Attorney Advisor

Closing Date: 31st October, 2026

Description:

Summary:
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), Office of Chief Counsel is seeking dynamic individuals to serve in permanent positions as Attorney-Advisors at our headquarters in Washington, D.C. Our attorneys experience a broad range of assignments providing legal support to PHMSA's mission to protect people and the environment by advancing the safe transportation of energy and other hazardous materials that are essential to our daily lives.

Duties:
As a Pipeline Safety Law Attorney Advisor, you will:

• Work with other attorneys, program staff, subject matter experts, and agency leaders to: implement national policies on pipeline safety; pursue enforcement for violations of pipeline safety standards, including civil penalties and compliance orders; support emergency response following pipeline incidents, including issuance of emergency orders.
• Develop and adopt new regulations to further enhance and improve pipeline safety;
• Develop guidance and interpretations to assist the regulated community in maintaining compliance.
• Support litigation by or against the United States; and other legal support for PHMSA and its pipeline safety program.

As a Hazardous Materials Safety Law Attorney-Advisor, you will work with program clients, subject matter experts, and modal partners to:

• Set national policies on hazardous materials safety requirements for all modes of transportation.
• Pursue enforcement actions, including civil penalty cases, compliance orders, and emergency orders and recalls.
• Issue special permits, which allow for innovative safety approaches and new technologies.
• Develop guidance and interpretations, to assist the regulated community in maintaining compliance with federal hazardous materials transportation laws.
• Support U.S. efforts with respect to international rulemaking and harmonization of transportation safety requirements.

As a Regulatory Affairs Law Attorney Advisor, you will:

• Advise PHMSA's Pipeline Safety and Hazardous Materials Safety programs on applicable laws, regulations, Executive Orders, and guidance governing rulemaking and regulatory matters.
• Support regulatory planning and analysis by reviewing and drafting rulemaking documents, Regulatory Impact Analyses, guidance, and related materials to ensure legal sufficiency, policy alignment, quality, and enforceability.
• Represent the Division in rulemaking-related meetings and coordinate with DOT Operating Administrations, the Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST), and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to communicate PHMSA's legal positions.
• Conduct legal research and draft recommendations to support regulatory decision-making and the development of rulemaking actions.
• Provide legal support for litigation involving the United States related to PHMSA rulemakings, guidance, and other regulatory actions.

As a General Law Attorney Advisor, you will:

• Prepare legal opinions and perform legal services involving issues concerning the negotiation, drafting, execution, and administration of Federal contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements regarding various agency programs.
• Prepare legal opinions and perform legal services related to the administration of the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act.
• Prepare legal opinions and perform legal services relating to ethics, conflict of interest laws and regulations, anti-lobbying, the Hatch Act, and procurement integrity.
• Prepare legal opinions and perform legal services in the areas of employment and personnel law, and labor relations. Represent the Agency in litigation before the EEOC, the MSPB, the FLRA, arbitrators, and other administrative forums.

The ideal candidate will have knowledge and experience with a range of legal practice areas associated with the transportation industry and the Department of Transportation such as, administrative enforcement, including charging documents, adjudications, hearings, and negotiations; regulatory development and drafting; administrative appeals and litigation; legislative drafting and analysis; and working collaboratively with other attorneys, engineers, policy leaders, and safety experts performing a wide variety of legal tasks in a government setting.

Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:

• You must be a U.S.Citizen and eligible for consideration.
• Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.
• This is an Excepted Service position.
• Required documents must be submitted by the closing date.

Conditions of Employment:

• SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Background Investigation: You will be required to complete a background/security investigation and meet preliminary requirements prior to onboarding.
• Trial Period: This is an Excepted Service position. This job will be filled by an alternative hiring process and is not in the competitive service. Applicants selected for an excepted service position may be subject to a two-year trial period.
• Government Travel Card: This position involves travel. A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
• Ethics/Conflict of Interest Statement: All employees are subject to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch, set out in Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 2635, including restrictions on owning financial interests that may conflict with performance of their duties. Some employees, like those involved in contracting or regulating non-Federal entities, are subject to Executive Branch Financial Disclosure requirements set out in Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 263.

Qualifications:
To qualify, your experience should include experience and education equal or equivalent to the following: