QACO reports to the Office of the Counsel for the Commandant (CMC), as a component of the DON OGC. CMC is responsible for providing legal advice, services, representation to the Commandant and the Marine Corps in all areas relating to installation law, including land use law, environmental law, civilian personnel and labor law (CPL), procurement law, business and commercial law.

The successful candidate will serve in a supervisory role and will practice primarily in CPL, including litigation at the Merit Systems Protection Board, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and federal district court.  The incumbent will also provide legal advice on matters involving EEO programs, such as reasonable accommodation, as well as matters pertaining to employee performance and discipline. In addition, the successful candidate may be called upon to provide legal services across other DON OGC practice areas, including ethics/standards of conduct.   

POSITION OVERVIEW

• This position will be filled at the General Schedule (GS) GS-15 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 17, 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.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

You will be evaluated on:

1. The depth, breadth, and quality of your experience in Civilian Personnel Law;
2. Your research, analytical, and communication skills (both oral and written);
3. Your interpersonal skills, including your ability to establish effective attorney-client and professional relationships;
4. Your experience advising clients; and
5. Your leadership, management, and supervisory experience.

APPLICATION PACKAGE

You must submit:

1. A cover letter that explains why you are interested in and qualified for the position.
   • If applicable, you must include any requests for a relocation incentive or PCS funding in your cover letter.
2. A current resume, no more than two (2) pages in length, that shows relevant experience, including:
   • Job titles (with GS level(s), if applicable);
   • Dates of employment (month/year); and
   • Bar membership, stating jurisdiction(s).
3. Two brief legal writing samples (no more than ten (10) years old and no more than ten (10) pages each) that demonstrate analytical and advocacy abilities (excerpts of lengthier written work products are acceptable).
4. Your two most recent performance evaluations, including performance ratings and rater comments.  (Mid-year assessments are not acceptable.)  If performance evaluations or ratings and rater comments are unavailable, please explain.
5. The names, email addresses, and telephone numbers of at least three references, including a supervisor, who may be contacted.
6. Current and former Federal employees must also provide a copy of their most recent Standard Form-50 (SF-50) showing title, series, grade, and current salary information (if unavailable, please explain). Do not submit SF-50s for performance awards.
7. If you are not currently a member of DON OGC, you must also submit a copy of your law school transcript(s) for all legal degrees held, showing award of the degree, final GPA, and final class rank where available. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted, but official transcripts will be required before the applicant is selected.

Social security numbers and dates of birth should be redacted from all documentation submitted.

Send your application package electronically to eric.rodriguez@usmc.mil.. Include your surname and this Personnel Notice Number in the subject line of your transmittal e-mail and in the file names of any attachments. Hard copy applications will not be considered.

Interested attorneys should contact Mr. John Sabatino at 703-784-3009 or john.sabatino@usmc.mil for more information.

Interested attorneys who are not currently members of DON OGC should review the posting at https://www.secnav.navy.mil/OGC/Pages/Careers.aspx for additional information.

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 www.opm.gov.)

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