Summary
Office of Chief Counsel, IRS, seeks enthusiastic individuals to serve taxpayers fairly and with integrity by providing correct and impartial interpretation of the internal revenue laws and the highest quality legal advice and representation for the IRS. Please click "Learn more about this agency" to find out more about Chief Counsel's various offices, to view some of the workplace attributes that Chief Counsel's workforce rates most favorably, and to hear from employees themselves.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
U.S. Citizens and U.S. Nationals; no prior Federal experience is required.
Duties
The Office of the Associate Chief Counsel (Passthroughs and Special Industries) provides legal advice, litigation services, and litigation support on tax matters involving passthrough entities, the classification of entities, passive activity losses, excise taxes, estate and gift taxes, oil and gas and other natural resources, at-risk rules, and tax credits to the Internal Revenue Service, the Office of Chief Counsel, the Department of Justice, Treasury, and where appropriate or required, to other government agencies and the public.
As Senior Technician Reviewer, the incumbent is responsible for some of the most complicated, difficult, and unusual assignments and projects in Passthroughs and Special Industries. In consultation with the Branch Chief, the Senior Technician Reviewer is responsible for the assignment of selected cases and projects to the attorneys within the Branch and for review of the work products. The primary work of the Branch involves developing and considering recommendations for enactment of Internal Revenue legislation and the promulgating published guidance (regulations, revenue rulings, and revenue procedures) preparing of private letter rulings, technical advice memoranda, and other written legal advice based on tax issues submitted by taxpayers and their representatives, state and federal agencies, and other Chief Counsel and IRS offices.
In addition, the Branch performs activities in the assigned subject area including providing legal assistance and advice to trial attorneys in the field in connection with actions on decisions, preparation of briefs, handling of unusual technical problems, preparation for the trial of cases involving complicated technical issues, and appeal recommendations in Tax Court and refund cases. Many of the issues presented for decision are submitted after extensive consideration in the field and elsewhere. Problems presented cover a broad range involving numerous questions requiring interpretation of the Internal Revenue Code, tax regulations, published rulings, court cases and other technical materials.
As a General Attorney (Tax) Senior Technician Reviewer, you will:
- Act as a legal and technical consultant to the Branch Chief, Deputy Associate Chief Counsel, Associate Chief Counsel, and to other officials in the Office of Chief Counsel on the legal and policy matters concerned with the work of the Branch, or which may affect the work of other branches of the office, or other components of the Office of Chief Counsel. These matters involve the Senior Technical Reviewer in detailed and extensive research on complicated legal problems, and the development of recommendations as to the positions to be taken by the Branch and the Office.
- Act as a reviewer, and in some cases as the initiating attorney, for assignments and projects involving the development and drafting of Internal Revenue legislation and regulations, considering recommendations for enactment of legislation and the promulgation of regulations, private letter rulings, revenue rulings, technical advice memoranda, and other advice memoranda dealing with tax problems submitted by taxpayers and their representatives, state and federal agencies, and other Chief Counsel and IRS offices.
- Act as principal attorney in charge of recommending the policies and developing the procedures and regulations implementing new or amended legislation for specific areas of tax law and be responsible for ensuring that these policies, procedures, and regulations are consistent with the intent of the law and are administratively sound, efficient, and economical in operations.
- Mentor, train, and develop attorneys in the technical subjects of the Branch and the day-today workflow of the organization and the IRS.
- Perform activities in the subject area of the Branch including legal assistance, document review, appellate recommendations, and litigation support. Many of the issues presented for decision are submitted after extensive consideration in the field and elsewhere. Problems presented cover a broad range of tax law issues involving numerous questions requiring interpretation of the Internal Revenue Code, tax regulations, published rulings, court cases and other technical materials.
- Make recommendations on the need for initiating, consolidating, or eliminating projects. Act as project manager, assign (in consultation with the Branch Chief) work to the attorneys within the Branch, advise them on the approach to take, review work products, and provide the Branch Chief with performance feedback on work performed.
This is not an all-inclusive list.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- Refer to "Additional Information"
- Click "Print Preview" to review the entire announcement before applying.
- Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
Qualifications
In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application.
To qualify for this position of General Attorney (Tax) Senior Technician Reviewer you must meet the qualification requirements listed below by the closing of this announcement:
Basic Requirements for General Attorney (Tax) Senior Technician Reviewer:
- Possess at least the first professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association; AND
- Applicants must be an active member in good standing of the bar of a State, U.S. Commonwealth, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico;
GS-15 Experience Requirements:
- 1 year of general professional legal experience from any area of expertise; plus
- 3 years of professional legal tax experience
Professional Legal Tax Experience is defined as: Comprehensive knowledge of Internal Revenue tax laws and the regulations and decisions applicable thereto, including particular knowledge and experience relating to one or more of the following areas of passthrough taxation:
- Excise taxes, including but not limited to those imposed under Chapter 31 (retail excise taxes on fuel, heavy truck and trailers, etc.), Chapter 32 (manufacturers' excise taxes on tires, motor and aviation fuels, coal, sporting goods, medical devices, etc.), Chapter 33 (facilities and services excise taxes on communications, air transportation, etc.), Chapter 35 (wagering excise taxes), Chapter 36 (certain other excise taxes on water transportation, highway vehicle use, etc.), Chapter 38 (environmental excise taxes), Chapter 49 (excise tax on cosmetic services), and Chapter 51 (designated drugs) of the Internal Revenue Code
- The fuel, aviation, heavy vehicle, chemical, pharmaceutical, or other relevant industry, including related federal government agency experience
- Tax litigation
At least one year of this experience must be equivalent to the work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-14).
Note: Only experience gained after Bar Admission may be credited as Professional Legal Experience.
Education Substitution: An LL.M. degree in the field of the position (tax, GLS-related, orP&A- FOIA/Disclosure related field) may be substituted for the one year of the general legal experience listed above.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week, on your resume.
Education
For positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.
A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page.
FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.
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.
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.
Applicants will be considered based on their overall background as it relates to the position to be filled. Interviews may be held at the option of the office. All application materials and interviews, if conducted, will be used in the final evaluation and selection process.
Referral: Professional Order will be used to refer and select eligible candidates. Veterans' preference is applied after applicants are assessed. Preference eligibles will be listed at the top of the certificate in alphabetical order and considered before non-preference eligibles. All other candidates will be listed in alphabetical order. If you are among the top qualified candidates, you may be required to participate in a selection interview. We will not reimburse costs related to the interview, such as travel to and from the interview site.
Required Documents
A complete application includes 1. A resume, 2. Vacancy question responses, and 3. Submission of any required documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).
All applicants are required to submit a resume either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. (Cover letters are optional.) To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume. We suggest that you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please view resume tips.
In addition, applicants are required to submit:
- An unofficial or official transcript(s) for your J.D. degree or LL.M. degree (an official transcript is required if you are selected)
- A memorandum of interest summarizing your interest in the position
- A memorandum of interest (minimum of 2 pages) that (i) highlights your technical skills and explains how those skills make you a good fit for this position, and (ii) addresses why you are interested in a management role and how you are prepared for the management elements of this position
Current Chief Counsel Employees are also required to submit:
- A copy of your most recent, signed, completed annual performance appraisal which includes the final rating. If it is not dated within the last 12 months or if you have not received a performance appraisal, please explain why in your application
- A Supervisory Report for Supervisory or Management Positions (ERB Form 1-88, Rev 7/2020) regarding your suitability for the position as completed by your current supervisor. You are responsible for notifying your supervisor that this report must be received no later than five workdays after the closing date of this announcement.
Education Documentation: For positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected. See "Education" for more details.
Certificate of Good Standing: A certified original copy of your certificate of good standing from your State Bar will be required if you are selected.
VETERANS' PREFERENCE DOCUMENTATION: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Office of Chief Counsel considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. If you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (Member 4 copy), or other official documentation from a branch of the Armed Forces or the Department of Veterans Affairs showing dates of service and type of discharge. Ten-point preference eligibles must also submit an Application for 10-point Veteran Preference, SF-15, along with the required documentation listed on the back of the SF-15 form. For more information on veterans' preference, view FedsHireVets.
How to Apply
The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 05/24/2024 and/or cut-off dates in this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally . 7:00am - 4:30pm. ET, Monday - Friday). To preview the Application Questionnaire, please click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12408729
If you require a reasonable accommodation for a disability or medical condition during any part of the application and hiring process, please contact Keona Hill (EEO Director/Reasonable Accommodation Coordinator) by phone at 202-317-5739 or by email at Keona.L.Hill@irscounsel.treas.gov. The IRS - Office of Chief Counsel provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. You must contact us by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the announcement's closing date to request accommodation. If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services. Counsel's EEO Office is not the point of contact for questions about the vacancy announcement.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
- Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
- After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
- You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
- It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
- Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.
Next steps
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
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