Public Notice for Attorney Advisor (Direct Hire)

Transportation Security Administration; Springfield (VA); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 197,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Thrift Savings Plan

Job summary

The Transportation Security Administration, within the Department of Homeland Security, seeks an Attorney Advisor (Direct Hire) in the Chief Counsel, Regulations Division. The role provides expert legal counsel on administrative law, regulatory standards, and security requirements affecting homeland security and TSA's mission.

You will advise policymakers, draft and review regulatory documents, and develop analyses communicated to internal and external audiences.

Qualifications

• Familiarity with the Administrative Procedure Act and Federal Register process is highly desirable.
• Effective communication skills in advising clients across all levels of an organization.
• Experience with regulatory drafting and review in a federal agency, including cybersecurity and administrative priorities.

Responsibilities

• Provides expert legal guidance on administrative law, regulatory standards, and compliance to TSA and external stakeholders.
• Advises policymakers on development, implementation, and compliance implications of new policies, programs, regulations, and security standards.
• Drafts and reviews regulatory and security standards documents and related legal actions, including MOUs and Privacy Impact Assessments.
• Develops briefings and legal analyses to communicate TSA regulatory positions to internal and external decision-makers.
• Coordinates with Federal departments and agencies on legally sound regulatory and security countermeasures.

Skills

Regulatory law

Legal counsel

Policy analysis

Communication

Stakeholder management

Education

Juris Doctor (JD) or equivalent

Job description

Public Notice for Attorney Advisor (Direct Hire)

• Hiring Agency: Transportation Security Administration
• Department: Department of Homeland Security

Chief Counsel, Regulations Division: Responsible for providing legal counsel on regulatory law, security standards, compliance matters, and the interpretation and application of statutes, regulations, policies, and agency requirements.

Key Responsibilities

This Public Notice for Attorney Advisor (Direct Hire) position is located in Chief Counsel, Regulations Division, Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Duties include but are not limited to: Provides expert legal guidance on administrative law, including regulatory and security standards and compliance, to TSA and external stakeholders on varied, complex, and sensitive issues affecting homeland security and TSA's mission.

Advises policymakers and managers on the development, implementation, and compliance implications of new or sensitive policies, programs, regulations, and security standards. Communicates legal advice and agency positions clearly and effectively, tailoring messages to varied audiences and incorporating stakeholder input as appropriate.

Proposes preventive actions and innovative legal approaches to ensure TSA regulations, security standards, policies, and practices remain legally sufficient and compliant with evolving statutory, regulatory, and administrative requirements. Recommends legally supportable solutions to complex regulatory and security standards issues where existing precedents or prior interpretations must be adapted to emerging legal interpretations or changing operational needs.

Serves as a primary legal authority on major, high-profile regulatory law, security standards, and compliance issues affecting the transportation industry. Develops briefings and legal analyses to communicate TSA's strategic regulatory and security standards positions to internal and external stakeholders and decision-makers.

Supports policymakers in coordinating legally sound regulatory, compliance, and security countermeasures with appropriate Federal departments, agencies, and instrumentalities.

Drafts and reviews regulatory and security standards documents and related legal actions, including documentation of policy decisions, legal sufficiency of the administrative record, Memoranda of Understanding, Privacy Impact Assessments, Paperwork Reduction Act documents, System of Records Notices, legal opinions, guidance documents, and other regulatory requirements.

Serves as a lead legal advisor to executive-level staff on questions of regulatory law, security standards compliance, and administrative policy involved in developing policies, strategies, and plans addressing threats to transportation security. Preferred Qualifications: The ideal candidate will possess a combination of legal training, subject-matter knowledge, and practical experience with rulemaking, compliance, enforcement, and administrative procedures.

Familiarity with the Administrative Procedure Act, Federal Register process, and agency rulemaking procedures is highly desired. Effective communication skills in advising clients across all levels of an organizational structure. Extensive experience with the regulatory drafting and review process in a federal agency, emerging technologies, cybersecurity, and implementing administration priorities is highly valued.

Please note: The major duties described reflect the full performance level of this position. Typically, the lower pay bands perform the same duties but will receive more guidance and training; and/or projects/work assignments may be less complex.

Requirements & Education

This position has a basic education requirement listed under the Qualifications section of this announcement.

For positions requiring positive education requirements, or if you are using education to meet all or part of the qualification requirements, you MUST submit a copy of your transcripts or an itemized list of college courses from an accredited college or university, which includes equivalent information from the transcript (course title, semester/quarter hours, and grade/degree earned) in your resume.

The information must be provided with the application by the closing date of the announcement. If selected, the applicant must supply a transcript or certification of degree.

DHS Benefits and Compensation

• health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance
• retirement plan
• Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]
• Flexible Spending Account
• Employee Assistance Program
• personal leave days
• paid federal holidays

• flexible work schedules
• situational telework may be permitted in accordance with departmental policy telework
• tuition reimbursement
• transportation subsidies
• uniform allowance
• health and wellness programs
• fitness centers

• Disabled veteran leave will be available to any Federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.

Employees who transfer to TSA from an agency that allows employees to maintain an annual leave balance higher than the maximum accumulation for the appointed position will have their leave ceiling set to the maximum accumulation for the appointed position (e.g., United States duty location - 240 hours, foreign duty location - 360 hours, or TSES position - 720 hours). TSA will not make a monetary payment for any leave forfeited under these circumstances.

Which agency is hiring for this position?

This position is with Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security.

What is the salary for this position?

The posted pay range is $85447 – $197200/yr.

Is this position remote or telework eligible?

This position is eligible for telework.

What security clearance is required?

This position requires a Secret security clearance.

What is the application deadline?

Applications close on 2026-10-27.

Who is eligible to apply?

This position is open under the 'Public' hiring path.