Legal Job | Chief Counsel at NASA, Brook Park: Apply by October 21!

NASA seeks a Chief Counsel at Glenn Research Center in Brook Park, Ohio. Applications close on October 21, 2026.

About NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is recruiting through its John Glenn Research Center. The centre’s legal office forms part of the NASA Legal Enterprise, working with the agency’s Office of the General Counsel on legal policy, operations and representation.

About the Opportunity

The Chief Counsel is an executive leadership position reporting directly to the NASA General Counsel. The appointee will serve as the senior legal adviser to the Glenn Research Center Director and staff on legal policy and law relating to the centre’s activities.

The vacancy is in the Senior Executive Service, with announcement number GRC-27-ES-13084823 and control number 887965400.

Location and Work Arrangements

Brook Park, Ohio, United States. Telework is permitted under agency policy; the position is not a remote job. Occasional travel may be required.

Employment Type

Permanent, full-time, supervisory position at pay scale ES 00.

Number of Positions

One vacancy.

Salary

USD 210,812–217,332 per year.

Deadline

October 21, 2026, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must be US citizens or nationals and meet the qualification requirements by the closing date.
• A J.D. or LL.M. from an American Bar Association-accredited law school and membership in good standing of a bar in a US state or territory, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico are required.
• Candidates should demonstrate progressively responsible supervisory, managerial or professional experience involving programmes or organisations of significant scope and complexity, normally at GS-15 level or equivalent.
• The mandatory technical qualification requires experience leading legal teams on complex legal issues and litigation, and communicating guidance to a varied workforce in at least three specified legal areas.

The specified areas include procurement, intellectual property, commercial partnerships and interagency transactions, international and space law, appropriations, employment, administrative law, real property, environmental law, security and safety, and ethics.

Executive Qualifications

Applicants seeking an initial career SES appointment must show evidence of the five Executive Core Qualifications and the mandatory technical qualification within their two-page resume. Current career SES members, candidates eligible for SES reinstatement, and OPM-certified SES Candidate Development Program graduates should identify their qualifying status and certification year, where applicable.

Roles & Responsibilities

• Advise the centre’s leadership on legal policy and coordinate local procedures with the NASA General Counsel.
• Supervise legal staff and manage staffing plans, the legal office procurement budget and legal operations.
• Coordinate with agency counsel and management on policies, programme objectives and funding.
• Represent the centre’s interests in litigation and assist the Department of Justice.
• Handle legal process, property interests and claims, and ensure representation before courts, administrative bodies and other government agencies.
• Administer the centre’s ethics activities and patent programme.

Conditions of Employment

Selection requires a suitable background investigation and the ability to obtain and maintain the required security clearance. Financial disclosure is required within 30 days of appointment and annually thereafter. Initial career SES appointees serve a one-year probationary period; pre-employment and random drug testing may be required.

Contact

NASA Executive Staffing: Agency-Executive-Staffing@mail.nasa.gov.

Application Procedure

Apply through the official USAJOBS announcement. Sign in or create an applicant account, select the required resume, complete the online application and assessment responses, and submit by the deadline.

The resume is limited to two pages. Separate documents addressing the executive or technical qualifications are not accepted. Application statements must be in the applicant’s own words. Faxed, emailed and mailed applications are not accepted.