Duties
In this position, you will provide legal services required to support ARPA-E programs, projects, and functions including research, development, prototype and pilot-scale tests, and technology commercialization and outreach efforts. You will serve as legal advisor to Contracting Officers, Program Directors, Selection Officials and Merit Review Boards, including providing advice and guidance on such matters as Merit Review Plan, Merit Review Reports, Conflicts of Interest questions, and other matters affecting process and fairness of competitive and non-competitive selection for awards of financial assistance consistent with the legal, fiscal, and financial assistance policies of the government. You will provide research, analysis, and assistance to ARPA-E under the guidance and supervision of the ARPA-E Chief Counsel and Deputy Chief Counsel in the areas of general law, financial assistance and procurement law, environmental law, and ethics. The incumbent performs detail-oriented work requiring research, writing, and analytical skills, and the use of discretion and independent judgment in the application of specialized knowledge to provide services to the legal office.
The incumbent is expected to be knowledgeable about the applicable statutes, regulations, Departmental Orders, Directives, and other source materials relating to the activities of the Office of Chief Counsel, including any which pertain to the various ARPA-E Programs, such as the Ethics in Government Act, Paperwork Reduction Act, FOIA and Privacy Act, Federal Acquisition Regulations, National Environmental Policy Act, the Energy Policy Act, and the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act. Incumbent must be familiar with office procedures and policies which affect general law issues.
The incumbent is expected to be knowledgeable about ethical obligations of federal employees and assist in gathering ARPA-E data or information that may be relevant to answer questions from the DOE Ethics Office related to ARPA-E employee annual financial disclosure forms, new entrant and exit briefing packets or ethics waivers and authorizations issued to ARPA-E employees by the Ethics Official.
The incumbent researches case reports, statutes, regulations, and legislation that have a bearing on legal issues relating to DOE and ARPA-E activities. In supporting the attorneys in the office, the incumbent performs research on a wide variety of legal issues, compiles and organizes necessary materials, participates in and coordinates meetings, and develops presentations and memoranda. The incumbent must be able to conduct legal research through the use of an assortment of reference materials such as the U.S. Code, U.S. Reports, the Federal Register, and computer databases Westlaw and Lexis/Nexis. The incumbent must also be able to analyze materials and present recommendations, findings, and conclusions both orally and in writing to attorneys.
The incumbent performs initial review of Contracting Officer determination letters, NEPA clauses on awards, Environmental Impact Questionnaires and Categorical Exclusions, Determinations of Noncompetitive Financial Assistance, Requests for Information, Funding Opportunity Announcements, and any other policy, financial, or environmental instruments reviewed by Agency counsel.
The incumbent establishes and maintains legal reference files, including a comprehensive system of internal guidelines and information, consisting of statutes, regulations, cases and other precedents and procedures concerning the work of the office and administrative filings systems. Develops methods and establishes procedures on own initiative and through knowledge of legal activities to assure ready access to and maintenance of information contained in files.
The incumbent conducts searches and reviews documents sought in discovery or under the Freedom of Information Act, and drafts responses. The incumbent assists the attorney in reviewing and evaluating for legal sufficiency, information proposed to be withheld from disclosure in responses to requests for information submitted to the agency pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act. Incumbent presents recommendations, findings and conclusions both orally and by written memoranda to the attorney.
The incumbent screens and analyzes incoming legal correspondence, GAO audit coordination requests, or legal matters and materials related to other duties described above; determines a need for inquiries to offices within DOE or ARPA-E and coordinates with legal staff on requests for additional information. The Incumbent drafts and edits memoranda, reports, correspondence, and responses to questions received from applicants regarding pending Funding Opportunity Announcements. The Incumbent proofreads documents for legal staff; assists with preparing notebooks, labels, and filings; creates and revises PDF's, spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations; and attends meetings when requested.