Summary
This vacancy is for an Attorney Advisor (International). The Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP) of the Office of General Counsel, U.S. Department of Commerce, is seeking an individual with exceptional analytical, organizational, and interpersonal communication skills to join our outstanding team of international technical assistance Attorney-Advisors to help countries meet their sustainable economic development and climate goals in the mineral sectors.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
Applications will be accepted from all U.S. Citizens.
Duties
As an Attorney Advisor (International), you will perform the following duties:
Specifically, this Attorney-Advisor would consult with senior foreign government officials; assess development needs and barriers to investment; and design, implement legal reform technical assistance programs that meet the host countries' economic development needs and are in line with U.S. energy and climate policy goals.
To implement the technical assistance programs, the Attorney-Advisor would organize and deliver expert legal advice on the policies, laws, regulations, contracts, and standards for host countries to increase sustainable mineral production, including those in critical mineral supply chains. This Attorney-Advisor would collaborate across US Government agencies in the energy and minerals spaces, and support the US State Department's Energy and Minerals Governance Program, Minerals Security Partnership, and CHIPS initiatives. For more about CLDP's Energy Transition team and what we do, please see our website here.
This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Attorney Advisor (International), GS-0905-13/14 FPL 14 positions within the Department of Commerce in the same geographical location with the same qualifications and specialized experience.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- Please send applications to kweaver@doc.gov as seen in the "How to Apply" section for instructions for submitting your resume and supporting documentation.
- You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
- You must successfully be able to obtain and maintain a SECRET security clearance and pass a background investigation. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use of possession of drugs.
- A probationary period may be required.
- Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/)
- If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application.
- All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
- Drug Test Required: Yes - Except as prohibited by law, all applicants tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment, and if appointed the incumbent will be subjected to a random drug testing procedures.
- License required: Yes, Active BAR Certificate
- Pre-employment physical required: No
- Bargaining Unit Position: No
- Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE form 450): Yes
- Permanent Change of Duty Station (PCS) Expense: Will Not be paid
Qualifications
Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/
1. EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: Must be a law school graduate with a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.
AND
2. Must be able to verify ACTIVE BAR MEMBERSHIP in good standing in one of the 50 United States, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Minimum Requirements
The minimum required experience applicants must possess at each grade level (or equivalent) is as follows:
GS-13: Must have four (4) years relevant professional experience (legal or non-legal) obtained after receipt of J.D. degree.
GS-14: Must have six (6) years of relevant professional experience (legal or non-legal) obtained after receipt of J.D. degree.
AND
Prior legal experience in the minerals sector, in mining and mineral supply chain or related industrial sectors. In this position, the Attorney-Advisor will be expected to be able to converse with a variety of stakeholders on the legal and regulatory frameworks related to investment in the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources and processing of those minerals. o Prior legal experience in natural resource extraction relating to permitting/licensing, insolvency, arbitration, project finance, and/or minerals taxation. o Prior experience with the administration, drafting, interpretation, and/or enforcement of legal, regulatory, and/or transactional documents in the mining sector, such as: mining codes, mining regulations, mining investment agreements and other host government instruments, mineral concessions and contracts, as well as project finance documents. o Prior experience and/or familiarity with working with foreign governments and/or development finance institutions is strongly preferred. o Regular international travel will be required, averaging around 6-8 trips per year, to global and occasionally domestic destinations. CLDP Attorney-Advisors in this position carry out many of their programs in the host countries around the world, and also bring delegations to the U.S. for study tours. Knowledge of another language is not required but is preferred.
Note: The General Counsel or designee retains the discretion to waive minimum qualifications as described above.
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.
Education
Must be a law school graduate with a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association
See Qualifications Above.
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.
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.
Applicants will be rated based on their education, experience, demonstrated legal research and writing abilities, and performance during the interview process.
Basis for evaluation: If eligible and meeting basic qualifications, your application package will be evaluated in conjunction with your resume and supporting documents for the required knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) to successfully perform the duties of this position:
- Prior legal experience in the minerals sector, in mining and mineral supply chain or related industrial sectors. In this position, the Attorney-Advisor will be expected to be able to converse with a variety of stakeholders on the legal and regulatory frameworks related to investment in the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources and processing of those minerals.
- Prior legal experience in natural resource extraction relating to permitting/licensing, insolvency, arbitration, project finance, and/or minerals taxation.
- Prior experience with the administration, drafting, interpretation, and/or enforcement of legal, regulatory, and/or transactional documents in the mining sector, such as: mining codes, mining regulations, mining investment agreements and other host government instruments, mineral concessions and contracts, as well as project finance documents.
- Prior experience and/or familiarity with working with foreign governments and/or development finance institutions is strongly preferred.
- Regular international travel will be required, averaging around 6-8 trips per year, to global and occasionally domestic destinations. CLDP Attorney-Advisors in this position carry out many of their programs in the host countries around the world, and also bring delegations to the U.S. for study tours.
There are no numerical rating systems through which to apply veterans preference; however, the Office of the General Counsel favorably considers veterans preference eligibility in hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans preference are encouraged to include that information in their cover letter or resume. If selected, additional information may be required.
Required Documents
A complete application consists of the following:
- Cover letter. Address demonstrated interests and qualifications as it relates to the position.
- Resume showing relevant experience. Your resume should list your educational and work experience, including the dates (mm/dd/yyyy) and provide the hours per week, if less than 40. For work in the Federal Service, please include the pay plan and grade level for the position(s).
- Copy of law school transcript. (Unofficial copy is sufficient, but official copy must be submitted before appointment). You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient.
- Certificate of bar membership and proof of good standing. Prior to receiving an offer, you will be asked to provide a certificate of bar membership and proof of good standing.
Failure to provide documents, if selected, may result in lost consideration.
Please DO NOT put your SSN on pages within your application package. Privacy Act - Privacy Act Notice (PL 93-579): The information requested here is used to determine qualifications for employment and is authorized under Title 5 U.S.C. 3302 and 3361.
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
INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING RESUMES AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Please submit the required documents specified in this vacancy to Kenyon Weaver at email kweaver@doc.gov with the subject line OS-OGC-PNF-24-12450094 for Attorney Advisor (International) GS-905-13/14, and include the following information in the email's body:
- Your name
- Address
- Phone number
- Email address
Next steps
Once your application is received we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications and determine your eligibility. You will only be contacted if you are found eligible and if you are selected for an interview. Applicants selected for interviews may be requested to provide a legal writing sample.
Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for OGC to share your application with others in OGC for similar positions.
By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be terminated after you begin work; or, you may be fined or jailed.
After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.
You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans' preference, disability, etc.).
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