Resident Legal Advisor, Romania

Hiring Organization

Criminal Division (CRM)

Hiring Office

Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training

Attorney Appointment Type

Attorney Detail

Job ID

26-CRM-DET-001

Location:

Bucharest - Romania

Application Deadline:

Monday, December 8, 2025

About the Office

While this vacancy announcement expires on December 8, 2025, the announcement may be closed at any time if a selection is made. This assignment is for a period of at least 14 months, beginning on or about February 2026, with the possibility of extension, contingent on the availability of funding. Appointment to this position will be through a reimbursable detail. Multiple positions may be filled from this vacancy.

The Criminal Division's Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training (OPDAT) builds strong foreign partners who can work with the United States to enhance cooperation in transnational cases and to fight crime before it reaches our shores. OPDAT has experienced prosecutors posted around the world providing expert assistance and strategic guidance to foreign counterparts in order to combat transnational crime and terrorism in furtherance of U.S. national security.

OPDAT works closely with components throughout the Department of Justice and partners globally with federal law enforcement agencies to advance the Administration's foreign policy. OPDAT's programs are a critical component of Operation Take Back America. OPDAT keeps Americans safe from violent crime by increasing partner nation skills to disrupt and dismantle transnational criminal organizations at the source. At the same time, OPDAT advisors develop relationships of trust with foreign counterparts so that they can investigate and prosecute illegal migration, cartels, gangs, cybercrime, trafficking, terrorism, and other transnational crimes that are harmful to U.S. interests at home and abroad.

Job Description

The Resident Legal Advisor (RLA) will work under the auspices of the United States Embassy in Bucharest, Romania, representing the Department of Justice and OPDAT to strengthen Romania's efforts to combat organized crime and transnational criminal offenses, including narcotics and weapons trafficking, complex fraud and money laundering, and related offenses, through a combination of intensive advising on active cases, advanced skills development workshops to impart best practices in line with international standards, and legislative and policy reform. The RLA will need both the dedication and credibility to build and maintain essential partnerships with senior justice sector officials, as well as interagency and international partners. The position will also involve coordination with other OPDAT RLA programs in the region and operational sections within DOJ in order to maximize DOJ's reach and combat the extensive global network of transnational criminal organizations. The RLA will promote America First priorities by developing the ability of Romania's prosecutors, investigators, and judges to seize drugs in Romania, recover criminal assets concealed in the United States, and ensure accessible Romanian markets for U.S. businesses by combatting public procurement fraud.

The RLA will also provide strategic guidance to key justice sector partners in Romania to hold criminals fully accountable, particularly on those crimes with a U.S. nexus. The RLA will work closely with OPDAT headquarters staff and U.S. interagency partners to ensure lines of effort meet Departmental and U.S. Government objectives.

Qualifications

We are seeking a current Department of Justice attorney. To qualify for this position, applicants must possess ALL of the requirements below:

A Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree, be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any State, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia, and be an active member of the bar in good standing.

Specific grade level requirements:

GS-15: At least four (4) years of post J.D. legal experience, to include four (4) years of prosecutorial experience in Article III courts or comparable state level courts.

GS-14: At least three (3) years of post J.D. legal experience, to include three (3) years of prosecutorial experience in Article III courts or comparable state level courts.

Applicants must have or be able to obtain through their Component/Agency and maintain a Top-Secret security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications:

Preferred applicants have a thorough understanding and practical knowledge of Department of Justice and other United States Government approaches and policies involving complex criminal cases, transnational criminal organizations, money laundering, drug trafficking, and security and justice sector issues.

The successful applicant should also have:

Extensive prosecution experience, including leading complex cases and providing strategic guidance and subject matter expertise to law enforcement and other prosecutors.

Ability to work in international and multicultural environments.

Strong interpersonal and management skills.

Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Involvement in teaching activities, adult learning, designing curricula is also a plus.

Application Process

While this vacancy announcement expires on December 8, 2025, the announcement may be closed at any time if a selection is made. The Application Package must be received by 11:59 PM, Eastern Time, on the closing date of this announcement.

All interested attorneys meeting these qualifications should submit a cover letter and resume to

Your resume must be no more than 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. Please ensure all information you believe is qualifying for the position is contained in the first two pages.

Applicants should familiarize themselves and comply with the relevant rules of professional conduct regarding any possible conflicts of interest in connection with their applications. In particular, please notify this Office if you currently represent clients or adjudicate matters in which this Office is involved and/or you have a family member who is representing clients or adjudicating matters in which this Office is involved so that we can evaluate any potential conflicts of interest or disqualification issues that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.

Salary

Under detail assignment, there is no change to the selectee's base pay, exclusive of locality pay, supervisory pay, or other such salary add-ons. If applicable, the selectee will also receive appropriate post and overseas salary differentials.