Assistant Counsel

Notice Number: 2026-070 Announcement Date: 5/24/2026 Closing Date: 9/24/2026 Command & Location: AGC MRA - Naval Station Great Lakes, IL Grade: GS-14 Position Title: Assistant Counsel, Naval Service Training Command The Department of the Navy (DON) Office of the General Counsel (OGC) invites qualified attorneys to apply for the position of Assistant Counsel, Naval Service Training Command, Naval Service Training Command (NSTC). The position is located at Naval Station Great Lakes, IL. The NSTC is the home to the Navy’s one and only boot camp, with subordinate Naval Reserve Officer Training Command, Officer Training, Officer Development School and Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. These statutory programs provide unique legal challenges in the Navy’s accession program. This position assists and reports to the Counsel to the Commander, NSTC, and falls under the supervision of the Counsel, Naval Education Command and the Office of the Assistant General Counsel (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) (AGC (MRA)). The Counsel NSTC provides the full range of services in OGC practice areas to the Commander, NSTC, and staff. Primary responsibilities include serving as assistant to the command counsel advising the Commanding Officer, NSTC, and the provision of legal advice and assistance on civilian personnel and labor law, including litigating before the Merit Systems Protection Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, federal district court, and union grievance arbitrations. Selectee will work closely with management and Human Resources on preventative law matters, such as advising on disciplinary actions, administrative investigations, requests for reasonable accommodation, and security matters. The selectee will also execute a lead role in coordinating NSTC’s ethics and standards of conduct compliance program with the NSTC Staff Judge Advocate. POSITION OVERVIEW This position will be filled at the General Schedule (GS) GS-14 level. A relocation incentive may be available but is not guaranteed. Permanent Change of Station (PCS) funding may be available to eligible applicants but is not guaranteed. This Personnel Notice will close on September 24, 2026 at 11:59:59 PM Eastern Time. Complete application packages must be received by this closing date and time to be considered. QUALIFICATIONS At the time of application, you must: Have a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association. Be admitted to, eligible to practice in, and an active member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. commonwealth, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia. Be a U.S. citizen able to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance. GS-14 Qualifications At least three-and-one-half years of recent and relevant professional legal experience commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. EVALUATION CRITERIA You will be evaluated on: The depth, breadth, and quality of your experience in Civilian Personnel Law, Ethics, and Litigation. Your research, analytical, and communication skills (both oral and written). Your interpersonal skills, including your ability to establish effective attorney-client and professional relationships; and Your experience advising clients. NOTICE OF VETERANS' PREFERENCE There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of the Navy Office of the General Counsel considers veterans' preference eligibility a positive factor for attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must specifically claim such eligibility in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., Department of Defense (DD) Form 214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty" or other supporting documentation) 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 (OPM) website at Not all veterans are preference eligible. For a summary of time periods, campaigns, and conditions that entitle an applicant to preference eligibility, please visit OPM's Feds Hire Vets webpage, USAJOBS' Dedicated Veterans Website, and the Department of Labor's Veterans' Preference Advisor. Fair & Transparent The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance. Criminal History Inquiries Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Financial Suitability Selective Service Social Security Number Request New Employee Probationary Period Privacy Act Reasonable Accommodation Policy Signature and False Statements #J-18808-Ljbffr