Attorney-Adviser (General) Job in Sacramento, CA

Vacancy No. SOL-PSW-25-AT-015(EXC) Department Office of the Solicitor
Salary $96,684.00 to $176,620.00 Grade 12 to 14
Perm/Temp Temporary FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 12/12/2024 Close Date 1/3/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Sacramento, CA


Summary

With an emphasis on high ethical standards, excellence in public service and the delivery of superlative advice and counsel, DOI Solicitor's Office performs the legal work for the United States Department of the Interior, and manages the Departmental Ethics Office and Departmental FOIA Office. With more than 500 total employees, more than 400 of which are licensed attorneys, the Office strives to provide sound legal services to fulfill the Department's diverse and wide-ranging mission.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Excepted Service

Duties

This position is located within the Office of the Secretary of the Interior, Office of Solicitor, Pacific Southwest Region (PSW) serving the Bureau of Land (BLM) located in Sacramento, CA.

As an Attorney-Adviser with the Department of the Interior, Office of the Solicitor, Pacific Southwest Region, located in Sacramento. CA your specific duties will include:

The incumbent will represent the United States, the Secretary of the Interior, and other officials of the Department in legal matters and administrative proceedings involving interests of the Department's bureaus; advise top officials and program managers within the Department's bureaus with respect to the impact and interpretation of pending and approved Federal or State legislation or regulations and recent judicial and administrative decisions relating to bureau activities; advise the Secretary and other officials of the Department regarding judicial and administrative litigation on matters within assigned areas of responsibility arising out of the various programs and activities; review and prepare litigation reports, draft pleadings, appeal recommendations, settlement proposals, and other documents related to litigation; provide legal advice and counsel during negotiations with other Federal agencies, states, or litigants; and serve as a Departmental legal advisor and author of documents arising out of bureau and agency program activities.

Areas of practice include, but are not limited to, natural resources and public land law, environmental law, energy and mining law, administrative law, water law, and contracts. Statutes that the incumbents must be familiar with include, but are not limited to, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, National Historic Preservation Act, Administrative Procedure Act, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Mineral Leasing Act, Energy Policy Act of 2005, Taylor Grazing Act, Freedom of Information Act, Privacy Act, and Federal Advisory Committee Act. The incumbents must also be able to interpret and provide advice related to the various regulations implementing the above statutes, as well as regulations implementing bureau programs, including land sales, land acquisition, land exchanges, rights-of-way, land tenure, and land use planning.

Salary Rate Range Information: (Per Annum)
GS-12 $96,684 - $125,685
GS-13 $114,970 - $149,465
GS-14 $135,860 - $176,620

Salary Information: First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the lower salary range of the grade level.

This vacancy may be used to fill additional positions as vacancies become available.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Key Requirements:

  • Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
  • Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
  • Must be an active member of the bar.
  • Selectee may be subject to serving a 2-year trial period.
  • You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit.
  • Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service system, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See http://www.sss.gov/.
Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position?
  • A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
  • If selected for this position, you may be required to file one or more financial statements and/or a procurement integrity certification of compliance upon reporting and annually, some of which may be subject to public disclosure.
  • Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore, it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change, please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.
  • ( Because this position requires travel for official business, the selectee will be required to apply for a charge card within 30 calendar days of appointment. Individuals who have delinquent account balances from a previous Government charge card will be required to satisfy their existing obligation before a new card can be issued.
  • Identification of promotion potential in this announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. Promotion will depend upon administrative approval and the continuing need for and performance of higher-level duties.

Qualifications

"In order to better assess your qualifications for this position, when preparing your resume and cover letter please be sure to address any experience you may have or familiarity with the following areas of legal work: researching and writing legal memoranda and opinions and providing legal advice or recommendations to clients, judges, and/or senior attorneys; litigating in Federal court and preparing transactional agreements and other documents; evidentiary privileges and e-discovery, including any familiarity with technology associated with the electronic search, retrieval, and review of documents.

In addition, please address your experience in or familiarity with the following subject matter areas and legal authorities: natural resource and environmental law; Federal administrative law issues, such as matters arising under the Administrative Procedure Act; the Federal Land Management and Policy Act; National Environmental Policy Act; or other areas of law relating to management and use of public lands."


Basic Qualification Requirements
Applicants must be law school graduates with a J.D. degree AND must be an active member in good standing of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico bar.

    • To qualify for a GS-12 applicants must possess at least 2-years of professional legal experience following law school graduation;
    • To qualify for a GS-13 applicants must possess at least 3-years of professional legal experience following law school graduation;
    • To qualify for a GS-14 applicants must possess at least 4.5-years of professional legal experience following law school graduation;

For any of the grades indicated above you can substitute one year of experience with any of the following:
  • have a second professional law degree; OR
  • meet any of the criteria indicated below:
      1. academic standing in top one-third of law school graduating class;
      2. graduation with academic honors;
      3. significant participation on the law school's law review;
      4. significant participation in the law school's moot court competition;
      5. significant participation in a clinical legal aid program;
      6. significant summer law office clerk experience; or
      7. other equivalent evidence of clearly superior achievement.


Candidates should have excellent oral communication, writing, research and analysis skills, and the ability to work effectively with other people, and exercise sound judgment.

All applicants must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the position by the closing date of the announcement.

MUST MEET ALL

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.

Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website:https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp

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

Education


Education: If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide transcripts as proof of meeting the requirements.

Foreign Education: Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the specific educational requirements as stated above. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4

Additional information

Other Information:
The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361.

Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position. The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361.

NOTICE: This employer participates in E-Verify and will utilize your Form I-9 information to confirm you are authorized to work in the U.S.

Notice of Financial Disclosure Report Requirement: The position to which you will be appointed is subject to a financial disclosure reporting requirement and you will be required to complete a new entrant Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of your appointment.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.

Agency Benefits:
Working for the DOI, Office of the Solicitor offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; health, life, dental, vision, and long term care insurance, flexible spending accounts, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System.

SOL has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework in accordance with the DOI Telework policy and with supervisor approval. The official worksite for the selectee is the duty station identified in this vacancy announcement. The selectee will typically report to this duty location on a regular and recurring weekly basis.

For additional information on telework you may access the Department of Interior's Telework Handbook at https://www.doi.gov/telework/policies.

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.

Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire will be made.

Please note applicants must meet the all qualifications requirement and submit all required documentation by closing date of the announcement for consideration for this position. Failure to meet all qualifications requirement and/or submit all required documents will result in an ineligible for consideration rating.

Applicants who are found to be qualified and referred to the selecting official for consideration may be asked to provide a writing sample. Instructions will be included in the email communication sent to qualified candidates

Basis of Rating: Applicants will not be rated or ranked. All applicants that meet the basic eligibility and qualification requirements of the position will be referred to the selecting official for consideration

To preview the announcement questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12637798

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete application package by the closing date of this announcement. Failure to submit documentation may result in not receiving consideration for this position. Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.


Your resume must contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements as stated in this vacancy announcement and OPM qualification standards for each grade level(s) for which you are applying. It is strongly recommended that you use the USAJobs Resume Builder as it was designed to ensure that your resume includes the standard information needed. The Resume Builder is available at: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/account/documents/resume/build.

Current & Former Federal Employees
If you are a current or former Federal employee, please submit the following by the closing date of this announcement:

  • a copy of a recent SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" documenting tenure, position title, occupational series, grade level, step and salary; and
  • your most recent performance appraisal (if you do not have your most recent performance appraisal, please submit an explanation as to why it is unavailable)

All Applicants
You must meet the qualifications and submit all required documents by closing date of the announcement. NOTE: Documents will not be accepted after the closing date and you will be marked ineligible for consideration.

You must submit proof that you are licensed and authorized to practice law. Such proof can include a current active bar card, a screen print from a bar website that reflects you are an active member of the bar or a letter/certificate from the bar certifying you are licensed and authorized to practice law. Documents (bar card, screen print, letter/certificate) must be dated within 3 months of the closing date of the announcement. If using a screen print, make sure it is clear when the screen print was taken. For bar cards that do not have a date on them, please also submit a screen print or letter/certificate certifying you are licensed and authorized to practice law dated within 3 months of the announcement closing date.

-- Resume: A detailed resume that demonstrates your professional history, education and qualifications. Along with the state in which your active Bar membership is held.

-- Cover Letter: A 1-2-page cover letter is desiredexpressing your interest and qualifications for this position.

-- Transcripts: This position requires specific educational course work to qualify (or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education), you are required to provide all unofficial law school transcripts or list of course work, which includes semester hours earned and grade received, by the closing date of this announcement. This proof may be faxed, document uploaded, or hand delivered to the servicing Human Resources Office (see "Required Documents" and/or "Contact Information"). Please ensure that all documentation is legible.

--Bar Membership - You must provide information in your resume regarding the state in which your active Bar membership is held.

--Veterans Preference If you are claiming veterans' preference you must provide a legible copy of your DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, member 4 copy or any official documentation or statement from the Armed Forces that confirms your dates of service and that your separation, discharge, or release from active duty was under honorable conditions (i.e., Honorable or General Discharge). Note: If you have more than one DD-214 for multiple periods of active duty, submit a copy for each period of service.
--If you are currently on active military duty, you must provide documentation (e.g., campaign document, award citation, etc.), that verifies entitlement to veterans' preference and that your character of military service is honorable.
--If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, in addition to the documents specified above, you must also submit documentation that supports your claim, e.g., an official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs (dated 1991 or later) or from a branch of the Armed Forces certifying the existence of a service-connected disability, or the award of the Purple Heart, etc. The overall rating must be identified on your certification letter or separation orders. Documentation must be received by the closing date shown in this vacancy announcement. If you fail to submit any of the required documentation, you will not be granted veterans' preference.
Additional information on veterans' preference can be found in the VetGuide.

Required documents may be:
(1) uploaded directly from your desktop; or
(2) uploaded directly from your USAJOBS stored attachments.

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

Applications (resume and application questions) for this vacancy must be received on-line via USAJOBS BEFORE midnight Eastern Time (Washington, D.C. time) on the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to submit a complete online resume, you will not be considered for this position. Requests for extensions will not be granted.

Instructions for Applying Online for this Vacancy Announcement:1) Click the blue "Apply Online" button.2) If you are not a registered USAJOBS user, please create a new account and follow the instructions to complete your application process. If you are a registered user, login to access your existing USAJOBS profile.3) As a registered user, select a stored resume and select one or more of your stored documents to attach to your application.4) Check the "Certification" box and click the "Apply for this position now!" button located at the bottom of the screen.5) Address the eligibility questions as well as the questionnaire containing questions and/or task statements that address the knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies for this vacancy.6) Submit required documents using one of the available methods listed below.7) If you experience technical difficulties during the online application process, please contact the USAJOBS helpdesk.

Agency contact information

Adarian Thompson
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

You can track the progress of your application package via your USAJobs account. You will receive an acknowledgment from USAJobs that your submission was successful, once we have received your on-line assessment questionnaire, resume and any supporting documentation. You will be notified of the status of your application via your USAJobs account after we conduct a qualification review of your complete application package. You will be contacted if further evaluation or interviews are required. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration. We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses, through reference and/or background checks, and/or verification of your education. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the Human Resources Office posting this announcement.


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


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