Department: Other Agencies and Independent Organizations
Location(s): Rockville, Maryland
Salary Range: $111087 - $119485 Per Year
Job Summary: Each year, the NRC selects a small number of graduating law students or judicial law clerks to serve in the Office of the General Counsel's (OGC's) Honor Law Graduate Program (HLGP). Established in 1972, the HLGP is the primary mechanism for hiring entry-level attorneys at the NRC. As an Honor Law Graduate, you will serve in a two-year program consisting of rotational assignments through different OGC divisions in order to gain broad exposure to the diverse legal practice at the NRC.
Major Duties:
Qualifications: In order to qualify for the Honor Law Graduate Program, you must meet the qualification criteria listed below. Please read carefully to determinate the grade at which you would qualify based on your education and specialized experience: GG-11: A third-year law student (3L) at an American Bar Association accredited law school who will earn a J.D. degree no later than June of the 2025-2026 academic year; or - a graduate of American Bar Association-accredited law school who will earn an LL.M. degree no later than June of the 2025-2026 academic year; or- a J.D degree and current judicial law clerk or licensed attorney with less than one year of judicial law clerk or attorney experience within 30 days of the closing date of the vacancy announcement; and Be in at least the upper thirty percent (30%) of your law school class and/or have an overall grade point average (GPA) of at least a 3.25 based on a scale of 4.0. NOTE: If your law school does not calculate class rank, and also does not provide traditional grades or a GPA, you should include a link to the school’s grading policy and should provide a narrative explanation of how your law school performance correlates with our requirements. Specialized experience includes educational, academic, or work related experiences in nuclear energy law, NRC practice, environmental law, government contracts, employment law, labor relations, information law, federal administrative procedure, or regulatory law. GG-12: a J.D. degree; or - an LL.M. degree; and - a current judicial law clerk or licensed attorney with a minimum of one year of judicial law clerk experience or attorney experience within 30 calendar days of the closing date of the vacancy announcement; and Be in at least the upper thirty percent (30%) of your law school class and/or have an overall grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.25 based on a scale of 4.0. NOTE: If your law school does not calculate class rank, and also does not provide traditional grades or a GPA, you should include a link to the school’s grading policy and should provide a narrative explanation of how your law school performance correlates with our requirements. Specialized experience includes educational, academic, or work related experiences in nuclear energy law, NRC practice, environmental law, government contracts, employment law, labor relations, information law, federal administrative procedure, or regulatory law. Admission to the Bar is not a prerequisite to applying and being considered for the Honor Law Graduate Program, but is expected during the first year of NRC employment. Recent law school graduates who join the NRC before Bar examination results are available will provide evidence of Bar membership as soon as possible after admission. Selectees who are not admitted to the bar within 2 years may be separated from the NRC. The ideal candidate for this position will be able to demonstrate the following: - Experience in nuclear energy law, NRC practice, environmental law, government contracts, employment law, labor relations, information law, federal administrative procedure, or regulatory law. - Ability to perform legal analysis and communicate the results of that analysis orally and in writing (evidenced by relevant employment experience or internships, academic achievement, or extracurricular law school activities). - Ability to perform legal analysis and communicate the results of that analysis in writing as evidence by an unedited writing sample.
How to Apply: Carefully review this entire announcement and all instructions before starting your application. To be considered for this position, you must complete the online application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. Your complete application must include your resume, responses to all vacancy questions (if applicable), and any required documents that prove your eligibility to apply. You have two options for submitting these required documents: Upload from USAJOBS: Utilize the "USAJOBS" feature to download documents directly from your existing USAJOBS portfolio. Direct Upload: Use the "Upload" feature to upload files directly from your computer. Acceptable file types include: .gif, .jpeg, .png, .rtf, .pdf, and .docx. To begin your application, select the "Apply" button located on the right side of this screen. Follow the subsequent prompts to log in or register, submit all required documents, answer the questions, and complete the application process. Important Considerations: Paper Applications: Paper applications will not be accepted unless you can demonstrate hardship circumstances through the agency contact listed below. Application Extensions: Requests for application extensions will not be granted. Hardship Assistance: If you experience hardship applying online, please contact the Human Resources Specialist listed below for assistance. You must reach out during business hours before the announcement closing date and speak with someone who can provide support for your online submission. You must answer any job specific vacancy questions. You will be rated based on your responses to any vacancy questions and especially the information provided in your resume. Breadth, recency, and length of experience in the field; training, awards, and commendations; past and current performance; and community or outside professional activities will be considered to determine your level of knowledge, skill or ability for this position. Abbreviated responses to the vacancy questions, such as “significant experience” or “see resume” do not provide enough information and should not be used. You will not be considered for this position if you leave any of the vacancy questions unanswered.
Application Deadline: 2026-02-03