Attorney-Advisor (General Administrative Law) Job in Anywhere in the U.S. (remote job)

Vacancy No. FLETC-DO-25-12594040 Department Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers
Salary $103,409.00 to $158,860.00 Grade 13 to 14
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 11/1/2024 Close Date 11/12/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Anywhere in the U.S. (remote job)


Summary

This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC).

Responsibilities include extremely complex and difficult legal questions or factual issues; drafting, interpreting, or applying opinions, Constitutional provisions, statutes, legislation, regulations, decisions, reports, responses, protocols, or other legal instruments that may require original legal endeavor and critical thinking.

This is a non-bargaining unit position.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens

Duties

This position is located in the Office of Chief Counsel. As a Attorney-Advisor (General Administrative Law), GS-0905-13/14, your typical work assignments may include:

  • Providing legal counsel on all activities and matters involving immediate and long-term Homeland Security (DHS) initiatives, operations, programs, and policies.
  • Advising and serving as liaison to DHS and FLETC staff, as appropriate. Is recognized as the FLETC legal expert in the subject matters of real property, environmental law, tort claims, and standards of conduct law (ethics).
  • Serving as legal consultant to the highest levels of FLETC management, including the Chief Counsel, recommending approaches to legal issues where precedents and prior interpretations must be innovatively adapted.
  • Developing, or overseeing the development of, legal positions, legislative proposals, regulatory documents, policies and operations that involve significantly broadening or restricting agency activities affecting the agency's security posture and the public interest, and recommending legal approaches regarding novel issues for which the importance of the legal action/position as precedent is highly significant.
  • Advising clients at the Assistant Director (AD) level and is responsible for responding directly to the ADs/Deputy Assistant Directors (DADs) and their staffs with immediate assistance. Recognizes issues with national and/or international importance and is
    responsible for providing relevant information directly to the Chief Counsel, Deputy Chief Counsel, the ADs and/or other senior staff.
  • Providing written and oral counsel, legal reviews, opinions, regulations or decisions in the application of the U.S. Constitution, federal laws, legislation, or policies to programs conducted or assisted by DHS components, and to DHS policies.
  • Serving as an attorney on the staff of the Deputy Chief Counsel to provide legal advice concerning the statutory and regulatory basis for environmental compliance, real property transactions, standards of conduct (ethics), tort claims and internal agency regulations and policies.
  • Providing assistance to Department of Justice attorneys representing the agency in tort, environmental, and real property legal actions.
  • Serving as the agency subject matter expert in the Federal Tort Claims Act, and the Military Personnel and Civilian Employee Claims Act.
  • Providing legal review and advice concerning employee compliance with federal standards of conduct (5 C.F.R. part 2635). Responsible for the administration of the agency's training of federal employees on the federal standards of conduct and providing such training to agency employees. Such training includes oral and written presentations, and use of electronic media.
  • Providing advice on all environmental and occupational health issues and statutes such as the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, National Historic Preservation Act, Toxic Substance Control Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and state and local statutes and regulations implementing the federal programs.
  • Managing the agency's tort claims act process to ensure proper research, analysis, and advice is presented to the agency decision authority. Remains proficient in the principles of tort law.
  • Providing legal review and advice to the agency's Training Accident Investigation Team to ensure reports thoroughly analyze the incident, accurately convey the cause of accident, and present realistic, future preventive measures, all in the context of a report which may not be privileged from public disclosure. Serves as the legal advisor to the accident investigation team.
  • Developing legally sound approaches regarding sensitive matters, such as privacy and civil rights and liberties of the staff, and delicate personnel and other matters. May be assigned other legal actions in the Office of Chief Counsel practice area to include labor and employment law, Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act matters, or any other legal issue arising from the FLETC's operations.
  • Representing OCC in conferences and meetings with representatives of other FLETC Directorates and offices, and federal, state, and local governmental entities, regarding legal matters of interest.
  • Serving as the subject matter expert to the FLETC client organizations within his/her subject matter area. May provide technical legal and administrative supervision to various working groups.

View common definitions of terms found in this announcement: Common Definitions.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • Must successfully pass a background investigation to access, safeguard, and store classified national security information on a regular basis; must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance.
  • This position is Emergency Essential and required to sustain FLETC’s operations and/or to ensure FLETC Continuity of Operations for Mission Essential Functions or Primary Mission Essential Functions.
  • You must be an active member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. Commonwealth, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia.
  • You must be a graduate of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.
  • Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
  • Required to undergo initial and random drug testing for illegal drug use. Employment is contingent upon favorable results.
  • Must possess and maintain a valid state issued driver's license to conduct official government business.
  • Required to complete an OGE 450, Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, within 30 days of starting your federal employment and annually thereafter.

Qualifications

Please limit your resume to 5 pages. If more than 5 pages are submitted, only the first 5 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. Please visit www.fletc.gov/site-page/employment-faqs website for further guidance regarding this page limit.

All qualifications and eligibility requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Selective placement factor (screen-out): To be considered for this position, all applicants must be an active member of a state bar in good standing in every jurisdiction in which you are licensed of a state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and have a license to practice law. Provide a copy of your Bar memberships.

Basic Educational Requirements: All applicants must possess one of the following law degrees. Please provide a copy of your transcripts.
The first professional law degree (LL.B. or JD); OR the second professional law degree (LL.M)

Specialized experience GS-14: Applicants must possess specialized professional legal experience in excess of three years that is commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. The quality of an individual's background may be evidenced by the relatedness of his or her specialization.

Specialized professional legal experience in excess of three years equivalent to the GS-13 or higher demonstrated by substantial legal writing and communication skills; conducting original legal research and legal analysis; providing advice for administrative law matters; providing technical review of proposed rules of practice and procedures for interpretation; and preparing reports and briefing papers on administrative law matters.

Specialized experience GS-13: Applicants must possess specialized professional legal experience in excess of two years that is commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position or two years of judicial clerkship.

Specialized professional legal experience in excess of two years equivalent to the GS-12 or higher demonstrated by substantial legal writing and communication skills; conducting original legal research and legal analysis; interpreting laws, statutes, regulations and/or rule making documents; analyzing legal issues, identifying potential problems and proposing solutions.

All applicants must submit a recent (within last 2 years) legal writing sample, such as a legal brief, a legal memorandum, or a legal article of law journal quality, demonstrating your legal analytical ability for which you must be the principal author. Writing sample should not exceed 10 pages.

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.

Education

Applicants must be a graduate of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association. You must submit a copy of both your law school and college transcript with your application. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted. Official transcripts will be required if you are selected for the position.

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; applicant's resumes and supporting documentation should only reflect education received from schools accredited by such institutions. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following Website: https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home.

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency (a U.S. private organization's interpretation that such education has been deemed at least equivalent to conventional U.S. education programs) with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For more information regarding evaluation of foreign education for federal employment, please visit the U.S. Department of Education webpage on the Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.

Additional information

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration of Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation for Secret clearance as a condition of placement in this position. This review may include financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.

This is a permanent appointment in the excepted service and will be filled on a full-time permanent basis. Employees hired under an Excepted Service appointment are required to serve a two (2) year trial period, unless already completed. Upon successful completion of the required trial period, this position will be permanent. This position does not confer non-competitive conversion to the competitive service. Acceptance of an excepted service appointment from applicants in the competitive service will require a written statement of understanding when voluntarily leaving the competitive service.

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.

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education and training will be rated using a job questionnaire that is based on the following competencies or knowledge, skills and abilities needed to perform this job:

  1. Oral Communication.
  2. Problem Solving.
  3. Writing.
If you are the best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview. To preview the job questionnaire and application, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12594040

The Division Chief will evaluate qualified applicants by comparing each candidate's qualifications to those pertinent to the position. Relevant skills and experience, education and training, performance, and awards will be considered.

If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have overstated your qualifications and/or experience, you may be removed from consideration, or your score may be lowered.

Application of Veterans' Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Homeland Security considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference are encouraged to include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., DD form 214 or other substantiating documents) to their submissions.

Consideration may be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards as an indicator of quality of prior experience.

Required Documents

  1. Your resume (click the link for information on what to include). If you are a current or former Federal employee, your resume must indicate the GS or pay band level for each position held.
  2. Your responses to the job questionnaire. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12594040
  3. A copy of your law school transcript (unofficial is acceptable) from an institution accredited by the American Bar Association. In addition, a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable). Once selected and prior to appointment, applicants must provide an official transcript for both college and law school.
  4. All applicants must submit a recent (within last 2 years) legal writing sample, such as a legal brief, a legal memorandum, or a legal article of law journal quality, demonstrating your legal analytical ability for which you must be the principal author. Writing samples should not exceed 10 pages.
  5. Proof that you are an active member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. Commonwealth, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia.
  6. Are you a current or former Federal employee? Submit your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, which shows competitive or excepted service appointment, tenure group, and salary. If you are applying for a higher grade, please submit the SF-50 showing the highest (permanent) grade ever held, if different from your current grade. Please note: Performance award, Details, and Realignments are not acceptable SF-50s.
  7. Are you a veteran? You should provide the member 4 copy of your DD214 "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty.
  8. 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
    • Beginning and ending dates of appointment.
  9. If you are referred, you may be asked to provide a copy of your recent performance appraisal and/or incentive awards.

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

To begin your online application, click "Apply Online" to create a USAJOBS account and follow the prompts or log in to your existing account. Your application packet must include a completed assessment questionnaire, a resume, and any applicable and or required supporting documentation. Please see the "Required Documents" section for additional information. All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English. If you are unable to apply online or need to submit a document you do not have in electronic form, visit this link for more information regarding an alternate application process.

Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. The address below is for inquiries only. You may apply more than once, but the most recent application is the only one that will be used. You must submit your resume, your online questionnaire, and any supporting documents by 11:59 PM eastern standard time on the day the announcement closes.

It is your responsibility to verify that any information entered or uploaded is received and is accurate. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. Determining your eligibility and qualifications is dependent on the supporting documentation and information provided, which may impact your referral for further consideration. If a document is not legible, you will not be able to view it in your application.

To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

Applicants must submit all required documentation to properly qualify for this position.

Agency contact information

Raquel Perez
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once you submit your application, we will assess your experience and training, identify the best-qualified applicants, and refer those applications to the hiring manager for further consideration and interviews. We will notify you by email after each of these steps has been completed. Your status will also be updated on USAJOBS throughout the process. To check your status, log on to your USAJOBS account, click on "Application Status," and then click "More Information." We expect to make a job offer within several weeks after the deadline for applications. If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. View more information on applying for federal employment.

DHS uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more aboute-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.


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


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