Summary
The Ethics Law and Program Office is continuing to build its team of energetic, innovative, and results-oriented individuals who enjoy working in a dynamic and mission-driven organization. We are seeking attorney-advisors (GS-11 to GS-14) who will provide professional legal services to Department of Commerce personnel regarding ethics rules and restrictions.
This vacancy is for an Attorney Advisor (Public Notice Flyer) in the Office of the Secretary within the Department of Commerce.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
Applications will be accepted from all U.S. Citizens.
Duties
Successful candidates will possess an understanding of ethics law and program requirements, including knowledge of financial instruments and ethics law, and financial disclosure reviews. It is preferrable for the candidates to have demonstrated strong interest in the subject matter and knowledge of the legal framework for DOC and its Bureaus' programs as well as have experience with developing and conducting training presentations. Candidates must have superior legal writing and research ability; outstanding oral, analytical, and interpersonal skills, and be adept at working directly with clients and staff members; candidates must demonstrate a
commitment to professionalism and public service.
As an Attorney Advisor (Public Notice Flyer), you will:
- Provide legal advice and counsel to personnel across U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), its Bureaus (Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. Census Bureau, Economic Development Agency, Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, International Trade Administration, Minority Business Development Agency, National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Technical Information Service, National Telecommunications and Information Administration Office, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the Office of the Secretary and its component offices) on a variety of issues.
- Deal with issues that may include but are not limited to post-government employment, outside employment, interaction with non-Federal entities, fundraising, use of government resources, and gifts. Reviews and provides guidance on conduct matters, highly complex financial disclosure reports and portfolios to identify and resolve potential conflicts of interest, and ethics education (outreach and training).
- Assist with administration of the DOC ethics program, whether vetting senior-level hires or performing work related to Federal Advisory Committees and Special Government Employees.
This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Attorney Advisor (Public Notice Flyer) GS-0905-11/12/13/14 FPL: 15 positions within the Office of the Secretary in the same geographical location with the same qualifications and specialized experience.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
- You must successfully 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.
- Must complete a 2-year probationary/trial period.
- 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.
- License required: No
- 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/
Basic requirement for all grade levels:
- You must be a graduate with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree or equivalent from an accredited law school; AND
- You must have bar membership in one of the 50 states, Washington, DC, Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands.
Minimum Requirements:
-Applicants must possess a J.D. degree (MUST include law school transcripts in your application);
- Must be an active member of the Bar (any U.S. jurisdiction - MUST include proof of bar membership in your application); and
Applicants must meet the general professional experience requirements set forth above and the below specialized experience by the closing date of the announcement. Specialized experience equips applicants with particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position to be filled.
Note: The General Counsel or designee retains the discretion to waive minimum qualifications as described above.
To qualify at the GS-11 level: You must have a J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar membership in one of the 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands.
To qualify at the GS-12 level: You must meet GS-11 qualifications plus one-year of legal experience, or additional relevant experience that distinguishes an entry-level attorney from the GS-11. This may include: a superior academic record; specific course work or an internship in the relevant legal area; another graduate or doctoral degree.
To qualify at the GS-13 level: You must have two years of legal experience or relevant experience.
To qualify at the GS-14 level: You must have a minimum of three years of legal experience or relevant experience.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience need not have been in the federal government.
For this position specialized experience: includes a working familiarity with ethics laws, regulations, policy and procedures or experience with legal areas that are frequently encountered in the context of implementing ethics programs. Applicants must demonstrate the ability to accurately identify and quickly analyze relevant and critical issues. Applicants must demonstrate a record of strong interpersonal skills, good judgment and exhibit the ability to work in a supportive and professional manner with other attorneys, support staff and client bureaus.
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
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.
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 résumé and supporting documents for the required knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) to successfully perform the duties of this position:
- Knowledge of research strategies and techniques sufficient to research the most complex legal issues. The issues researched are almost always factually complex and are in areas of the law which are often in a continual state of evolution, thus requiring atypical and innovative research strategies.
- Ability to communicate effectively with diverse clients and constituencies on varied and complex topics in writing clearly, concisely and persuasively, with particular emphasis on the ability to analyze and explain complex legal issues.
- Ability to communicate effectively orally with diverse clients and constituencies on varied and complex topics.
- Ability to maintain effective working and reporting relationships with professional peers, support staff and management officials.
- Ability to organize work effectively to meet established deadlines and priorities.
Please be advised that DOC Attorney positions are in the Excepted Service. As such, these positions are not covered by the usual civil service hiring procedures. You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications stated herein. We will perform an initial review of applications to determine basic eligibility and minimum qualifications for the position and numeric scores will not be assigned. 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
To be considered, please send all documentation specified in the "Required Documents" section to EthicsDivision@doc.gov, with subject line "Attorney-Advisor Vacancy and the grade level for which you are applying".
Applicants who are not selected for interviews will not be notified that they have not been selected.
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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