Attorney-Adviser Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. 24-MINT-567-X Department U.S. Mint
Salary $82,764.00 to $153,354.00 Grade 11 to 13
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 10/7/2024 Close Date 10/21/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

The Office of Chief Counsel, United States Mint, Washington, D.C., is a dynamic, interesting, and spirited law practice of eight attorneys and one professional staff member who, as a cohesive and collegial organization, provide the full range of legal advice and legal services to the United States Mint, a bureau of the Department of the Treasury. We stand for excellence in the quality, responsiveness, and value of our legal advice and legal services to our clients.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

U.S. citizens or U.S. Nationals; no prior Federal experience is required.

Duties

The following are the duties of this position at the GS-14. If you are selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform all these duties, and will receive training to help you grow in this position.

  • The Office of Chief Counsel, United States Mint, is located in Washington, D.C. and is responsible for providing legal advice and services to United States Mint Headquarters and field facilities on all matters pertaining to the functions, operations, programs, and activities of the United States Mint.
  • The Attorney-Advisor represents and advises United States Mint officials and managers with responsibilities for agency programs on a broad range of operational and programmatic matters; performs research and prepares memoranda on difficult factual and legal issues, applying pertinent laws, regulations, decisions and precedents; represents the agency in administrative proceedings before the Merit Systems Protection Board, the Federal Labor Relations Authority, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; and drafts decisions, prepares litigation reports, and assists the Department of Justice and United States Attorney's Offices in Federal court litigation.
  • Assignments may be within any area within the scope of activities of the Office of Chief Counsel, including coins and currency, contracts, personnel, EEO, employee and labor relations, ethics, and information disclosure law; however, there will be particular emphasis on EEO, and employee and labor relations law, as it applies to Federal employees. Assignments may also include legal work in the areas of intellectual property, licensing, commercial activities, claims, and internet/information technology, FOIA/PA, as well as litigation support.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • All employees must wear face masks while on MINT property when required by CDC and Federal guidelines.
  • A two year trial period will be required for this position.
  • Must successfully complete a background investigation.
  • Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
  • Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
  • If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
  • Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S.
  • Obtain and use a Government-issued charge card for business-related travel.
  • File a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report within 30 days of appointment and annually from then on.
  • Undergo an income tax verification
  • May be required to wear safety clothing and/or equipment required by the position. This may include safety shoes, hard hats, hearing protection, gloves, masks, etc.
Key Requirements:
  1. Please refer to "Conditions of Employment."
  2. Click "Print Preview" to review the entire announcement before applying.
  3. Must be U.S. Citizen or U.S. National

Qualifications

You must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

The experience may have been gained in either the public, private sector or volunteer service. 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/day/year and indicate number of hours worked per week on your resume.

Basic Requirements:
Applicants MUST:
(1) be a graduate of an accredited law school with an LL.B. or J.D.;
(2) be a current member of a bar with a valid license to practice law in a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and
(3) meet all specialized experience requirements as described in the vacancy announcement.

AND

For the GS-13:
18 months of pertinent legal experience at the GS-12 level, or equivalent level of difficulty in the Federal service or private sector, that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position.

Examples of such experience might include: Experience assisting an agency or client representative in administrative or judicial proceedings, preparing drafts of legal briefs for judicial or administrative proceedings, research matters involving general law to include personnel and labor law.

For the GS-12:
You must have 12 months of experience at the GS-11 level, or equivalent level of difficulty in the Federal service or private sector that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position.

Examples of such experience might include: acting as an agency or client representative in administrative or judicial proceedings; preparing drafts of legal briefs for court proceedings; drafting legal memoranda regarding effects of proposed legislation or regulations; and drafting briefing papers on complex legal issues for senior government officials or private sector clients.

For the GS-11:
You must have 12 months of experience at the GS-09 level, or equivalent level of difficulty in the Federal service or private sector that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position

Examples of professional legal experience include the following: Preparing drafts of legal briefs for court proceedings, drafting legal memoranda regarding effects of proposed legislation or regulations, and drafting briefing papers on complex legal issues for senior government officials or private sector clients.;

OR

a judicial clerkship;

OR

a LL.M degree that requires one full year of graduate study;

OR

superior law student work or activities.

Education

Education Requirements:
The education generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions.

Additional information

OTHER INFORMATION:

  • We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.
  • This is a non-bargaining unit designated position.
  • We offer opportunities for telework.
  • This position may require travel 1 to 5 months per year.
  • We offer opportunities for flexible work schedules.
  • Relocation expenses are not authorized.
  • This position requires that the successful candidate undergo personnel vetting, which includes a background investigation and enrollment upon onboarding into "Continuous Vetting." Enrollment in Continuous Vetting will result in automated record checks being conducted throughout one's employment with Treasury. The successful candidate will also be enrolled into FBI's Rap Back service, which will allow Treasury to receive notification from the FBI of criminal matters (e.g., arrests, charges, convictions) involving enrolled individuals in near real-time. For more information about individual rights, Noncriminal Justice Applicant's Privacy Rights - FBI, FD-258 Privacy Act Statement - FBI, and SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov).

We offer a workplace that is respectful, fair, and values diversity. Our comprehensive benefits are very generous - helping you to reach your personal goals by supporting your professional growth, health, well-being, and your family needs. Our benefits package includes:

  • Challenging work, opportunities for advancement, competitive salaries, bonuses and incentive awards.
  • Eleven paid holidays, 13 days of sick leave, and 13 to 26 days of vacation time each year.
  • Access to insurance programs that may be continued after you retire.
  • A wide choice of health insurance plans, coverage for pre-existing conditions, and no waiting periods. We pay a substantial amount (up to 75%) of the health insurance premiums.
  • A retirement program which includes employer-matching contributions.
  • Learn more about Federal benefits programs at: https://help.usajobs.gov/working-in-government/benefits
The Office of Chief Counsel, United States Mint, is a general Federal Government legal practice. However, our practice is also unique in that it covers myriad matters involving the United States Mint's production and retail operations, including matters relating to coin and medal programs, commercial activities, licensing, marketing, advertising, and intellectual property. As with many other Federal agencies, we also address matters involving agency management, financial operations, information practices, contracting, congressional relations and legislation, labor relations, claims, personnel, EEO, administrative law, law enforcement and police operations, and fiscal law-all with a view toward furthering the policies and programs of the Department of the Treasury. The Chief Counsel and the attorneys of the Office of Chief Counsel are a part of the Legal Division of the Department of the Treasury, which reports to the Treasury General Counsel.

The Department of the Treasury has a distinguished history dating back to the founding of our nation. As the steward of U.S. economic and financial systems, Treasury is a major and influential leader in today's the global economy. There are over 100,000 Treasury employees across the country and around the world, and we make diversity of thoughts and inclusion a core value.

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.

Your application includes your résumé, responses to the online questions, and required supporting documents. Please be sure that your résumé includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position; failure to provide sufficient evidence in your résumé may result in a "not qualified" determination.

A subject matter expert may be used in the evaluation. Your rating may be lowered if your responses to the online questions are not supported by the education and/or experience described in your application.

Since this is an Excepted Service position, a non-rated method of evaluation will be used. We will evaluate your application by comparing your description of your work experience, level of responsibility, and accomplishments with the requirements of the position to determine whether you meet all the qualification requirements. Competitive examining rules for rating and ranking do not apply.

Application of Veterans' Preference: 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.

Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. You may be required to participate in a selection interview.

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).Please ensure all required documents, including any required work samples, narratives, or other materials as stated in this announcement, are attached to your application package.

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/date/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.

VETERANS' PREFERENCE DOCUMENTATION: If you are claiming veterans' preference, please see applicant guide for required documentation. In order to be considered for veterans' preference, you must submit all required documentation as outlined in the applicant guide.

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 a list of courses showing title, number of credits, grade, and date of completion.

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. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:
  • Resume
  • Proof of Active Bar Membership with a License to practice
  • Transcript showingJ.D. or LL.B from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA)
RECOMMENDED DOCUMENTS: In addition, we recommend that you submit copies of the following:
  • A cover letter, highlighting your qualifications and motivations for working in the Office of Chief Counsel at the United States Mint
  • SF-50 if a current federal employee.
  • A legal writing sample

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 US Mint has partnered with the Treasury's Bureau of the Fiscal Service to provide certain personnel services to its organization. Fiscal Service's responsibilities include advertising vacancies, accepting and handling applications, and extending job offers.
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 the closing date of this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, please contact us by noon ET on the announcement's closing date.

Are you unsure how to write your federal resume? We are here to help. The Treasury Recruitment Service regularly offers Writing Your Federal Resume training sessions, and other career-related information sessions, to assist you in your career search journey. To register for a session, click here to go to our Career Information Sessions webpage.

The Bureau provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us if you require this for any part of the application and hiring process.

  • 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.
To verify the status of your application:
-Log into your USAJOBS account (USAJOBS Login). A list of announcements in which you have applied is at the Welcome screen.
-Under "application status," click "Track this application" and you will be taken to the agency website where you can check your application status.

For more information regarding the job and applicant status, please refer to https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/

If you wish to make changes/updates to your application and the vacancy is still open, you can click on the job announcement and "Update Application" to be taken back to your application. No updates can be made once the announcement has closed.

Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.

For additional information on how to apply, please visit the Partnership for Public Service's Go Government website.

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Treasury and its bureaus from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Treasury by email at, FairChanceAct@treasury.gov.

To learn more, please visit our page at: Treasury.gov/fairchanceact.

To preview the assessment questionnaire: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12568767

Agency contact information

Applicant Call Center
Address
Office of the Director - Office of Chief Counsel
Administrative Resource Center
Parkersburg, WV 26101
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once the online questionnaire is received, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. We will review your resume and transcript(s) (if appropriate) to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and may interview the best-qualified applicants. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct any required suitability and/or security background investigation.


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


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