Defense Threat Reduction Agency logo

ATTORNEY-ADVISOR (GENERAL)

Defense Threat Reduction Agency

Fort Belvoir, VAFull-time$169–197K/yrPosted today

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At a glance

Compensation
$169–197K/yr
Location
Fort Belvoir, VA
Schedule
Full-time
Work Authorization
Not specified

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Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

State Bar MembershipDoctorate

Job overview

The Attorney-Advisor (General) advises the Defense Threat Reduction Agency on federal contracts, fiscal and administrative law, international agreements, sensitive information, and operations related to weapons of mass destruction. The role includes representing the Agency in court and administrative proceedings, supporting acquisition strategy and negotiations, and providing legal review and guidance in Department of Defense and inter-agency matters. Applicants need a professional law degree, bar membership in good standing, and more than three years of relevant legal experience.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Federal Contract LawAcquisition StrategyContract NegotiationInternational LawTreaty LawAdministrative LawFiscal LawInternational AgreementsFreedom of Information ActPrivacy ActCivil LibertiesLegal RepresentationInformation Protection

Qualifications

J.D. Or LL.B.State Bar Membership3+ Years Legal ExperienceAccredited Law School Graduate

Full job description

Summary

This position is in the Excepted Service. Selection under this appointment does not confer civil service competitive status.

Duties

As a ATTORNEY-ADVISOR (GENERAL) you will be responsible for the following duties: Apply a comprehensive knowledge of business, fiscal, contract administration. Guide or participate in acquisition strategy development, source selections and complex contract negotiations. Apply a comprehensive knowledge of domestic and international laws, treaties, and policies related to the elimination of weapons of mass destruction, and operational issues arising from complex and extremely sensitive technological and scientific operations. Represent the Agency, and as appropriate DoD, in adversarial proceedings in United States District Courts and before administrative agencies such as the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals and the General Accounting Office. Protect sensitive but unclassified information (e.g., commercially sensitive or militarily sensitive data) from improper disclosure under the Government's information laws and policies. Provide legal review, guidance, and representation for the Agency in Department of Defense and inter-agency proceedings with respect to intra- and intergovernmental agreements. Apply a comprehensive knowledge of federal statutes and regulations to proposed or ongoing Agency operations, delays in which could prove detrimental to the nation's defense. Qualifications

Qualification standards for attorney positions may be found in DoD Directive 1442.2, "Personnel Actions Involving Civilian Attorneys" at DoD Instruction 1442.02, September 30, 2010 (whs.mil). To qualify, applicants must possess the first professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.). Applicants must provide proof that they are licensed and a member in good standing with the bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. commonwealth, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia. Proof is a "certificate of good standing" issued by your state of licensure within 6 months of the date of application or a screenshot of your bar status taken from your state of licensure website dated within six (6) months. The successful applicant selected for employment must provide a "certificate of good standing" issued by their respective bar showing they are in good standing and in active status prior to appointment. Applicants must possess professional legal experience in excess of 3 years that is commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. The experience described in your resume will be evaluated and screened for competencies needed to perform the duties of the position as described in the DUTIES section of this announcement. The QUALITY of experience relates to how closely or to what extent your experience, education and training are relevant to the duties and responsibilities of the announced position. Your resume must show you have the competencies necessary to successfully perform the work of the position at the appropriate level. Qualifying specialized experience would include: Resolving legal issues arising in the award and administration of federal contracts; Providing legal guidance for negotiations or representation in adversary proceedings arising out of the Agency's threat reduction mission in extremely complex and delicate operational matters; Advising Agency officials on fiscal, administrative, and property management related legal issues; Assisting in preparing requests for approval to negotiate international agreements and data exchange project agreements with foreign governments, and participating in the negotiations once approval is granted; Applying federal statutes to proposed or on-going government operations, delays in which could prove detrimental to the nation's defense; Addressing issues related to the protection of unclassified but sensitive information (e.g. commercially sensitive data) from improper disclosure under the Government's information laws and policies. The principle selection factors for this position follow: Professional knowledge of the Competition in Contracting Act, Contract Disputes Act, Federal Acquisition Regulation and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement, the Anti-deficiency Act, the Economy Act and DoW implementing regulations. Professional knowledge of administrative and fiscal law as applicable to the Department of War. Professional knowledge of international agreements, treaties, and policies applicable to the DoW mission to defend against and eliminate weapons of mass destruction. Professional knowledge of the Freedom of Information Act, the Privacy Act and policies related to the protection of Civil Liberties. The experience described in your resume will be evaluated and screened for competencies needed to perform the duties of the position as described in the DUTIES section of this announcement. The QUALITY of experience relates to how closely or to what extent your experience, education, and training are relevant to the duties and responsibilities of the announced position. Your resume must show you have the competencies necessary to successfully perform the work of the position at the appropriate level. Salary will be set within the range specified in this vacancy announcement based on the complexity of work to be performed, the selectee's experience, education, training, and availability of funds.

Education

Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: http://www.abanet.org/legaled/approvedlawschools/approved.html You must be a graduate from an accredited law school, and be in good standing of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Bar. AND Possess a Bachelor of Law or Juris Doctor Degree from an accredited law school at the time of applying for the position. A copy of college transcripts must be submitted with your application. NOTE: Failure to provide college transcripts AND proof of good standing of State, territory of the United States, District of Columbia or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Bar will result in you being rated ineligible for this position. Foreign Education: For further information, click on the following link: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html How You Will Be Evaluated

Once the application process is complete, a review of your application will be made to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made. If, after reviewing your resume and or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, your score can and will be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. All applicants who meet the basic qualification requirements will be forwarded to the Selecting Official for consideration. We will evaluate your application for basic eligibility and to determine if your experience meets the qualifications and other basic requirements are eligible for referral and selection consideration. Other Information

Please review the General Application Information and Definitions at: https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documents/Careers/downloads/DoDGenAppInfo%2012-1-2020.pdf?ver=ECNbdsHtGilTd3OENN4A0Q%3d%3d Veteran's Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Defense considers veterans' preference eligibility a positive factor for attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., DD Form 214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty") to their submissions. Although the point-preference system is not used, applicants eligible to claim a 10-point preference must submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference," and supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed. (SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preference and the required supporting documents, is available from the Office of Personnel Management Website at www.opm.gov.) *NOTE: If you submit a resume but no questionnaire, you cannot be considered for the position. If you submit a questionnaire but no resume, you cannot be considered for the position. Your application will be appropriately documented and you will be removed from further competition against this announcement. *NOTE: Declining to be interviewed or failure to report for a scheduled interview will be considered as a declination for further consideration for employment against this vacancy. This position is subject to an initial drug screening, and random testing thereafter. A negative drug test result must be received by HR within 30 calendar days after the EOD (i.e., start date). The selectee's inability successfully pass; or refusal to conduct the test may result in: 1) the tentative or FJO being withdrawn during the recruitment process; or 2) subsequently being removed from Federal service for failure to meet a condition of employment. You may be required to sign a "Drug Test Statement of Understanding" if you are selected for this position. This announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

How this job compares

Set against the 2,173 open Attorney jobs on Olive Jobs, counted October 29, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$169–197K/yr
  • Virginia median$153–197K/yr29 salary ranges
  • US median$109–180K/yr1,397 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $183K, is close to the Virginia median midpoint ($181K) — in the middle half of Attorney salary ranges in Virginia.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 37 open Attorney jobs in Virginia and 2,173 across the US. 5% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in Virginia
Experience
This posting asks for at least 3 years of experience; Attorney postings that state a minimum ask for 4 years at the median (1,472 postings).
Education
This posting asks for a doctorate or professional degree; 1,263 of the 2,173 open Attorney jobs (58%) ask for a doctorate or professional degree.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on October 29, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

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