Closing Date: 10th August, 2026
Description:
Summary:The Director in the Constitutional and Specialized Tort Litigation Section of the Torts Branch is a Senior Executive Service (SES) position in the Civil Division, U.S. Department of Justice. For more information on the Torts Branch - CSTL Section, visit https://www.justice.gov/civil/constitutional-specialized-tort-litigation-section.
Duties:
CSTL consists of three groups: Constitutional Torts; the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP); and the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) Program. The Constitutional Torts Staff defends federal employees at all levels of government in cases seeking money damages against them personally for actions taken as part of their official duties. The RECA Program is an administrative law platform that adjudicates claims from individuals who suffered from radiation exposure during the early days of the Atomic Age. The VICP establishes a no-fault compensation system which provides a safety net for persons injured by routine pediatric vaccines in the event of rare adverse events and litigates petitions for compensation.
The Director of CSTL supervises subordinate staff, which includes Assistant Directors and SES Deputy Directors. Analyzes proposed legislation and Executive Orders which may affect the work of the Torts Branch.
In managing Constitutional Torts, the Director:
In managing the RECA Program, the Director:
has executive level oversight for the outcome in every claim, either to approve or deny compensation in accordance with statutory criteria; presents to the designated RECA Appeals Officer cases on appeal from the denial of monetary compensation under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act; approves referral to Office of the Inspector General when there is suspicion of fraud on behalf of a claimant.
In managing VICP litigation, the Director:
has executive level oversight of the staff; reviews sensitive, medically and legally complex moving papers and brief at the trial and appellate level; approves settlements; advises Department leadership on policy-based issues; and plans for additional staff funding and resource allocation to accommodate expanding litigation demands.
Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:
Qualifications:
The Director of CSTL supervises subordinate staff, which includes Assistant Directors and SES Deputy Directors. Analyzes proposed legislation and Executive Orders which may affect the work of the Torts Branch.
In managing Constitutional Torts, the Director:
- personally reviews difficult and precedent-setting cases of unusual complexity; applies the facts in each situation to regulatory criteria in deciding requests for representation; handles legal issues arising out of the provision of individual capacity representation by DOJ to federal employees, as well as issues arising out of the implementation of the Federal Employees Liability Reform and Tort Compensation Act of 1988.
- consults with leadership on litigation strategy, settlement, and appellate prospects in high-profile and sensitive policy-driven cases; approves the hiring of consultants and experts and approves litigation expenses; and oversees the Civil Division's Private Counsel Program.
In managing the RECA Program, the Director:
has executive level oversight for the outcome in every claim, either to approve or deny compensation in accordance with statutory criteria; presents to the designated RECA Appeals Officer cases on appeal from the denial of monetary compensation under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act; approves referral to Office of the Inspector General when there is suspicion of fraud on behalf of a claimant.
In managing VICP litigation, the Director:
has executive level oversight of the staff; reviews sensitive, medically and legally complex moving papers and brief at the trial and appellate level; approves settlements; advises Department leadership on policy-based issues; and plans for additional staff funding and resource allocation to accommodate expanding litigation demands.
Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:
- You must be a United States Citizen or National.
- Veterans' preference is not applicable to the Senior Executive Service.
- Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31st, 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
- You will be required to complete a pre-employment security investigation and background check for the security level designated for this position.
- You will be required to undergo a drug screening and obtain favorable results prior to being appointed.
- You may be subject to a one-year probationary period effective from the date on which you are appointed.
- This position requires you to submit a Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE 278) upon entry, and annually thereafter in accordance with DOJ and Federal ethics guidelines.
- You must meet all minimum qualifications to be deemed eligible. Only experience obtained by closing date of this announcement will be considered.
- As a basic requirement for entry into the SES, applicants must provide evidence of progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior executive level management capability and directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under the Mandatory Technical Qualifications and Executive Core Qualifications.
Qualifications:
The application process used to recruit for this position is RESUME-ONLY. Applicants must show clear evidence of their demonstrated leadership ability by addressing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) embedded within their resume. The resume-based application should not exceed 2 pages (1-sheet double-sided or 2 sheets one-sided)
Note: Applicants who have completed the SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) and have had their ECQs certified by OPM must provide a copy of their certificate as part of their application. Candidates must still satisfy the MTQs of the position.
We recommend that your resume emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of the programs managed, and your program accomplishments, including the results of your actions. You will be evaluated to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications required of the position and to the extent your application demonstrates that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of the Director. Please be sure to give concrete examples of your experience and demonstrate the complexity of the knowledge you possess.
ECQ1 - Commitment to The Rule of Law and The Principles of The American Founding. Demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the Rule of Law, and commitment to serve the American people.
ECQ2 - Driving Efficiency. Demonstrated ability to strategically and sufficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades.
ECQ3 - Merit and Competence. Demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality.
ECQ4 - Leading People. Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals; To drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture.
ECQ5 - Achieving Results. Demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors.
For this position, the following Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) have been established and should be addressed within the resume application.
MTQ1 - Demonstrated legal experience and expertise that includes defending government employees personally in federal court from constitutional, common-law tort, and state or federal statutory damage claims, as well as the activities involved in assigned programs.
MTQ2 - Demonstrated experience in planning and oversight of the activities of a legal organization, including developing legal strategies in U.S. courts and providing sound and timely legal counsel.
Education:
Applicants must possess a J.D. degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association, have at least 5 years of relevant post-J.D. experience, and be an active member of the bar in good standing a state, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. IMPORTANT: Applicants are responsible for citing J.D. and bar membership information (institution name, state(s) for bar, and dates) on their respective resumes.
Additional Information:
Equal Employment Opportunity:
The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. To learn more, please visit the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Reasonable Accommodation
This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Legal and Regulatory Guidance
Social Security Number - Your Social Security Number may be requested under the authority of Executive Order 9397 to uniquely identify your records from those of other applicants who may have the same name. As allowed by law or Presidential directive, your Social Security Number is used to seek information about you from employers, schools, banks, and others who may know you.
We recommend that your resume emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of the programs managed, and your program accomplishments, including the results of your actions. You will be evaluated to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications required of the position and to the extent your application demonstrates that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of the Director. Please be sure to give concrete examples of your experience and demonstrate the complexity of the knowledge you possess.
ECQ1 - Commitment to The Rule of Law and The Principles of The American Founding. Demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the Rule of Law, and commitment to serve the American people.
ECQ2 - Driving Efficiency. Demonstrated ability to strategically and sufficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades.
ECQ3 - Merit and Competence. Demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality.
ECQ4 - Leading People. Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals; To drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture.
ECQ5 - Achieving Results. Demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors.
For this position, the following Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) have been established and should be addressed within the resume application.
MTQ1 - Demonstrated legal experience and expertise that includes defending government employees personally in federal court from constitutional, common-law tort, and state or federal statutory damage claims, as well as the activities involved in assigned programs.
MTQ2 - Demonstrated experience in planning and oversight of the activities of a legal organization, including developing legal strategies in U.S. courts and providing sound and timely legal counsel.
Education:
Applicants must possess a J.D. degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association, have at least 5 years of relevant post-J.D. experience, and be an active member of the bar in good standing a state, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. IMPORTANT: Applicants are responsible for citing J.D. and bar membership information (institution name, state(s) for bar, and dates) on their respective resumes.
Additional Information:
Equal Employment Opportunity:
The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. To learn more, please visit the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Reasonable Accommodation
This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Legal and Regulatory Guidance
Social Security Number - Your Social Security Number may be requested under the authority of Executive Order 9397 to uniquely identify your records from those of other applicants who may have the same name. As allowed by law or Presidential directive, your Social Security Number is used to seek information about you from employers, schools, banks, and others who may know you.
- Privacy Act - Privacy Act Notice (PL 93-579): The information requested here is used to determine qualifications for employment and is authorized under Title 5 U.S.C. 3302 and 3361.<
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