Closing Date: 13th February, 2026

Description:

Summary:
Securing Travel, Protecting People - At the Transportation Security Administration, you will serve in a high-stakes environment to safeguard the American way of life. In cities across the country, you would secure airports, seaports, railroads, highways, and/or public transit systems, thus protecting America's transportation infrastructure and ensuring freedom of movement for people and commerce.

Duties:
This Attorney Advisor position is located within the Office of the Chief Counsel, Transportation Security Administration (TSA), a component of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. TSA is currently seeking to hire multiple entry-level and experienced attorneys at a number of offices nationwide. TSA attorneys perform work vital to protect our nation's transportation systems and support the overall DHS mission of securing the homeland.

Depending on experience level, selectees will be hired starting at the SV G Band, equivalent to GS-11, up through the K Band, equivalent to the GS-15 equivalent level. The position has promotion potential to the GS-15 level.

Descriptions for the position opening in TSA's Field Operations (FO) division, are detailed below:
Field Operations: As Field Counsel, individuals will work directly with TSA senior executives and management at the nations' Federalized airports, providing legal counsel to support TSA activities at the airport on a wide range of issues such as civil and criminal enforcement, labor and employment law, civil rights, ethics and the interpretation of statutes, regulations and executive branch orders pertaining to transportation, homeland, and national security.

We are seeking candidates to fill one position in two different locations. The potential locations are Atlanta, GA; Portland, OR; San Francisco, CA; or Seattle, WA;

Please see below table information that includes salary plus locality by location:

Locations Min w/Locality Max w/Locality
Atlanta, GA $78,972 $197,200
Portland, OR $80,465 $197,200
San Francisco, CA $93,358 $197,200
Seattle, WA $83,935 $197,200

This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Attorney Advisor (GS-0905-11-15 FPL: 15) positions within the Transportation Security Administration within multiple geographical locations with the same qualifications and specialized experience.

Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:

You must possess U.S. Citizenship or be a U.S. National.
You must have reached the minimum age (18) at the time of application.
You must complete a favorable Background Investigation (BI).
Selective Service registration is required.

Conditions of Employment:

Must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance.
You must be an active member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. Commonwealth, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia.
If you fail to meet the conditions of employment or any other pre-employment requirements, such as missing any of the scheduled appointments, the hiring agency may rescind their tentative offer of employment.
Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for TSA to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.

Qualifications:
Basic Requirements:

The first professional law degree (LL.B. or JD) or the second professional law degree (LL.M.); AND Specialized professional legal experience that is commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. The quality of the individual's background may be evidenced by the relatedness of his or her specialization.
This position requires that you (1) hold a first-level law degree (e.g., J.D. or L.L.B.) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association; you must indicate the type and year of degree(s) conferred, law school name and year of completion, proof of Bar membership; (2) be an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States, and proof of Bar membership; and (3) provide a statement that you are an attorney in good standing. Failure to include this information may eliminate you from consideration for this position.

In addition to the Basic Requirements, to qualify for the SV-G Band (equivalent to GS-11), you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the SV-F or GS-09 Pay Band in the Federal service or equivalent education or experience in the private sector. Specialized experience is defined as experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as:

Conducting legal research, analyzing statutes, writing legal opinions;
Writing authoritative or advisory legal opinions involving interpretation of state or Federal laws, regulations, and orders, or the drafting of such regulations or orders;
Developing drafts of letters, memoranda, and legal documents for the use by a higher graded attorney.

OR

Be a graduate from an accredited law school and be an active member in good standing.

To qualify for the SV-H Band (equivalent to GS-12), you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the SV-G or GS-11 Pay Band

in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. Specialized experience is defined as experience that has equipped you with the
particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as:
Conducting legal research, analyzing statutes, writing legal opinions;
Writing authoritative or advisory legal opinions involving interpretation of state or Federal laws, regulations, and orders, or the drafting of such regulations or orders; or
Developing drafts of letters, memoranda, and legal documents for the use by a higher graded attorney.

To qualify for the SV-I Pay Band (equivalent to GS-13), you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the SV-H or GS-12 Pay Band in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. Specialized experience is defined as experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as:

Conducting legal research, analyzing statutes, writing legal opinions;
Writing authoritative or advisory legal opinions involving interpretation of state or Federal laws, regulations, and orders, or the drafting of such regulations or orders; or
Drafting, analyzing, and other legal activities with respect to bills, regulations, Executive Orders, proclamations, or statutory provisions.

To qualify for the SV-J Pay Band (equivalent to GS-14), you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the SV-I or GS-13 Pay Band in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. Specialized experience is defined as experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as:

Drafting legal documents, providing guidance and advice to clients, establishing policies and procedures; and
Providing subject matter legal counsel and policy guidance to clients who manage programs related to intelligence, national security, or threats to transportation infrastructure and the traveling public.

To qualify for the SV-K Pay Band (equivalent to GS-15), you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the SV-J or GS-14 Pay Band in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. Specialized experience is defined as experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as:

Experience leading others in addressing diverse and complex legal issues; AND
Primary responsibility for drafting final legal documents, providing guidance and advice to management, establishing policies and procedures; AND
Providing comprehensive legal counsel and policy guidance to clients who manage programs related to intelligence, national security, or threats to transportation infrastructure and the traveling public.

Credit for experience is given based on a 40-hour workweek. Part-time experience is credited on a part-time ratio, i.e., working 20 hours per week for two months equals one month of experience. No additional credit is given for overtime.

National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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).