Closing Date: 20th July, 2026

Description:

Summary:
Serves as legal counsel within the Office of the Chief Counsel, International Affairs & National Security Law Division (AGC-700), providing advice and counsel concerning a variety of national aviation security matters.

Duties:
Provides legal advice and counsel to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on all international aviation matters, including matters that arise from the operation of foreign air carriers in the United States (U.S.), the operation of U.S. air carriers overseas, the provision of technical assistance by the FAA to foreign countries, and other international aviation matters arising under federal aviation legislation.

Reviews, drafts, and negotiates agreements for the provision of technical assistance agreements, research and development agreements, and Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreements (BASA) and associated implementation procedures between the FAA and foreign governments.

In conjunction with other legal practice areas, provides advice and counsel regarding international affairs matters related to aviation safety, air navigation services, and commercial space. This includes a wide range of aviation safety, air navigation services, and commercial space-related matters, including but not limited to International Aviation Safety Assessments (IASAs) and Bi-lateral Commercial Space Transportation Agreements (BCSTAs).

Provides legal and policy advice and guidance to headquarters and regional offices relating to the foregoing matters, which cover a diversified and complex field of law and international, inter- and intra-governmental relations. The work involves contact with high-level officials within the FAA, the Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST), other executive and legislative agencies, foreign governments, and industry. Reviews regulatory and legislative proposals to ensure conformity with the authorizing statute and agency policy.

Conducts thorough legal research by appropriately identifying and analyzing relevant legal and factual issues and arguments. Assesses legal strengths and weaknesses of available arguments to provide accurate, complete, and practical legal advice and conclusions. Identifies and learns emerging issues, principles, and practices relevant to the legal practice area.

Provides advice tailored to the client and requirements of the agency. Adjusts communications to meet audience expectations and level of understanding. Keeps client and practice area management informed of issues and activities that may or should be discussed at a higher level. Manages workload to ensure that priorities are achieved and deadlines are met.

Participates in appropriate training and/or learning activities.

Performs full performance level assignments under limited direction. Serves as an individual contributor, team member, or project leader for routine assignments. Applies considerable experience and advanced professional legal knowledge to assignments. Performs most assignments independently. Receives direction from a manager or more experienced attorney when exceptionally difficult issues are encountered.

Based on professional knowledge, plans and carries out assignments, resolves most conflicts, coordinates with others, and completes assignments on own initiative. Independently plans use of time and resources to accomplish complex objectives. The employee is expected to complete activities within established schedules and deadlines, analyze program requirements and accomplishments, and recommend adjustments needed to address program needs.

Contacts are internal and external to the organization and the agency. Contacts are with other attorneys, agency managers, aviation industry representatives, and officials of courts.

Laws, regulations, orders, and procedures apply directly to many assignments, but the attorney possesses considerable latitude to select an optimum approach or recommend a new approach to a problem or issue. Work is reviewed from an overall standpoint for consistency and effectiveness in meeting requirements or satisfying expectations.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:

US Citizenship is required.
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
Designated or Random Drug Testing required.
This position has a positive education requirement. Transcript(s) required.

Qualifications:
To qualify for this position, ALL applicants MUST meet the following criteria:
have a JD Degree from an accredited law school;

be admitted to practice before the bar of any U.S. jurisdiction or within the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico;

be an active member of that bar; and

To be considered for an H Band: Applicant must demonstrate at least one year (52 weeks) of SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE equivalent to the next lower grade/pay band (FG/GS-11/FV-G) that is typically related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of the position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been at least equivalent to the next lower level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Specialized Experience is defined as:
Experience providing legal advice and counsel on basic or routine matters concerning international aviation law.

To be considered for the I Band: Applicant must demonstrate at least one year (52 weeks) of SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE equivalent to the next lower grade/pay band (FG/GS-12/FV-H) that is typically related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of the position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been at least equivalent to the next lower level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Specialized Experience is defined as:

Experience providing legal advice and counsel on issues concerning international aviation law, and;
Experience representing agency/firm in international aviation law matters.
You should include relevant examples of the specialized experience in your work history. Errors or omissions may impact your rating or may result in you not being considered.

Answer all questions to the best of your ability. DO NOT ASSUME THAT BECAUSE YOU HOLD, OR HAVE HELD THIS POSITION, YOU WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE FOUND ELIGIBLE. You may be asked to provide evidence or documentation that you have this type of experience later in the selection process. Your responses are subject to verification through job interviews, or any other information obtained during the application process. Any exaggeration of your experience or any attempt to conceal information can result in disqualification.
Applicants who fail to demonstrate possession of any of the above criteria AND who do not provide the required documentation will receive no further consideration for this position.*

Eligible applicants meeting the minimum qualification requirements and/or selective placement factor(s) (SPF) may be further evaluated on the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA) and/or Quality Ranking Factor (QRF) listed in the announcement. Based on this evaluation, applicants will be placed in one of the following categories: (1) score order; (2) category grouping; or (3) alphabetical and referred to the selecting official for selection consideration.

Applicants may be asked to verify information on your application for employment with the FAA.
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement.**

Education:
This position has a positive education requirement: Applicants must submit a copy of their college or university transcripts(s) and certificates by the closing date of announcement to verify qualifications. If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to appointment. You may upload these documents with your application in USAJOBS or fax it to fax number provided in the announcement (please include announcement number on each page).

Failure to do so will result in loss of consideration.

Schools must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation may be verified at the following website: www.ed.gov/accreditation.

Foreign education must be evaluated by a private professional organization specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials or an accredited U.S. educational institution in terms of equivalence to a degree acquired at an American college or university. A copy of the evaluation results must be included, otherwise your foreign education will not be considered.

For additional information regarding foreign education, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html
Applicants who are not currently in the 905 occupational series (Attorney) in the Federal Government and fail to provide a copy of an unofficial or official transcript will not receive further consideration for this vacancy. Upon selection, if not currently employed in the 905 occupational series (Attorney), you will be required to submit an official transcript prior to appointment. If you do not have an official transcript (original, with the ra