Trial Attorney (National Courts Section)
Offices, Boards and Divisions
Posted: March 11, 2026 (2 days ago)
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Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Other Agencies and Independent Organizations
This senior attorney role at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission involves providing expert legal advice to top officials on complex issues like nuclear reactor licensing, environmental regulations, and agency ethics, while handling litigation and drafting rules.
It's ideal for experienced lawyers with a background in government or private practice who enjoy tackling high-stakes, evolving legal challenges in a regulatory environment.
Current NRC employees who can demonstrate strong analytical and communication skills would be a great fit.
These positions are located in the Office of General Counsel. Division and supervisory information will be determined at time of selection. These positions are open to current NRC employees.
Selectees will remain at their current duty station. These positions ARE subject to Confidential Financial Disclosure reporting requirements.
These positions ARE subject to security ownership restriction reporting requirements In order to qualify for this position, you must have at least one year of specialized experience at the next lower grade level in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE is defined as: attorney or judicial work experience in a government legal office (NRC or other government entity), federal or state judiciary, or the private practice of law which provided the candidate with the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform the work of this position.
Examples of qualifying specialized experience include but are not limited to: Providing legal support to the Commission and senior staff officials on high priority matters associated with evolving issues (e.g., new and advanced reactor licensing, NEIMA, the ADVANCE Act, EO 14300); providing legal support to senior management relating to alleged misconduct of a management official or prohibited discrimination by management; advising on evolving EEO issues; representing NRC or the NRC staff in litigation associated with new reactor licensing, license renewals, materials licensing, high-level waste issues, enforcement matters, or license amendments; representing NRC in interactions with other government agencies on environmental issues or advanced reactor licensing; drafting or reviewing draft rules; preparing analyses of Chairman and Commissioner authorities; preparation of legal memoranda on administrative and judicial decisions affecting the NRC and complex rulemaking documents; reviewing complex NRC staff safety or environmental documents; reviewing complex contract and acquisition materials; advising on employment matters; providing legal analysis of complex issues associated with fiscal and appropriations law, information law, and ethics; providing legal advice on complex issues associated with international regulatory agreements; providing training and reviewing the work products of junior attorneys; or leading teams and work groups.
The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate the following: 1.
Ability to provide legal advice and support to the General Counsel, the Commission, and the Commission staff on a variety of complex legal matters.
Applicants should respond by providing examples of demonstrated ability to provide legal counsel across multiple substantive legal practice areas. 2.
Ability to effectively identify, interpret and analyze Federal laws, statutes, regulations, and cases as they relate to rulemaking, licensing, enforcement, oversight, agency administration, or adjudications.
3. Excellent written and oral communication skills, particularly in connection with providing legal opinions, advice and counsel.
Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective work relationships with management and staff, coworkers, and personnel of other government agencies.
A description of how you possess the specialized experience as well as how you meet the qualifications desired in an ideal candidate should be addressed in your resume.
The NRC encourages applicants to provide concise, results-focused language for job experience details in your resume.
Applicants may also use the supplemental vacancy question to provide additional information pertaining to the specialized experience and ideal candidate criteria. PLEASE BE CLEAR AND CONCISE.
WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Major Duties:
As a Senior Attorney in OGC, your duties will include but are not limited to the following: • Provide day‐to‐day advice to the Commission and senior members of the NRC on legal and legal policy matters involving the licensing and regulation of nuclear facilities or materials and/or the operation and administration of the agency, including high‐profile, complex matters.
• Represent the agency or agency staff in litigation before federal courts and/or administrative tribunals, and in interactions with other Federal agencies, state officials, and stakeholders on important regulatory and management issues before the agency.
• Draft, analyze, and/or provide comments on legal materials such as: complex regulatory, guidance, or policy documents proposed legislation executive orders adjudicatory decisions and legislative enactments that impact NRC programs, management, operations, and practices highly complex or novel administrative or general law questions which may result in significant changes to agency policies or practices •Perform comprehensive legal research and analysis to support legal positions, and review sensitive documents, correspondence, and other written materials prepared by NRC staff; in addition, you will recommend revisions of client‐produced material to conform to legal requirements.
• Provide leadership to other OGC attorneys, paralegals, and support staff by engaging in mentoring and training, and by providing guidance or advice to others.
This may involve leading teams and work groups on special projects, and/or reviewing the work products of other NRC attorneys and providing resulting feedback to the author and/or division management.
• Duties are performed with substantial independence, requiring the exercise of sound judgment and only limited supervisory oversight.
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