ATTORNEY ADVISOR Job in Fort Worth, TX

Vacancy No. EXC-25-PDC-12779694 Department Small Business Administration
Salary $114,566.00 to $148,937.00 Grade 13 to 13
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 8/7/2025 Close Date 8/14/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Fort Worth, TX


Summary

You will serve as an ATTORNEY ADVISOR for the Small Business Administration (SBA), Processing and Disbursement Center - PDC in Fort Worth, Texas. The paramount duties of the employee include serving as a senior attorney adviser to PDC management and staff as well as other OCA offices.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

United States Citizens

Duties

As an ATTORNEY ADVISOR at the GS-0905-13, some of your typical work assignments may include:

  • Liaises with the Office of General Counsel (OGC) and their attorneys regarding litigation involving Processing and Disbursement Center (PDC) and Office of Capital Access (OCA) staff or matters in order to prepare staff for trials and hearings. Gathers information, documentation and reports that are pertinent to trials and hearings.
  • Reviews, analyzes and makes recommendations regarding various employee incidents and tort claims involving personnel or against the Agency. Handles intake and investigation of the incidents, gathers appropriate documentation and provides necessary responses on behalf of the organization. Prepares reports on tort claims (such as auto accidents) involving employees of the PDC and OCA, including denying and recommending approval of such claims to the extent permitted.
  • Reviews, analyzes, and makes recommendations regarding subpoenas served to the Agency, the PDC and program offices. Ensures accuracy and legitimacy of subpoenas, and ensures they are directed to the necessary parties.
  • Reviews, analyzes and makes recommendations regarding potential and existing employment litigation matters in the PDC. Provides guidance to PDC management regarding potential litigation risks in employment matters.

IMPORTANT NOTES:
  • This is an Excepted Service position and will be filled through an alternate hiring process and is not in the competitive service.
  • Additional selections may be made from this announcement if identical vacancies occur within 180 days from the closing date.
  • By applying for this position with SBA's Office of Capital Access, you can enjoy challenging but satisfying work and join a highly motivated and diverse team that helps families and businesses rebuild their lives after a disaster.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. citizenship is required.
  • You must be able to obtain and maintain a Government travel credit card.
  • Favorable background investigation and credit check are required.
  • Credit score below 500 may negatively impact consideration in the hiring process.
  • Current and active member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the US, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and eligible to practice law.
  • You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
  • You may be required to complete a trial period.
  • If you are a male applicant born after 12/31/1959 and are required to register under the Miliary Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered, or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency.

Qualifications

Experience:
To receive credit, you must indicate the month and year as well as the average hours worked per week for each employer. Average work hours must be stated on the resume to quantify each period of work experience or that experience will not be credited toward meeting the specialized experience requirement.

You must address the specific specialized experience required for each grade level of this position on your resume or application or you will be rated "Ineligible" for that grade level.

GS-13: To qualify you must have at least 2 full years (104 weeks) of professional legal experience after admission to the bar, one year of which provided specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the GS-12 level in the Federal service that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skill, and ability to perform successfully in this position. This experience may have been gained in a Non-Federal service position. In addition, this Specialized Experience must demonstrate the following

  • Researching, analyzing, and explaining complex statutory, regulatory, and administrative law issues;
  • Developing strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation of cases in administrative proceedings;
  • Writing clear, concise, persuasive legal documents for various audiences;
  • Making effective oral presentations/arguments before administrative third parties; AND
  • Apply statutes and regulations to recommend guidance and/or course of action regarding legal matters
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). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

GS-13: Applicant must have successfully completed a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and have the first professional law degree (LLB or JD). Applicant must currently be a member in good standing of the bar of a state or territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

There is no further education requirement for the GS-13 level.

If you do possess a foreign degree, please refer to OPM's Qualification Policies in this link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=General-Policies

Additional information

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.

If selected for this position, you will be eligible for benefits. The above link is provided for your reference to explore the major benefits offered to most Federal employees.

Review our 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.

Your application and resume will be compared to the answer you give to the minimum qualification question (s) on the assessment questionnaire. Your resume should not exceed two pages and must demonstrate the specialized experience related to the position for which you are applying. If your resume goes beyond two pages, we will only consider the first two pages for the required experience as outline in the specialized experience. Your application will be reviewed to determine if you meet all the Specialized Experience required at each grade level. If you do not, you will be rated "Ineligible". If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience your score can and may be adjusted downward to reflect the submitted application material.

Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not CTAP eligible. View information about CTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. You must submit the supporting documents listed under the Required Documents section of this announcement. To be considered well qualified under CTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85 for this position.

National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

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

Your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

Applicants who disqualify themselves will not be evaluated further.

Required Documents

Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Your Resume showing hours worked per week, dates of employment, and duties performed.
2. Completed Questionnaire

3. Other supporting documents, such as:
  • College Transcript(s), if qualifying based on education.
    • Unofficial transcripts may be submitted during the application process; however, official transcripts will be required if selected.
  • Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable (e.g. DD-214 Member Copy 4 or other Member Copy showing type of discharge/character of service, SF-15 Form and related documentation, VA letter, etc.)
  • Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable (e.g. Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)

DO NOT SEND YOUR RESUME OR ANY APPLICATION DOCUMENTS TO THE AGENCY CONTACT.

Your latest resume submitted for this position will be used for qualification determinations and supersedes previous submissions.

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION:
1. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) or Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP):
If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, provide a copy of your most recent annual performance appraisal (which must show at least a "fully successful" rating or equivalent), and proof of eligibility, i.e., a RIF separation notice or Certification of Expected Separation, and SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location.In addition to meeting all qualification requirements and selective placement factors (if applicable), CTAP/ICTAP eligibles must meet the Well-Qualified criteria with a score of 85 or above based on the competencies listed above for the position in order to be given priority consideration. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is also on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at: CTAP/ICTAP. http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp.
You are eligible for CTAP/ICTAP if:
1. You are a current federal employee who meets the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee meaning you have received official notice that your job is no longer needed or that you will lose your job by Reduction-in-Force (RIF).
2. Your agency, or the agency to which you are applying, is accepting applications from within or outside of the permanent workforce.
3. The position to which you are applying MUST BE in the Local Commuting Area of the position of record from which you are being displaced.

2. If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-point veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form.

3. If you are a male applicant who was born after 12/31/59 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency.

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

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 08/14/2025 to receive consideration.

  • To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account.
  • You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application.
  • You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement.
  • To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application.

Agency contact information

Melissa Coben
Address
Processing and Disbursement Center - PDC
14925 Kingsport Road
Fort Worth, TX 76155
US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After a review of your complete application is made, you will be notified of your rating and/or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluations or interviews are required, you will be contacted.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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