Clarification from the agency

CTAP/ICTAP/RPL and All United States Citizens, Nationals, or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

• Rendering legal advice on complex matters pertaining to administrative law, grants and cooperative agreements, contracts, intellectual property, and First Amendment issues.
• Providing legal guidance on Federal financial assistance programs and transactional instruments, including grantmaking, compliance, and oversight.
• Reviewing and advising on transactional matters, including contracts, interagency agreements, and grant-related instruments.
• Advising on appropriations law and the proper use of federal funds
• Supporting and conducting litigation, including employment and other civil matters, and coordinating with the Department of Justice.
• Leading efforts to address matters that may evolve into litigation, including developing agency strategy and risk mitigation.
• Representing the agency in matters before the EEOC, MSPB, CBCA or any other appropriate administrative forum.
• Negotiating with external entities on intellectual property, contracts and other related matters.
• Providing legal assistance with NEA responses to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Privacy Act requests, and preparation of FOIA reports and other FOIA-related materials.

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
• Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
• Applicants selected for this position must complete a one-year supervisory probationary period. Failure to successfully complete this period may result in removal from the supervisory position.
• Selective Service registration required.
• Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment, if required
• All employees are required to participate in Direct Deposit/ Electronic Funds Transfer for salary payments.
• All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume.
• Relocation expenses are not authorized. Other recruitment incentives may be authorized.
• In accordance with Executive Order 14170, applicants are encouraged to respond to the four short, free-response, essay questions in the questionnaire. Answers to these questions are not scored or rated.
• Your answers to the essay questions will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration.
• The application contains information subject the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 U.S.C. 552a). The information issued will be used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5 U.S.C. Section 3302 and 3361.
• Recruitment methods and selection procedures will based solely on merit after fair and open competition, and will be made without regard to political, religious, or labor organization affiliation or non-affiliation, marital status, race, color, sex, national origin, non-disqualifying disability, sexual-orientation or age.
• J.D. degree and active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction) required.

Qualifications

Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the Basic Requirements AND Specialized Experience requirements as noted below.

Basic Requirement: You must be a graduate of a school of law with an LLB or JD accredited by the American Bar Association and be an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

In order to qualify for this position, youmust also meet the Specialized Experience Requirement:

Specialized Experience: You qualify for this GS-14 grade level (starting salary $143,913) if you possess at least one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience in the Federal service or equivalent public or private sector experience at a level comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-13 grade level performing the following duties:

• Providing Legal Support on Federal Regulatory, Grants and Federal Financial Assistance, Contracts, FOIA, and Administrative Law Matters
• Providing litigation, supporting litigation, and advising on litigation risk in administrative law
• Managing employment law matters, including EEO complaints and the EEO process, MSPB matters, employment law litigation and motions practice
• Interpreting and applying statutory and regulatory requirements to ensure compliance and to mitigate risk
• Advising and representing organizations on legal issues involving nonprofit entities and/or the First Amendment

NOTE: Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible.

WHEN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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.

Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Qualifications Must Be Met: The qualification requirements listed above must be met by the 05/06/2026 of this announcement.

Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree, be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and have at least 1* year post-J.D. legal or other relevant experience. (transcript is required)

Note about the information provided in your resume and supporting documentation: Your experience (paid and unpaid), education, awards, training and self-development will be evaluated as it relates to the position based upon the information provided in your resume/application and any other supporting documents.

Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Program (I/CTAP) Eligible: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not I/CTAP eligible. View information about I/CTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered well qualified under I/CTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85 for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement.

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 based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

The USA Hire Assessments includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.

To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12926676

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

This announcement uses the Mechanism A/Cut Score method under 5 CFR § 332.402. If set cut score results in a tie, all applicants tied at the cut line will be referred.

Referral method: Applicants that meet the pre-established cut score will be referred to the agency.

Preference: This position is exempt from standard appointment procedures; however, agencies will apply veterans' preference principles to the extent administratively feasible.

We will provide the selecting official a sufficient number of names, when available, to consider at least three candidates per vacancy. If fewer than three eligible and available candidates per vacancy result, we will expand the group in accordance with our pre-announced supplement strategy and OPM policy.

If you are determined qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview. Preview the Application Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12926676

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

1. Your RESUME (2-page limit) showing all relevant work experience (paid and unpaid) including: duties performed; full name and address of the each employer; start and end dates (month/day/year); work schedule (part-time, full-time, number of hours if intermittent); salary; and any completed education and training (program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).
2. Your responses to the job questionnaire and the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment
3. Transcripts, if specific educational requirements are indicated in this job announcement.Unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned (semester or quarter hour) and final grade is acceptable. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the educational requirements.
4. Veterans' Preference documentation,if applicable, DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service; current active duty members- certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within 120 days; SF-15 Form and related documentation; VA letter. For more information visit the USAJOBS Help Center & OPM CHCOC website for VOW information.
5. Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable(e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.) For more information see the OPM Guide to Career Transition.
6. Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:
   • Position title;
   • Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee);
   • Agency; and
   • Beginning and ending dates of appointment.

Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.

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