Assistant Director (Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation)

MCOTags

DetailStatusUrl

https://apply.usastaffing.gov/Application/ApplicationStatus

Evaluations

The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applicants will be on or about May 20, 2026. A final certificate will be issued after the announcement closes. Applicants are encouraged to apply early to ensure full consideration. Applications will be evaluated by a reviewing panel. Please Note: The Selecting Official may select additional candidates if more positions become available within 120 days after the closing date of the vacancy.

AnnouncementClosingType

01

DrugTestRequired

True

AgencyMarketingStatement

The Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch safeguards Americans' health, safety, economic security, and data privacy through proactive enforcement and high-impact affirmative litigation. The Branch's mission is to bring affirmative litigation to enforce federal laws and regulations, enjoin actions that conflict with or violate federal law, obtain declaratory judgments regarding the laws of the United States, and seek monetary penalties where appropriate.

HiringPath

• public

Requirements

WhatToExpectNext

Once the application package is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. All qualified applications will be sent to the hiring official for review. You will be contacted directly if an interview is desired.

Benefits

AgencyContactEmail

[email protected]

ApplyOnlineUrl

https://apply.usastaffing.gov/Application/Apply

CommuteDistance

0

ServiceType

02

SecurityClearance

Top Secret

RequiredDocuments

You must submit the following documents: Cover Letter Resume showing relevant experience (not to exceed 2 pages) Writing Sample (not more than 10 pages in length, and written in the past 3 years) DD-214 and/or veteran documentation, (if applicable)

BenefitsUrl

https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/Guide-Me/New-Prospective-Employees/

HighGrade

15

Relocation

False

HowToApply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application questionnaire and submit your supporting documentation. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 06/01/2026 to receive consideration. 1. Click "Apply Online" to get started. 2. If you're not logged in to your USAJOBS account, you will need to login. If you don't have an account, please create one. 3. You will be prompted to select one of your stored (or uploaded) resumes, and any supporting documents you have uploaded to USAJOBS. If you have not uploaded these documents, you can do so later before submitting your application. 4. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, you will be asked to submit your demographic information (if you have provided this in your profile). Submission is optional and anonymous. 5. You'll be asked to confirm your choices and certify the accuracy of your information before you're able to continue to the Application Manager system. Until you see the blue border and DOJ logo, you are still on USAJOBS. You'll see a folder animation just before you leave USAJOBS. 6. Once you reach DOJ's Application Manager system, you'll be asked to verify the information you transmitted from USAJOBS. You will then respond to the application assessment questionnaires and indicate your eligibility options. 7. After responding to the questionnaires, you will have the opportunity to attach the documents you brought over from USAJOBS *OR* upload documents directly from your computer or device. 8. If you opt to upload a document directly, click the "Upload" button and select the document on your device, then wait for the upload to finish. Repeat as needed. Documents must be less than 3 MB each and should be in a compatible file format. 9. Once all your documents are uploaded, you must assign the uploads to the appropriate document category. You may attach more than one document to each category. Click the drop-down menu for a document category, and select one of the available options in the menu. The document will be listed under this category. You can click the drop-down again to add other documents, as needed. You can have up to 15 document assignments. 10. Once you've uploaded and assigned all your documents to an appropriate document type, you can proceed to the final verification step, and click Submit. 11. If you have correctly submitted your application, you will receive an automated e-mail notification within 30-60 minutes. Be sure to review the announcement fully to make sure that your application contains everything that is required. If you need help with the application process, please see the USAJOBS Help Site (for everything on the USAJOBS-side), or the Application Manager Help Site (for everything on the DOJ-side). Regrettably, the Department of Justice cannot assist you with USAJOBS account issues. If you contact us for assistance and the problem is related to your USAJOBS account, we will have to direct you to USAJOBS to remedy the issue.

AdjudicationType

• National security

PromotionPotential

15

Education

All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see www.ed.gov. OR Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to timely provide such evidence by submitting proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency with your application materials. More information may be found at https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.

LowGrade

15

TravelCode

1

MajorDuties

• The Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Branch is seeking Assistant Directors to supervise a broad range of affirmative civil litigation. The Branch is structured into two sections: an Enforcement Section that pursues cases under key consumer protection and public-safety statutes, and an Affirmative Litigation Section that files lawsuits against state, local, or private actors to ensure nationwide compliance with federal law. The incumbent serves as a Supervisory Trial Attorney, with an organizational title of Assistant Director. The incumbent reports to the Deputy Director, supervises Senior Litigation Counsels, Trial Attorneys, and Paralegal Specialists, and serves as lead attorney on more complex or difficult cases. If selected you may, at the discretion of the Director or designee, be assigned work in both the Affirmative and Enforcement Sections, or other areas of the Branch, that involves supervising the work of attorneys in those areas. The incumbent supervises and serves as rating official to attorneys, as well as support staff and detailed employees. Additionally, the incumbent may oversee and review the work of contract employees. The duties of the incumbent include: supervising and planning the work to be accomplished by subordinates; assigning work based on priorities; assigning work based on priorities and on consideration of the difficulty and requirements of assignments and the capabilities of employees; developing performance standards; evaluating work performance and serving as rating and reviewing official on performance appraisals, as appropriate; giving advice, counsel, or instruction to employees on both work and administrative matters; interviewing candidates for positions; recommending appointments, awards, promotion, and reassignment to such positions; hearing and resolving complaints from employees; referring group grievances and more serious unresolved complaints to a higher-level manager; effecting minor disciplinary measures, such as warnings and reprimands, and recommending other action in more serious cases; identifying developmental and training needs of employees and providing or arranging for needed development and training; and determining how to improve production or increase the quality of the work performed. The incumbent also handles the oversight, planning, and preparation of litigation; ascertains, reviews, and analyzes the facts pertaining to the cases; develops the necessary strategies to most effectively represent the U.S. Government, including meeting and corresponding with the various federal agencies that may be involved in the cases, and expert witnesses or authorities and other knowledgeable parties in order to obtain information or materials; reviews drafts and final versions of pleadings, motions, interrogatories, findings of fact, memoranda, and other legal documents and court filings; coordinates with other Division elements and Department components, as necessary. Finally, the incumbent works closely with and advises the Section Deputy Director, the Branch Director, and the Deputy Assistant Attorney General in planning strategy or tactics to be employed in the preparation and presentation of the cases. The incumbent recommends approaches, courses of action, and possible negotiating points; assists attorneys litigating cases by recommending sound legal strategies and supplying relevant precedent or past practices and closely guiding the positions taken in litigation; reviews legal pleadings and memoranda and makes suggestions regarding changes and procedures to be followed; prepares, as required, all types of pleadings and assists as the need arises; responds to inquiries from the White House, Congress, federal departments and agencies, foreign authorities, and private individuals on matters within the scope of assigned statutory responsibilities; makes recommendations with respect to proposed changes in legislation relating to provisions of law; and provides advice concerning legal and policy questions related to statutes or practice areas administered by the Office. This is not a remote location position. You will be required to work in person five days a week.

KeyRequirements

AgencyContactPhone

202-598-9544

PositionSensitivitiy

Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk

JobSummary

The Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Branch seeks Assistant Directors to oversee high-impact affirmative litigation that ensures nationwide compliance with federal law. The Branch offers a frontline role in the Department's major civil enforcement initiatives. Well-qualified candidates may be eligible for a signing bonus of up to $25,000. All recipients of a signing bonus are required to fulfill a service obligation.

TotalOpenings

1

OtherInformation

The Division plans to onboard new attorneys by September 6, 2026, with recruitment incentives contingent upon the availability of funding. Because the onboarding process can be lengthy and funding is limited, applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their completed application as soon as possible for consideration. Applicants approved for a signing bonus must sign a service agreement prior to onboarding, committing to a service period of two years or longer, depending on the candidate's experience. Applicants who are currently employed by the federal government are not eligible for a recruitment incentive. Veteran Preference: If you are entitled to or claim veterans' preference (VP), you should indicate the type of veteran preference (5 or 10 points) you are claiming on your resume. In order to determine your eligibility, you can find additional information at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/veterans-services/vet-guide/. There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or 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 Veterans' 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). DOJ EEO Statement/Policy: U.S. Department of Justice Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Issued December 31, 2025 Reasonable Accommodation Statement: Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Schedule A: DOJ welcomes and encourages applications from persons with disabilities and is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department. DOJ also encourages eligible Schedule A applicants to submit their resumes to [email protected], and reference "Federal Career Opportunities" in the subject line. Additional information is found at: www.benderconsult.com. Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: Unless otherwise required by law, the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits employees of the U.S. Department of Justice or a federal contractor acting on its behalf from inquiring about an applicant's criminal history record, either in writing or orally, before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to the hiring office using the contact information listed in the announcement.

WithinArea

False

SubAgencyName

Civil Division

OrganizationCodes

DJ/DJ01