Attorney-Adviser Job in Greenbelt, MD

Vacancy No. GSFC-25-DE-12606227-JK Department Goddard Space Flight Center
Salary $117,962.00 to $181,216.00 Grade 13 to 14
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 11/15/2024 Close Date 12/2/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Greenbelt, MD


Summary

There is a vacancy for an attorney-adviser position in NASA's Office of the General Counsel at Goddard Space Flight Center. You will serve as advisor to the Chief Counsel, senior leaders, and the Goddard workforce at all levels, primarily practicing acquisition and contracts law, but may also be called upon to provide legal services in the fiscal law practice area. As a member of the NASA OGC Enterprise, you will provide legal support Agency wide in furtherance of NASA Programs and projects.

Duties

  • Duties described below are at the highest grade advertised. Duties assigned at lower grade levels will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity; duties will be commensurate with the grade of selected employee.
  • Applies law and provides legal advice on complex legal problems relating to all aspects of Federal procurement matters, including FAR-based contracts, leases and concessionaire agreements.
  • Serves as a legal advisor to NASA contracting officials, advising on a variety of legal and policy issues affecting NASA contracts, including interpretation of contract provisions, compliance with terms and conditions, modifications, etc.
  • Independently identifies potential legal issues, thoroughly researches applicable law, and provide clients with legal recommendations to best protect the Agency’s interests.
  • Defends the Agency in administrative fora like the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals and the Government Accountability Office and assists the Department of Justice with procurement-related litigation in Federal courts.
  • Researches legal issues, evaluates law and facts to develop potential litigative strategies, prepares pleadings, motions, interrogatories, fact finding, and other related documents.
  • Advises on compliance with fiscal laws and agency policy governing the use of appropriated and non-appropriated funds.
  • Engages with other attorneys and clients to advise on the proper use of appropriated funds, to include AntiDeficiency Act violations, the interpretation of authorizations, appropriations, continuing resolutions and lapses in appropriations.
  • Advises on travel issues, and the proper use of non-appropriated fund instrumentalities, use of Official Representation Funds, tax matters, and other fiscal, budgetary and accounting matters.
  • Fosters a culture of engagement, diversity, inclusiveness, excellence and innovation. Champion NASA's commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility to create an environment that promotes a commitment to safety, integrity, and teamwork.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • This position is open to U.S. citizens, nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
  • Position subject to pre-employment background investigation; position sensitivity and risk may be higher/lower depending on grade level selected.
  • You must meet qualifications requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
  • If selected, you will be required to complete a financial disclosure statement.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements for all grade levels:
You must possess a Juris Doctor (J.D.) or Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree from a full course of study at a law school accredited by the American Bar Association; be an active member in good standing of the bar of any state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and have been admitted to practice law before a state or federal court.

To qualify at the GS-13 level: you must meet the basic requirement for all grade levels (as outlined above).
In addition, one of the following requirements must be satisfied:

One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level:
  • Providing expert legal advice on procurement/contract administration issues ensuring compliance with federal procurement regulations;
  • Interpreting and applying Government procurement law and regulations;
  • Providing legal counsel on contract administration, including serving as a primary advisor related to challenges or disputes over bids, claims or contracts.
OR

A graduate law degree (e.g., Master of Laws/LL.M.) and 1 year of professional legal experience equivalent to the experience described above.

To qualify for at the GS-14 level: you must meet the basic requirement for all grade levels (as outlined above).
In addition, one of the following requirements must be satisfied:

One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level:
  • Advising senior agency level officials or equivalent by providing expert legal advice on procurement/contract administration matters where a Federal Agency is a party to the agreement;
  • Interpreting and applying Government procurement law and regulations;
  • Advising on contract administration issues, which may include serving as primary advisor to Source Evaluation Boards, drafting of contract provisions, advising and drafting in support of source selection and contract award, and/or lead litigation role for bid protests or claims litigation.
OR

A graduate law degree (e.g., Master of Laws/LL.M.) and 1 year of professional legal experience equivalent to the experience described above.

Your resume must include a clear and detailed narrative description, in your own words, of how you meet the required specialized experience. Experience statements copied from a position description, vacancy announcement or other reference material constitutes plagiarism and may result in disqualification and losing consideration for the job.

NASA prohibits the use of artificial intelligence (AI) or AI-assisted tool in drafting application and assessment responses. Please visit https://www.nasa.gov/careers/how-to-apply/#Artificial-Intelligence to review NASA's guidance on the use of AI tools during the application process.

Education

U.S. degrees must have been awarded from colleges or universities that are accredited by recognized accrediting organizations. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, go to http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs. These education credentials must be 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. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

All degrees must have been received in the year of, or any year subsequent to the original date of accreditation.

Additional information

Additional selections may be made for similar positions across. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) within NASA.

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.

You will be evaluated for this position based on how well you meet the qualifications and eligibility requirements listed in this vacancy announcement. To determine your qualifications and referral status, we may review your resume and supporting documentation and compare it against your responses to the vacancy questionnaire. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

You will be assessed on the following competencies:

  • Compliance
  • Contract Formulation
  • Contracts Law
  • Legal Application Practice
  • Legal, Government, and Jurisprudence
  • Teamwork
  • Technical Competence
NASA considers 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.

NASA will not ask you to disclose criminal history record information during the application process or before we make a conditional/tentative offer of employment. If you apply for this position and are selected, NASA will conduct a suitability/security background investigation after you accept a tentative job offer. If you feel you are asked to disclose your criminal history before you accept a tentative offer and wish to file a complaint within 30 days, please contact: Agency-FCCJ@NASA.gov.

Required Documents

A complete application package includes a resume, required documents and completion of the vacancy announcement questionnaire. Please see this guidance: What to include in your resume. If you are using a Curriculum Vitae (CV) as a resume, it must meet all requirements listed above for a complete resume package. Your resume should describe your specialized experience and support your answers to the vacancy announcement questionnaire.

Please note: if any of the following types of information are included on your resume, your application package will be disqualified:

  • Classified or government sensitive information.
  • Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
  • Encrypted and digitally signed documents.
  • Social Security Number (SSN)
  • Photos of yourself
If your resume contains any of the above information, you must redact that information prior to the submission of your application.

The following documents are required:
  • Resume
  • Transcript


As listed in the Education section above, this position has a basic education requirement.

To be found qualified, you must provide a copy of your college transcript that fully demonstrates you meet the requirements listed in the Education section. You may provide either an unofficial transcript or a copy of an official transcript. Failure to provide a complete copy of your college transcript that shows you have completed a required degree program or coursework will result in you being found not qualified.

There may be other supporting documents (licenses, certification, veterans preference, etc.), depending on your answers to the questionnaire and job announcement description, that you may have to submit, please verify your application. Do not submit an OF-306 with your application.

Official documents are required at the time of appointment for verification of eligibility and qualifications.

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

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application and have all required information available. We encourage you to provide a complete description of your educational achievements and include both paid and non-paid work in the experience portion of your resume. If you submit a resume that does not contain the required information, you may lose consideration.

To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:

1. To begin the application process, you will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application process. Once logged in to your account, click on the "Apply" link.
2. Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. We strongly encourage you to utilize the USAJOBS resume builder when creating your resume. Using the resume builder will help you ensure your resume includes important information related to your qualifications and eligibility for this position. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. During the application process you can review, edit, delete and update your information. We'll automatically save your progress as you go, so you won't lose any changes. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
3. 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 vacancy questionnaire which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify all required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
4. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.

NASA's online application process provides step by step guidance to ensure you provide all needed information. If you are unable to apply online, please contact NSSC-CONTACTCENTER@MAIL.NASA.GOV for assistance.

If you have questions about this announcement, you may contact the agency toll free at the phone number located below. Be advised - application materials faxed, emailed, and/or mailed to Goddard Space Flight Centerwill not be accepted for this announcement.

NASA provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you are an applicant with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency contact center listed on the job vacancy announcement. The decision on granting reasonable accommodations will be on a case-by-case basis.

Agency contact information

NASA Shared Services Contact Center
Phone
1-877-677-2123
Fax
1-866-779-6772
Email
nssc-contactcenter@mail.nasa.gov
Address
Goddard Space Flight Center
8800 Greenbelt Rd
Greenbelt, MD 20771
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once you submit your application package, you will receive an acknowledgement email. Throughout the process you will receive regular status updates through USAJOBS. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (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: Application Status.

Whether or not you are contacted for an interview depends upon the location of the position and the judgment of the hiring manager.

If you are selected, you will be notified by phone or email with a tentative job offer. If you fail to meet the conditions of employment or any other pre-employment requirements, such as missing a scheduled appointment, we may rescind a tentative job offer.

An official, written job offer will be issued once all requirements have been verified.


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


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