General Attorney, GS-; FPL-; PERM; Excepted Service; -Continuous

Summary

This position is located in Federal Student Aid, Borrower Defense Branch in Washington, DC & other locations. The Borrower Defense Branch is responsible for investigations and projects that have a substantial impact on students, institutions of higher education, and public interest.

APPLICATION LIMIT:
This vacancy announcement will close at 11:59PM Eastern Time on the listed closing date,
May 26, 2026
.

We encourage you to read this entire vacancy announcement prior to submitting your application.

As a General Attorney, GS‑0905‑11, you will be responsible for:

• With significant oversight, prepares preliminary memoranda/reports outlining facts and legal issues, analyzing the factual and legal issues involved, explaining the application of legal principles and precedents to the relevant facts, and justifying recommendations or conclusions.
• Conducts research in connection with legal questions, such as questions concerning the interpretation and application of statutes, rules, and regulations as they pertain to Enforcement matters.
• Reviews and synthesizes evidence to support legal theories.
• With significant supervision, investigates and/or adjudicates borrower defense claims involving varied factual and legal issues.

As a General Attorney, GS‑0905‑12, you will be responsible for:

• Prepares preliminary memoranda/reports outlining facts and legal issues, analyzing the factual and legal issues involved, explaining the application of legal principles and precedents to the relevant facts, and justifying recommendations or conclusions.
• Conducts research of statutes, regulations, ED and FSA policies and legal opinions bearing on the legal issues involved in the development and implementation of investigation activities and borrower defense decisions.
• Gathers, reviews, and analyzes evidence to support case development.
• Investigates and/or adjudicates borrower defense claims involving varied factual and legal issues.

• Relocation will not be paid.
• You may be subject to serve a two‑year trial period.
• Males 18 and over must be registered with the Selective Service.
• Must be a US Citizen.
• Background Investigation is required.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a probationary period or trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government;

and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this vacancy announcement.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, Ameri Corps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills, and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. We will consider all qualifying experience, including any volunteer experience.

This is an open continuous announcement with cutoff dates. Applications will be referred based on receipt of application and established cutoff dates as follows:

• 1st cutoff date: 03/13/2026
• 2nd cutoff date: 04/13/2026
• 3rd cutoff date: 05/13/2026
• Last cutoff date: 05/28/2026

• Is an active member in good standing in the Bar of a State, Territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. You must be a member in good standing of a state, territory of the United States, District of…