Law Clerk

US Nuclear Regulatory Commission • Law School Legal Intern • Rockville, MD, US • 2d ago

Duties

The successful NRC Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel (ASLBP) Judicial Law Clerk candidate will perform the full range of duties. Such duties include but are not limited to:

Drafting judicial decisions and orders, conducting legal research, preparing legal memoranda, and providing assistance to Licensing Boards during evidentiary hearings.
Evaluating and developing cases from their earliest stages, including drafting rulings on standing and contention admissibility, discovery disputes and, ultimately, helping with the conduct of an evidentiary hearing and drafting merits decisions on those evidentiary presentations.

The two-year clerkship term generally runs from September to September. Selectees from this announcement will generally be expected to start employment in September of 2026.

Only United States citizens can be admitted to the Judicial Law Clerk Program, and each person selected for the program must undergo a complete security/background investigation and be granted a security clearance.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

U.S. Citizenship Required
This is a Drug Testing position.
Background investigation leading to a clearance is required for new hires.

You must meet the qualifications for this position by no later than 30 calendar days after the closing date of this announcement and before placement in the position.

Selectees may be required to serve a trial period to assess their overall fitness and qualifications for continued employment. The trial period for new employees is two years. New employees who are preference eligible veterans serve a one-year trial period.

All information in your resume must be true and accurate.

Qualifications

In order to be minimally qualified for the Judicial Law Clerk Program, you must meet the qualification criteria listed below.

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 a current judicial law clerk whose clerkship ends no later than September 2026; OR
a J.D degree obtained during the 2024-2025 academic year.

AND

Demonstrate a ranking in the top third (33%) of your law school class; OR

have an overall law school grade point average (GPA) of at least a 3.25 based on a scale of 4.0; OR
currently serve as a judicial law clerk.

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.

Graduate law students and judicial clerks should not have any significant post-J.D. legal employment.

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications requirements described above, the IDEAL CANDIDATE will be able to demonstrate the following:

Knowledge of the law as demonstrated by an exceptional record of law school academic achievement. (Provide copies of all your law school transcripts including documentation of your GPA and class ranking).
Demonstrated ability to research and analyze complex legal issues and to share the results both orally and in writing. (Provide a writing sample that demonstrates your abilities in this area. In your resume, describe your law review experience, comparable journal experience, or moot court experience).
Demonstrated interest in Administrative, Regulatory, or Environmental law. (In your resume, describe coursework, studies, law school clinical experience, internships/externships, or extracurricular activities that demonstrate your interest in Administrative, Regulatory, or Environmental Law).

While a technical or scientific background may be useful, it is not required.

A description of how you possess the minimum qualifications criteria as well as how you meet the qualifications desired in an ideal candidate should be addressed in your resume and may also be addressed in the vacancy question provided for your supplemental response. Brief (e.g., one page resumes are discouraged as they may place you at a disadvantage during the hiring process due to insufficient information.

Education

A professional law degree acquired through graduation from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association no later than June of the 2025-2026 academic year.

You must include a copy of your college and/or university transcripts with your application.

You must include an unofficial or official copy of your college and/or university transcripts with your application. Transcript must include the School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). Education must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of credibility of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. If you have multiple degrees (e.g., BS, MS, PhD) please submit transcripts for each degree. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://www.ed.gov/accreditation.

Additional information

The duty location of this position is (Rockville, MD). This position may be eligible for situational telework in accordance with the agency policy.

Using federal grade and salary levels, ASLBP judicial law clerks will typically start at grade GG-11, step 10. After one year of satisfactory job performance, and assuming admission to the Bar of any state or the District of Columbia, an ASLBP law clerk is eligible for a promotion to grade GG-12, step 6. The full performance level for judicial law clerks is GG-12.

RECRUITMENT INCENTIVE: A recruitment incentive of 15% of your starting salary may be available to eligible selectees. To receive the incentive payment, you will be required to furnish official transcripts, and sign a service agreement, obligating you to remain with the NRC for a minimum of 18 months. Generally, current Federal employees are not eligible for a recruitment incentive.

Based on the staffing needs of the agency/area of consideration, additional selections may be made from this vacancy announcement.

Individuals who are eligible for non-competitive appointment under an OPM special appointing authority may apply for consideration under a comparable NRC non-competitive appointing authority. Veterans, please visit: FedsHireVets

The NRC provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the coordinator at (301) 287-0745 or TDD 240-482-3217. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Selectees will be required to complete a "Declaration of Federal Employment", (OF-306), prior to being appointed to determine their suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. False statements or responses on your resume or questionnaire can jeopardize your employment opportunity and subject you to disciplinary action, including removal from Federal service.

The NRC is a zero-tolerance agency with respect to illegal drug use. Individuals selected for these positions will be subject to pre-appointment drug testing.

A transferable security clearance from another agency or a background investigation leading to a clearance is required for all new hires. To begin work at the NRC without a security clearance, you must be granted a temporary waiver of the required clearance, referred to as a 145(b) waiver. To be eligible for a 145(b) waiver you will need a favorable education verification, reference, credit, and criminal history checks. If a wavier is granted, the successful completion of a background investigation and favorable adjudication is required for continued employment.

If you have resided outside the U.S. for an extended period of time, the agency may not be able to (1) grant the 145(b) waiver where the required investigation cannot be completed in a timely manner, or (2) achieve timely completion of the background investigation required for a security clearance.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

As an NRC employee you will enjoy excellent Federal Benefits, including: comprehensive health and life insurance plans; Flexible Spending Account Program for health and dependent care; Dental and Vision Insurance; retirement savings and investment plan similar to 401(k) (Thrift Savings Plan); annual (vacation) and paid sick leave; family friendly leave policies; 11 paid holidays per year; transit benefits. This link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to Federal employees. https://help.usajobs.gov/working-in-government/pay and https://help.usajobs.gov/working-in-government/benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

When the application process is complete, your application will be reviewed to determine if you meet the job requirements. You will be rated based on the information provided in your resume to determine your level of knowledge, skill and ability related to the job requirements. 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. You must respond to all required application questions.

If you are among the top candidates for this position, your application will be referred to the hiring manager for possible interview and selection based upon the number of available vacancies to be filled in each office.

You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Required Documents

The following documents are required for your application package to be complete. If you fail to provide any required documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

Resume that includes: 1) personal information such as name, address, contact information; 2) education; 3) detailed work experience including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); and 4) other qualifications. Please limit your resume to 2 pages. See below for Additional Resume Information.
Transcripts: You must submit an official or unofficial copy of your college and/or university transcripts with your application, if the position has a positive education requirement. Failure to submit transcripts will result in loss of consideration. Diplomas do not provide the information needed for determining qualifications and will not be accepted in lieu of transcripts.
The names and contact information for at least three (3) professional references.
A legal writing sample, demonstrating analysis of legal issues or statutory and regulatory interpretation.

In addition to the above, you must submit the documents below if you claim the following eligibilities:

NRC Employees: You must submit your most recent Rating of Record (Performance Appraisal) or a statement saying that one is not available.
Current Federal Employees/Reinstatement Eligibles: You must submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) to verify competitive status or reinstatement eligibility. This SF-50 should not be an award SF-50.
Veteran Preference Eligibles: You must submit DD-214 showing type of discharge/character of service (e.g. DD-214 Member 4 Copy); SF-15 Form; and related documentation such as a VA letter showing disability percentage. If currently on active duty, you must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active-duty service under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted. Veteran's preference must be verified prior to appointment. You can find additional information about Veterans' Preference at http://www.fedshirevets.gov/.
Individuals with Disabilities: If you are applying under the Schedule A Hiring Authority, you must submit supporting documentation (i.e., Schedule A Letter). You may refer to the following link for additional information. USAJOBS Help Center - Individuals with disabilities

All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English.

Additional Resume Information:

Your resume is crucial in our evaluation of your qualifications. Resumes should clearly demonstrate your skills, knowledge, and abilities. Please limit your résumé to 2 pages. To ensure your resume contains all required information, we encourage you to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder. If you choose to use your own resume, please ensure it contains all the required information, and you organize it so we can associate the following information with each experience/position:

Job title
Name of employer
Beginning and ending dates of employment (month/year) format
Hours worked per week. We will assume full-time unless otherwise stated. We will pro-rate part-time employment in crediting experience.
Detailed description of job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable).
Series and grade or equivalent (if a federal position).

Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) or other inappropriate material on your resume or cover letter. If your resume contains prohibited information as listed above, your application may be determined ineligible, and you will not receive consideration for this position. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter, links to social media such as LinkedIn, to determine your qualifications. Cover letters are optional.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

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.

Agency contact information

Natasha Thomas

Phone

301-415-5241

TDD

240-428-3217

Fax

000-000-0000

Natasha.Thomas@nrc.gov

Website

https://www.nrc.gov

Address

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

US Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Office of Human Resources

Attn: Natasha Thomas

Washington, District of Columbia 20555

United States

Next steps

You may check the status of your application at any time after the announcement closes by logging onto USAJOBs and selecting "Application Status."

Overview

Accepting applications

Open & closing dates

01/30/2026 to 02/20/2026

This job will close when we have received 100 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more

Salary

$111,087 to - $111,087 per year

Law Clerks start at GG-11, Step 10

Pay scale & grade

GG 11

Location

2 vacancies in the following location:

Rockville, MD

2 vacancies

Remote job

Telework eligible

Yes—May be eligible for situational telework in accordance with the agency policy.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Because Licensing Boards may conduct hearings and oral arguments at a location in the vicinity of the nuclear facility that is the focus of a particular case, clerks may have the opportunity for some travel over the course of their service with the Panel. For additional information, see Location of ASLBP Hearings. Travel for trainings, hearings in the vicinity of licensed facilities, and association meetings.

Relocation expenses reimbursed

Appointment type

Term - Term Not to Exceed 2 years, may be extended in accordance with agency policy

Work schedule

Full-time - Full Time

Service

Excepted

Promotion potential

Job family (Series)