Listed on Orbital Diplomat 13 Aug 2026
NASA's Office of the General Counsel provides legal services across the Agency's full portfolio of programmes — from human spaceflight and Earth observation to science missions, commercial partnerships, and emerging space technology. This Attorney-Adviser announcement recruits for two vacancies across multiple NASA Centers, offering candidates the flexibility to indicate their preferred duty station(s) at application. The role focuses on transactional agreements and contracts law, covering formation and administration of complex instruments including procurement contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreements, real property instruments, licences, and interagency agreements. The postholder will draft, review, and negotiate strategic partnership instruments with private industry and interagency partners; handle disputes and litigation related to contracts, intellectual property, and other transactions; advise on data rights, fiscal law, ethics, procurement integrity, real property, safety, and administrative law; and prepare legal opinions and briefings for senior NASA leadership. For space law practitioners, this is a substantive in-house counsel role at the heart of NASA's commercial and interagency partnerships — including the agency's growing engagement with commercial space providers under OTA and other innovative contracting vehicles. No security clearance is required; the position is open to the US public. The announcement closes when 225 applications are received — early application is critical.
Juris Doctor (J.D.) or LL.B. from an ABA-accredited law school Active bar membership in good standing in any US state, territory, or DC GS-14: 1 year of specialised experience at GS-13 level as subject-matter resource on complex, high-visibility legal issues, including communicating across organisational boundaries and providing technical guidance GS-15: 1 year of specialised experience at GS-14 level as subject-matter expert with enterprise leadership and demonstrated ability to accomplish high-level policy outcomes OR: graduate law degree (LL.M.) plus 1 year of relevant professional legal experience at the equivalent level US citizenship required Resume must not exceed 2 pages; transcripts required Announcement closes when 225 applications received — apply immediately