Closing Date: 30th October, 2026
Description:
Summary:Corrections professionals who foster a humane and secure environment and ensure public safety by preparing individuals for successful reentry into our communities.
Our highly-skilled, diverse, and innovative workforce creates a strong foundation of safety and security. Through the principles of humanity and normalcy, we develop good neighbors.
Duties:
The legal practice at the Federal Medical Center Carswell, Fort Worth, Texas, covers a wide variety of issues focusing on correctional law and litigation, either through administrative or litigation channels and includes but is not limited to such matters as inmates' reasonable access to the courts (through access to legal materials, legal correspondence, and attorney-client visits), conditions of confinement, medical care, diet and religious accommodations, housing assignments, hygiene and sanitation, discipline, and civil commitments. Incumbent works closely with medical staff and the U.S. Attorney's Office in dealing with mental health issues under 18 U.S.C. 4241 - 4247.
The selected will provide legal, technical, and advisory services to the Regional Counsel, Regional Director, and regional and institution staff, and serve as legal and technical advisor on questions of legal aspects of correctional administration. The selected will be a member of a legal office that provides legal services to several correctional institutions: the Federal Medical Center, Fort Worth, Texas; the Federal Medical Center, Carswell, Texas; the Federal Correctional Institution, La Tuna, Texas; the Federal Correctional Institution, Big Spring, Texas; the Federal Correctional Institution Bastrop, Texas; and the Federal Correctional Institution, Seagoville, Texas.
The selected will handle a wide variety of legal issues focusing on correctional law, which is a practice that relies heavily on constitutional law, tort law, and other administrative law. This practice is primarily civil in nature and involves providing extensive litigation support to the U.S. Attorney's Offices. This practice involves providing advice and guidance to all levels of staff within the institutions covered by the CLC, including senior leaders. The practice also involves communication with defense attorneys, prosecutors, federal courts, and other agency officials. The CLC Attorney will have thorough knowledge of all aspects of BOP policy and practice as he/she may be required to appear in District Court on short notice to explain and advocate the agency's rational for its correctional management decisions. The legal issues covered include, but are not limited to inmates' access to the courts (e.g., access to counsel and legal materials, etc.), conditions of confinement (e.g., medical care, religious accommodations, etc.), post-sentencing processes (e.g., sentence computations and inmate discipline), and post-sentence administration (e.g., First Step Act eligibility determinations).
This is a primary law enforcement position. The duties of this position may at times require frequent and direct contact with individuals in confinement who are suspected or convicted of serious criminal offenses. It has also been determined that the duties of this position require experience and knowledge of the on-the-job responsibilities of a primary law enforcement officer working in a detention facility.
Because of the nature and mission of this position, it requires "hands-on" understanding of the issues encompassed in working within an institution. The incumbent may be called on to perform as a law enforcement officer in a correctional environment during training, emergency situations, times of staff shortages, and under any other type of correctional operating crisis. Specific correctional responsibilities may include custody and supervision of inmates, responding to emergencies and institution disturbances, participating in fog and escape patrols, and assuming correctional officer posts when necessary. The incumbent may be required to shakedown inmates and conduct visual searches in their work or living area for contraband. The incumbent must be prepared to use physical control in situations where necessary, such as in fights among inmates, assaults on staff, and riots or escape attempts.
The Practice areas related to this position are: Correctional Law, Constitutional Law, and Health/Medical.
Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:
Veterans: 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 Veteran 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.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service- connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).
Key Requirements:
- See Special Conditions of Employment Section.
- Selective Service Requirement: http://www.sss.gov
- U.S. Citizenship is Required.
Qualifications:
Required Qualifications: Applicants must have a J.D. degree and be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction).
Preferred qualification: Prior experience in correctional law is highly desired.
Education:
See Qualifications Section for education requirements, if applicable.
Only if education is a requirement/substitution for specialized experience, applicant MUST upload legible transcripts as verification of educational requirement. Transcripts MUST be uploaded and electronically linked from USAJOBS at the time you apply and MUST include identifying information to include School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). 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, Click Here. (http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation)
Foreign Education: For information regarding foreign education requirements, please see Foreign Diploma and Credit Recognition at the U.S. Department of Education website: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications. (https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/)
If you are selected for this position and qualified based on education (i.e. basic education requirement and/or substitution of education), you will be required to provide an OFFICIAL transcript prior to your first day on duty.
Additional Information:
This is a primary law enforcement position. Although 5 U.S.C. 3307 established a maximum entry age of 36 for initial appointment to a position in a Bureau of Prisons institution, applicants for this announcement can be considered up to age 39.
If you are above the maximum entry age and have prior federal law enforcement coverage, you must submit an SF-50 to verify prior coverage.
Qualified Preference Eligible Veterans may be exempt from meeting the maximum age.
A prerequisite requirement of this position is the successful completion of 'Introduction to Correctional Techniques, Phase I' locally and, the satisfactory completion of a mandatory course in 'Introduction to Correctional Techniques, Phase II' at the Staff Training Academy.
Special Conditions of Employment Section:
Congress generally prohibits agencies from employing non-citizens within the United States, except for a few narrow exceptions as set forth in the annual Appropriations Act (see, https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/non-citizens/). Pursuant to DOJ component policies, only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review, U.S. Trustee's Offices, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, qualifying non-U.S. citizens meeting immigration and appropriations law criteria may apply for employment with other DOJ organizations. However, please be advised that the appointment of non-U.S. citizens is extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considere
