the nation's waterways and maritime resources. Its admiralty litigation concerns collisions involving U.S. vessels and warships, grounding of vessels while using U.S. government-produced charts, challenges to the boarding of vessels on the high seas during national security and drug interdiction activities, and maritime-based pollution incidents, including oil spills. Affirmative admiralty actions seek compensation for the loss of government cargo, damage to federal property and natural resources, and the costs associated with maritime pollution cleanups.
As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
• Must complete a Background Investigation to include drug testing
• Selective Service Registration is required, as applicable
• May require completion of a fourteen month trial period
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance with eligibility for Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) access depending on organizational assignment / duty location.
• Financial Disclosure: If selected, you may be required to disclose financial information in accordance with DOJ and Federal ethics guidelines.

Qualifications
Applicants must be a graduate from a full course of study in a School of Law and be a member in good standing of a bar association of a state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar (any jurisdiction) and
•have at least one and 1/2 years of post J.D. experience to qualify at the GS-13 level
•have at least two and 1/2 years of post J.D. experience to qualify at the GS-14 level
•have at least four years of post J.D. experience to qualify at the GS-15 level
You must also be a U.S. citizen. Applicants should have excellent writing, negotiation, and interpersonal skills, exhibit good judgment, and have an interest in trial and appellate work. Aviation, space & admiralty litigation experience is strongly preferred as well as complex litigation skills, including experience with expert witnesses and e-discovery.
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://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.
All documentation must be in English or include an English translation. https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.
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: http://www.justice.gov/jmd/eeos/08-eeo-policy.pdf
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.
Residency Requirement : All DOJ employees are subject to a residency requirement. Candidates must have lived in the United States for at least three of the past five years. The three-year period is cumulative, not necessarily consecutive. Federal or military employees, or dependents of federal or military employees serving overseas, are excepted from this requirement. This is a Department security requirement which is waived only for extreme circumstances and handled on a case-by-case basis.

• Benefits
  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.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications. Your application 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
  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
  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
  
  • Cover Letter
  • Resume showing relevant experience.
  • 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
  To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package, including the required documents indicated below. The Application Package must be received by 11:59 PM, Eastern Daylight Time, on the listed closing date.
  A complete application package must include:
  1. Cover Letter (highlighting relevant experience). Address the cover letter to: Rodney Patton, Director Aviation, Space & Admiralty Litigation Section.
  2. Rsum - Applicants are encouraged to ensure work experiences clearly show the possession of knowledge of the subject matter pertinent to the position and the technical skills to successfully perform the duties of the position.
  3. Writing Sample (not more than 15 pages in length).
  4. If you are claiming veterans preference, you must also submit your DD-214 (Member-4 copy) , and/or other documentation that you may have.
  Applicants are encouraged to submit their materials by email to: Michael.Gracia@usdoj.gov Please use "[Last name]Trial Attorney, Torts/ASA" as your subject line.
  The preferred application method is to email these materials to Mr. Gracia who will ensure that all applications sent by email are compiled for the Director.
  Applicants may also send their materials by commercial courier service, (FedEx or UPS) to:
  U.S. Department of Justice
  Civil Division, Torts Branch (ASA)
  ATTN: Rodney Patton, Director
  P. O. Box 14271 Ben Franklin Station
  Washington, DC 20044-4271
  No telephone calls, please. Applications must be postmarked by no later than the listed closing date of this announcement (applications submitted by e-mail must be received by 11:59 PM, Eastern Daylight Time on the listed closing date of this announcement).
  Agency contact information
  Tracey Moore
  Phone
  202-880-0187
  Fax
  202-514-7968
  Email
  tracey.l.moore@usdoj.gov
  Address
  Civil Division
  1100 L Street, NW
  Washington, DC 20530
  US
  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

• Cover Letter
• Resume showing relevant experience.
• 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
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package, including the required documents indicated below. The Application Package must be received by 11:59 PM, Eastern Daylight Time, on the listed closing date.
A complete application package must include:
1. Cover Letter (highlighting relevant experience). Address the cover letter to: Rodney Patton, Director Aviation, Space & Admiralty Litigation Section.
2. Rsum - Applicants are encouraged to ensure work experiences clearly show the possession of knowledge of the subject matter pertinent to the position and the technical skills to successfully perform the duties of the position.
3. Writing Sample (not more than 15 pages in length).
4. If you are claiming veterans preference, you must also submit your DD-214 (Member-4 copy) , and/or other documentation that you may have.
Applicants are encouraged to submit their materials by email to: Michael.Gracia@usdoj.gov Please use "[Last name]Trial Attorney, Torts/ASA" as your subject line.
The preferred application method is to email these materials to Mr. Gracia who will ensure that all applications sent by email are compiled for the Director.
Applicants may also send their materials by commercial courier service, (FedEx or UPS) to:
U.S. Department of Justice
Civil Division, Torts Branch (ASA)
ATTN: Rodney Patton, Director
P. O. Box 14271 Ben Franklin Station
Washington, DC 20044-4271
No telephone calls, please. Applications must be postmarked by no later than the listed closing date of this announcement (applications submitted by e-mail must be received by 11:59 PM, Eastern Daylight Time on the listed closing date of this announcement).
Agency contact information
Tracey Moore
Phone
202-880-0187
Fax
202-514-7968
Email
tracey.l.moore@usdoj.gov
Address
Civil Division
1100 L Street, NW
Washington, DC 20530
US
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 & 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