ATTORNEY-ADVISOR (GENERAL) Job in Quantico, VA

Vacancy No. 9L-AFPC-12611642-642072-AOW Department Air Force Office of Special Investigations
Salary $139,395.00 to $181,216.00 Grade 14 to 14
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 11/21/2024 Close Date 12/5/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Quantico, VA


Summary

The primary purpose of this position is to provide general law legal support to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations' (AFOSI's) Judge Advocate Directorate's General Law Division and to serve as a senior legal counsel to AFOSI on any and all issues relating to federal labor and employment law; the Freedom of Information Act, the Privacy Act, agency information release, administrative law; fiscal and federal appropriations law; ethics; and all other areas of general and civil law.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from U.S. Citizens (U.S. citizenship required at time of application).

Duties

  • Incumbent provides counsel in the areas of the Freedom of Information Act, the Privacy Act, agency information release, administrative law; counterintelligence law; intelligence law; cyber law; military justice; electronic surveillance; intercepts; complaints resolution; criminal investigations; civil rights; Constitutional law; administrative law; search and seizure; and any of the diverse legal issues that arise regarding AFOSI's mission. Incumbent also reviews and provides advice regarding AFOSI's internal investigations and disciplinary matters as required.
  • The incumbent is a senior attorney on matters that typically include: (1) extremely complex and difficult legal and factual questions that require a high order of original and creative endeavor to craft a reasonable balance between conflicting interests of federal managers and employees in legal disputes which are frequently, vigorously, and publicly contested by extremely capable legal talent; and (2) novel and highly technical questions in controversial and evolving areas of law affecting the command's ability to manage a specialized, fully-integrated civilian and military workforce, including medical standards.
  • The incumbent advises the command concerning fiscal and federal appropriations matters. The incumbent reviews non-standard statements of work and contractual arrangements for AFOSI regarding the acquisition of law enforcement and counterintelligence analytical and support services, information technology (IT) systems, construction, and logistics.
  • The incumbent acts on behalf of the designated agency ethics official (DAEO) for AFOSI; provides ethics advisory opinions on the entire range of ethics-related matters; conducts and monitors the accuracy and quality of training provided to command; advises on all off-duty employment matters; ensures compliance with financial disclosure and training requirements for the entire command; and ensures command compliance with any ethics program reporting requirements.
  • The incumbent performs other duties as assigned, to include but not limited to, providing command-level advice and guidance on a full range of legal issues confronting law enforcement and intelligence agencies. These taskings will often, but not always, occur in the absence of the primary attorneys assigned to these subject matter areas, or in matters so voluminous or complex that the primary attorneys require additional assistance.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required
  • If authorized, PCS will be paid IAW JTR and AF Regulations. If receiving an authorized PCS, you may be subject to completing/signing a CONUS agreement. More information on PCS requirements, may be found at: https://afciviliancareers.com/regulatory/
  • Males must be registered for Selective Service, see www.sss.gov.
  • Attorney appointments are subject to serve a one-year probationary period.
  • Candidates are not required to have active duty service or veterans’ preference to be referred and considered. All qualified candidates who meet the recruitment assessment criteria will be referred to the selecting official.
  • Advance in hire may be authorized if there is demonstrable proof on your resume
  • Leave accrual may be authorized upon request
  • The incumbent must meet minimum training requirements set out in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps policies
  • The incumbent must undergo an internal background investigation by AFOSI and must be approved for duty by the Commander of AFOSI or the Commander’s designated representative(s)
  • The position is Special sensitive. The incumbent must obtain and maintain a top secret/SCI security clearance, and may be required to undergo polygraph examinations
  • The incumbent may be required to work overtime
  • The incumbent may be required to travel by military or commercial transportations (e.g., airplane, automobile, subway, etc.)
  • The incumbent’s position is a testing designated position subject to random drug testing in accordance with AFMAN 44-198, Air Force Civilian Drug Demand Reduction Program, 24 January 2019, Certified Current, 5 October 2022
  • Mobility is a condition of employment. The employee must sign an Air Force-wide mobility agreement

Qualifications

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:
  • You 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).
  • In addition, at the time of application, you must provide proof, dated within four months of application, of "active" status with a bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. commonwealth, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia. On-line information is allowed as long as it shows that you are in "active" status.

Specialized Experience: In addition to the basic requirement: you must have professional legal experience in excess of three (3) years that commensurate with the position's duties and responsibilities.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:

1. Mastery of the professional field of federal labor and employment law, including the ability to analyze legal precedent; to conform policy and practice to the confines of the law and/or regulations; and to represent the Commander of AFOSI and the Secretary of the Air Force in proceedings before the MSPB, EEOC, OSC, and other fora. Must be able to apply this knowledge and develop strategies for unique and complex factual predicates in novel and time-sensitive situations, as required by the command's unique law enforcement and counterintelligence mission.

2. Mastery of techniques and knowledge of various laws necessary to independently identify and analyze both issues of fact and issues of law with relation to labor law, employment law, administrative law, fiscal law, contract law, and ethics. Extensive knowledge of DoD, Air Force, and AFOSI structures and operation procedures and the ability to work independently to identify issues relevant to AFOSI's multiple mission areas.

3. Mastery of the principles, concepts, and methods of legal research of various sources, such as statutes, executive orders, manuals, directives, issuances, computerized reference sources (i.e., Lexis and/or Westlaw), court decisions, administrative decisions, precedent case law, and commercial legal publications, sufficient to perform in-depth legal research into the legislative history, precedent case law, decisions, and opinions which bear on particular legal issues.

4. Mastery of advocacy and litigation. Must be thoroughly familiar with procedural and evidentiary rules governing ADR, administrative, judicial, and quasi-judicial proceedings. Must have the ability to effectively present evidence and legal arguments in any forum on short notice. Ability to independently prepare and present, both orally and in writing, relevant information required to process requests and to provide comprehensive legal opinions on issues related to labor and employment law; administrative law; fiscal and federal appropriations law; ethics; and AFOSI's full spectrum
investigative and counterintelligence mission.

5. Extensive knowledge of various titles of law necessary to independently identify and analyze both issues of fact and issues of law with relation to counterintelligence law, intelligence law, cyber law, military justice, electronic surveillance, intercepts, Freedom of Information Act, Privacy Act, agency information release, complaints resolution, criminal investigations, nuclear convoy missions, civil rights, Constitutional law, and search and seizure. Ability to develop, train, and lead a focused intra- and inter-divisional team to address various legal issues and their application to AFOSI's national security and criminal investigations mission.

6. Extensive knowledge and skill in fact finding, problem analysis, problem solving, and interpreting laws, directives, and policies, and the ability to apply that knowledge to make decisions or recommendations that may result in significantly changing, interpreting, or developing important public policies or programs. Ability to independently write clear and comprehensive legal reviews, legal briefs, memoranda, instructional material, and other documents relevant to all aspects of the AFOSI mission and appropriate for specified levels of command, from highest to lowest, and to present high-quality briefings, lectures, and speeches to high-level audiences on short notice.

At the time of application, you must provide proof, dated within four months of application, of "active" status and in good standing with a bar of the highest court of a State, US commonwealth, US territory, or the District of Columbia. On-line information is allowed as long as it shows that you are in "active" status and dated within four months of application.

PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

VOLUNTEER WORK EXPERIENCE: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
  • The incumbent must be an attorney and a graduate of an accredited law school. The incumbent must be admitted to the practice of law before the highest court of a state, District of Columbia, territory, possession, or commonwealth of the United States, and must maintain an active law license in at least one of the jurisdictions identified above. The incumbent must recertify annually regarding the incumbent's state bar standing.
  • This is a key position. In the event of a crisis situation, the incumbent must continue to perform his or her duties until relieved by proper authority. The incumbent might be required to take part in readiness exercises. This position cannot be vacated during a national emergency or mobilization without seriously impairing the capability of the organization to function effectively. This meets the criteria of a key position and requires that the incumbent be removed from any military recall status.

Education

Must be a graduate of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association, and be currently licensed as an attorney, in active (or equivalent) status and in good standing, with the bar of a U.S. state, territory, or commonwealth. The attorney must maintain such bar membership in at least one jurisdiction during the entire course of employment with the Air Force.

Additional information

Employed Annuitants (Reemployed Annuitants): Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. Click here for more information.

Writing Example: Prior to receiving an offer, you will be asked to provide a writing sample demonstrating your legal analytical skills.

120-Day Register: This announcement may result in a 120-day register that may be used to fill like vacancies for 120 days after the closing date. Applicants may be referred for consideration as vacancies occur.

Direct Deposit: All federal employees are required to have direct deposit.

Incentives: Recruitment and/or retention incentives may or may not be used.

Disabled veteran leave is available to a Federal employee hired on/after 5 Nov 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more. For more information, click here.

If you have questions regarding this announcement and have hearing or speech difficulties click here.

Tax Law Impact for PCS: On 22-Dec-2017, Public Law 115-97 - the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017" suspended qualified moving expense deductions along with the exclusion for employer reimbursements and payments of moving expenses effective 01-Jan-2018 for tax years 2018 through 2025. When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable. Visit GSA Bulletin FTR 20-04 here for additional information.

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.

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 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.

The resume/documents you submit must support your responses to the online questionnaire. If your application contradicts or does not support your questionnaire responses, you will receive a rating of "not qualified" or "insufficient information" and you will not receive further consideration for this job.

Applications who disqualify themselves will not be evaluated further.

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be provided with your application. Applicants who do not submit required documentation to determine eligibility and qualifications will be eliminated from consideration. Other documents may be required based on the eligibility/eligibilities you are claiming. Click here to view the AF Civilian Employment Eligibility Guide and the required documents you must submit to substantiate the eligibilities you are claiming.

  1. Online Application: Questionnaire
  2. Resume: For qualification determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week (if part-time) and dates of employment (i.e., month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as insufficient and you will not receive consideration for this position. If you are a current Federal employee or previous Federal employee, provide your pay plan, series and grade, i.e. GS-0301-09. Current Federal Civilian Employees should list any relevant performance related rating (given within the last three years) and/or incentive awards in your resume. Do NOT include photographs (or links to social media such as LinkedIn), inappropriate material, inappropriate content, nor personal information such as age, gender, religion, social security number, etc., on your resume.
  3. License: At the time of application, you must provide proof, dated within four months of application, of "active" status with a bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. commonwealth, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia. On-line information is allowed as long as it shows that you are in "active" status.
ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: The VOW Act requires federal agencies to treat an eligible active duty service member as a veteran, disabled veteran, and preference eligible (as applicable) when applying for civil service positions before the effective release or discharge date. Appointment of military members before the release or discharge date is permissible if the member is on terminal leave. At the time the active duty member applies for a civil position, he or she must submit a "certification" memo in lieu of a DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. The certification memo must originate from the member's military service branch on official letterhead and contain the following:
  • Name/Rank/Grade of Service Member
  • Branch of Armed Forces
  • Dates of Active Service (Start and End Date(s)
  • Expected Date of Discharge/Release from Active Duty
  • Terminal leave start date (if applicable)
  • Expected character of service/discharge (honorable/general) and type of separation (i.e. separation or retirement)
  • Must be certified within 120 days of anticipated discharge
  • Signature by, or by direction of the adjutant, personnel office, unit commander, or higher headquarters commander
NOTE: The VOW Act provides tentative preference. If appointed, a DD Form 214 must be submitted upon receipt.

NOTICE OF VETERANS' PREFERENCE:
There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Defense considers veterans' preference eligibility a positive factor for attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation to their submissions.

Although the point-preference system is not used, applicants eligible to claim Veterans Preference must submit VOW certification memo or copy of the official DD Form 214, which must include the character of service, and a Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference," and supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed. (SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preference and the required supporting documents, is available from the Office of Personnel Management Website at www.opm.gov.)

NOTE: Applicants for attorney appointments do not require veterans' preference in order to be eligible for consideration.

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

The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 12/05/2024

To preview the Application Questionnaire, please click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12611642

To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the application questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Application button at the end of the process.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

1. Your Resume (your latest resume will be used to determine your qualifications). If you submit more than one copy of your resume, only the most recent (latest) version will be reviewed. The latest timestamp will be used to determine which version of your resume is "most recent."

  • It is your responsibility to check the status and timestamp of all documents you submit as part of your application.
  • If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, you will not be considered for this vacancy.
  • For qualification determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week (if part-time) and dates of employment (i.e., hours per week and month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as insufficient and you will not receive consideration for this position.
  • Ensure your resume contains your full name.
2. A complete Application Questionnaire

3. Additional Required Documents (see Required Documents section). Ensure all submitted documents contain your full name.

4. Optional Documents: Performance Appraisals for Current Federal Civilian Employees - Most recent performance appraisals (dated within last 3 years) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable.

PLEASE NOTE: It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and/or uploaded, (i.e., resume) is received, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. You may verify your documents have been processed with your application package successfully. You can access your USAJOBS account to do so by clicking here. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.

Human Resources WILL NOT modify or change any answers submitted by an applicant.

Agency contact information

Total Force Service Center
Address
AF Office of Special Investigations - Pentagon
27130 Telegraph Road
Quantico, VA 22134
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once your application package is received an acknowledgement email will be sent. After a review of your complete application is made you will be notified of your rating and/or referral to the hiring official.

If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility and qualifications for consideration. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.

To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select My Applications, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.

If you do not provide an email address, you are responsible for checking status updates and notifications in USAJOBS. Hard copy notifications will not be sent to you.


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


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