Summary
This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), United States Coast Guard (USCG), Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber and Intelligence Service Center (C5ISC), located in Alexandria, VA.
Clarification from the agency
U.S. Citizens. This position is in the Excepted Service.
For definitions of common terms found in this announcement: http://dhsconnect.dhs.gov/org/comp/mgmt/dhshr/hr/Documents/JOA_Common_Definitions.pdf
Duties
The incumbent furnishes legal counsel and assistance in matters relating to contracts and procurements; lends assistance and guidance in reviewing the legal sufficiency of proposed legislation, regulations and instructions relating to contracts and procurement; as needed participates in representing the Government in protests, contract appeals cases presented by contractors under the "Disputes" clause of contracts; and assists Department of Justice attorneys in disposition of claims matters arising out of Coast Guard contracts.
Being a CG civilian makes you a valuable member of the CG team. Typical work assignments at full performance/grade level include:
Conditions of Employment
- U.S. Citizenship is required.
- This position requires membership in the State Bar.
- Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
- This position requires a National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI).
- Telework is in accordance with agency policy and supervisor's approval.
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
Qualifications
Basic Requirement for all grade levels:
1. You must be a graduate with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree or equivalent from an accredited law school; AND
2. You must have bar membership in one of the 50 states, Washington, DC, Puerto Rico or the US. Virgin Islands.
Minimum Requirements:
The minimum qualifications are as follows:
GS-14: Applicants at the GS-14 level should have at least three years of professional legal experience in contracting and procurement. Examples of this experience includes: preparing bid protests reports, evaluation of contractor claims, equitable adjustments, protests, disputes, terminations, contract interpretation, contract modifications, fiscal considerations, contract types, and similar matters. Applicants at the GS-14 level should also demonstrate the ability to work independently with lower levels of supervision.
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.
Note: Only education and experience acquired before the filing deadline will be considered.
Education
This position does have a positive education requirement. If you are including education on your resume, report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See Required Documents section for detail.
All Candidates must possess a J.D. or LL.B degree from an accredited law school.
Law school official transcripts must be submitted before an offer is extended.
FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications click here.
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.
DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(K)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include: flexible work schedules; telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and development opportunities. For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select “Benefits”. Disabled veteran leave will be available to any Federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.
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.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Qualified candidates will be rated by comparing each candidate's qualifications to the skills and experience pertinent to the position to be filled. Experience, education, training, awards, and performance will be considered. The following factors are of particular importance to the position to be filled, and applicants should provide specific detailed information in these areas as part of their application. These areas must be addressed in a document separate from the resume and submitted as part of the application package. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies that are relevant to the duties of this position and must be fully supported by information in your resume:
- Contracting
- Legal, Government, and Jurisprudence
- Technical Competence
- Oral Communication
- Written Communication
- Influencing/Negotiating
- Decision Support
- Administrative Law
- Partnering
You may preview questions for this vacancy.
The following documents must be submitted with your application:
- Resume showing relevant work/volunteer experience, education, and training. Include the start and end dates (from month/date/year to month/date/year) and the number of hours per week worked/volunteered.
- Proof of current membership in good standing of the appropriate licensing authority of any state, territory of the United States, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or District of Columbia bar.
- Three professional references showing names and contact information.
The below items are accepted and may be needed to support a qualification and/or before a final job offer is issued:
- A copy of your J.D. or LL.B. transcript. An applicant must have successfully completed a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and have the first professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.). Law school transcripts must be submitted before an offer is extended.
- A legal writing sample, not to exceed 10 pages.
- If you are claiming special priority selection rights under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), you must submit a copy of your agency notice, most recent performance rating and most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, noting your current position, grade level and duty location. If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not ICTAP eligible. To be considered eligible, you must be placed in the well-qualified category for this position. Please see ICTAP eligibility.
- Veterans, may wish to submit any of the following documents, should they apply: a. Member 4 Copy DD214(s) indicating Character of Service. b. 30% Disabled Veterans - VA Disability Letter with percentage of disability OR documentation of disability determination from a branch of the Armed Forces.
- OPM must authorize employment offers for former or current Political Appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information. Submit proof of your former or current status, such as your SF-50. Please see here.
You may find general application information and other forms at the website of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, www.usajobs.opm.gov.
All documentation as outlined above must be received by the closing date of the announcement. It is preferred that you upload supporting document on-line, however if you are unable to submit your documents electronically, you may fax or mail the documents. A fax cover sheet will be provided to you from the system, with fax number and instructions to transmit the requested documents. The required documents will also be accepted by mail and must be received by the closing date of the announcement. The mailing address is U.S. Coast Guard, Attn: Office of Civilian Human Resources (Jobs), CG-123HQ, ATTN OFFICE OF CIVILIAN HUMAN RESOURCES (JOBS), US COAST GUARD, 2703 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR AVE SE STOP 7912, WASHINGTON, DC 20593-7912.
No application documents will be returned.
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.
Complete applications for this vacancy must be received on-line by 11:59 p.m ET on the closing date of the announcement. To begin your online application, click the Apply Online button and follow the prompts to register or sign in to USAJOBS, take the online questionnaire and submit the required documents to provide proof of qualifications. If you are claiming veterans’ preference, you will be required to submit proof. See Required Documents section for more detail regarding a complete application package.
High self assessment in the vacancy questions that is not supported by information in your resume and/or supporting documents may impact you or eliminate you from consideration.
If applying on-line poses a hardship to you, the Help Desk listed on the announcement will provide assistance to ensure that applications are submitted on-line by the closing date. You must contact the Help Desk prior to the closing date of this announcement to receive assistance. Hours of operation: Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET, excluding Federal holidays.
Next steps
Once the announcement is closed, we will conduct an evaluation of your application and qualifications to determine your ranking. The most qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration. To check the status of your application, log on to your USAJOBS account, click on "Track this Application".
For more information on applying for federal employment click here.
Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change. Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
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