Hiring Organization
Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD)
Hiring Office
Natural Resources Section
Attorney Appointment Type
Attorney Permanent
Job ID
ENRD-26-028-EXC
Location:
150 M Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002 - United States
Application Deadline:
Friday, June 5, 2026
About the Office
The Natural Resources Section has one of the most dynamic and complex practices in the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice, representing virtually every federal agency in federal district courts, the Court of Federal Claims, and state courts in novel litigation arising under more than 80 natural resource, environmental, and cultural resource statutes.
We are seeking an Assistant Section Chief in Washington, DC, or Denver, for one of our six litigating teams.
Job Description
Much of our work involves challenges under the Administrative Procedure Act or the Just Compensation Clause of the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution. NRS has a dynamic practice with a diverse docket and attorneys may choose to focus on brief writing or trial practice or both. On any given day, the Section's attorneys handle a vast portfolio of cases involving:
The stewardship of our national parks, forests, rangelands, wildlife refuges, and offshore resources;
The balanced use of federal natural resources for varied uses, including mineral extraction, conservation, preservation, recreation, and commercial uses;
Vital federal programs ranging from national energy policy to nuclear materials management to military preparedness;
Original actions in the U.S. Supreme Court to resolve boundary and water allocation disputes in the western part of the country;
Real property claims arising under the Just Compensation Clause of the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which involve issues such as military readiness, transportation infrastructure, and flood control; and
The United States' trust relationship with Native Americans and Tribes.
The Section is soliciting applications from experienced attorneys for the position of Assistant Section Chief for one of our six litigating teams. The Assistant Section Chief will supervise a team of attorneys with primary responsibility for litigating a wide variety of cases before the Court of Federal Claims and federal district courts including defense of federal agencies in Fifth Amendment takings litigation involving real property and defense of challenges under the National Environmental Policy Act and other natural resource and cultural resource statutes against the United States Department of War and Department of Transportation in federal district courts across the country. The subject areas and matters that the Assistant Section Chief will supervise are subject to change, according to the needs of the Section.
Qualifications
Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and have at least 7 years post-J.D. experience or post clerkship litigation including significant litigation experience or substantive familiarity with the Administrative Procedure Act or other statutes within the Section's jurisdiction.
The ideal candidate will have significant federal litigation experience; the ability to mentor and manage attorneys and administrative staff to produce high quality work under tight time frames, including the ability to manage multiple assignments simultaneously and to adjust to meet new priorities; exceptional legal writing and editing skills, and a strong commitment to developing the writing skills of supervisees; the ability to work cooperatively and effectively with client agencies, court personnel, and opposing counsel, as well as the ability to build productive relationships with managers and attorneys in the Natural Resources Section, other ENRD sections, and other Department of Justice components; and a commitment to the highest ethical and professional standards. Experience with Fifth Amendment takings litigation and/or experience defending federal agency actions under the Administrative Procedure Act is desired but not required.
Application Process
How to Apply
You must apply online through USAJOBS. Click on the APPLY Online button. Follow the prompts to answer a few questions and submit all required documents by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date to receive consideration.
Applicants must submit a current resume, cover letter with brief statement of interest, writing sample, law school transcript, and DD-214 (if applicable).
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/
Internet Sites: For more information about the Environment and Natural Resources Division, visit the web site at: http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd .
This and selected other legal position announcements can be found on the Internet at: https://www.justice.gov/legal-careers
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Veterans: There is no formal rating system for applying veteran preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veteran preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veteran preference must include that information in their 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).
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes the following:
Resume (not to exceed two pages) demonstrating relevant experience and month/year the experience was obtained
Cover letter with brief statement of interest
Writing sample
Copy of J.D. degree transcripts
DD 214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation, if applicable
Your resume MUST include full employment information such as periods of employment with month/year started and ended, title of position(s), part time hours worked, and description of duties. If you have Federal employment, you must include the grade of the position(s).
Applicants should familiarize themselves and comply with the relevant rules of professional conduct regarding any possible conflicts of interest in connection with their applications. In particular, please notify this Office if you currently represent clients or adjudicate matters in which this Office is involved and/or you have a family member who is representing clients or adjudicating matters in which this Office is involved so that we can evaluate any potential conflicts of interest or disqualification issues that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.
Salary
The possible salary range for Washington D.C. is:
GS-15 ($169,279 - $197,200)
The possible salary range for Denver is:
GS-15 ($164,956 -$197,200)
YOUR RESUME MUST provide specific details as to how your experience meets the specialized experience as described in the vacancy announcement if you are using experience to meet all or part of the qualification requirements. Please ensure that your resume includes the month and year that you began and ended each position held or that position will not be credited toward meeting the experience requirement. Part-time employment will be prorated in crediting experience. Failure to provide details will result in an ineligible rating.
Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.
