SUPERVISORY GENERAL ATTORNEY (PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT DISTRICT COUNSEL FOR ADMINISTRATIVE LAW) Job in Seattle, WA

Vacancy No. CERH246939548920D Department U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Salary $136,832.00 to $177,885.00 Grade 14 to 14
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 11/22/2024 Close Date 12/6/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Seattle, WA


Summary

About the Position: Serves as Principal Assistant District Counsel for Administrative Law, a senior attorney providing legal support and counsel to the entire range of missions & operations performed by the Seattle District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is an equal opportunity employer. The Corps is firmly committed to recruiting, retaining, and developing a diverse and inclusive workforce where all employees are valued for their talents as members of the team.

Duties

  • Serves as Seattle Principal Assistant District Counsel for Administrative Law, a senior attorney for the Seattle District in direct support of the District Counsel, furnishing expert legal advice, assistance, and services to the District Commander.
  • Serves as ethics advisor, labor counselor, and advisor on administrative, personnel, and general law.
  • Serves as advisor in the fields of environmental law, USACE Regulatory Program Law, the Corps of Engineers Civil Works program and its authorities; as well as contract formation and administration, including claims and appeals.
  • Operates substantially independently in analyzing and evaluating facts, determining questions of law, and preparing decisions for consideration and adoption by agency decisionmakers in all mission areas.
  • Provides legal support to senior Seattle District management officials in the execution of all mission areas.
  • Supervises Assistant District Counsel within the Office of Counsel and assists the District Counsel in overall office management.
  • The nature of legal work required to perform these duties involves very complex issues, necessitating extensive research and analysis. Such matters often involve very large sums of money and interest in them is, at times, nationwide.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

Basic Education Requirement for Supervisory General Attorney, GS-0905-14:

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 JD). Only a law degree from an accredited college or university recognized by the American Bar Association is acceptable to meet positive education requirements. (Transcripts must be uploaded)

Official or unofficial college or university transcript(s) may be used for the application process. Official transcripts will be required at the time of selection.

In addition to meeting the education basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:

A. I have three (3) or more years of professional legal experience, acquired after being admitted to the Bar, commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. Examples of this experience include:

1. analyze facts, ascertain law and give opinions, articulating facts and legal issues;

2. explain legal principles and identify alternative courses of action;

3. advise Program or Project Managers, Contracting Officers, or other managers or supervisors: (a) on NEPA, ESA, CZMA and other aspects of environmental law; (b) on all aspects of the procurement process to include drafting unusual contracting clauses; (c) on permitting under the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899; (d) on the civilian personnel system and all aspects of handling issues of conduct, performance, equal employment opportunity, and organized labor relations in the Federal sector; and (e) Federal agency administrative law, to include information law, ethics, and fiscal law; and

4. prepare litigation reports and draft pleadings and other legal documents required by the Department of Army and Department of Justice in various federal courts or administrative forums. (Experience must be documented in your resume.)

OR

B. In addition to the first law degree (LL.B or JD), I have a second professional law degree, such as an LL.M, which I may substitute for one year of the required professional legal experience, and I have two (2) or more years of professional legal experience, acquired after being admitted to the Bar, commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. Examples of this experience include:

1. analyze facts, ascertain law and give opinions, articulating facts and legal issues;

2. explain legal principles and identify alternative courses of action;

3. advise Program or Project Managers, Contracting Officers, or other managers or supervisors: (a) on NEPA, ESA, CZMA and other aspects of environmental law; (b) on all aspects of the procurement process to include drafting unusual contracting clauses; (c) on permitting under the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899; (d) on the civilian personnel system and all aspects of handling issues of conduct, performance, equal employment opportunity, and organized labor relations in the Federal sector; and (e) Federal agency administrative law, to include information law, ethics, and fiscal law; and

4. prepare litigation reports and draft pleadings and other legal documents required by the Department of Army and Department of Justice in various federal courts or administrative forums. (Experience must be documented in your resume.)

BAR MEMBERSHIP: An applicant must currently be an active member in good standing of the Bar of a State, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

The experience described in your résumé will be evaluated and screened for the Office of Personnel Management's basic qualifications requirements, and the skills needed to perform the duties of this position as described in this vacancy announcement.

Time in Grade Restriction: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks MUST have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade (or equivalent).

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

  • Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
  • You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
  • One-year trial/probationary period may be required.
  • One-year supervisory probationary period may be required.
  • Direct Deposit of Pay is required.
  • This position requires you to submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE450) upon entry, and annually thereafter.
  • If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
  • This is a(n) Legal Career Field position.
  • Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
  • When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable. Visit https://www.dfas.mil/civilianemployees/civrelo/Civilian-Moving-Expenses-Tax-Deduction/ for more information.
  • Permanent Change of Station (PCS) allowances may be authorized, subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations and an agency determination that a PCS move is in the Government Interest.
  • The Defense National Relocation Program will not be authorized.
  • The following incentives may be authorized: Advanced In-hire, Relocation Incentive, Recruitment Incentive, and/or Advanced Leave Accrual.
  • Eligible for situation regular and recurring telework.

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.

Your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

Basis for Rating: 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:

1. Knowledge and experience with federal laws, regulations, policies, and procedures including in research, analysis, and effectively advising regarding Government administrative law (including employee ethics law; administrative investigation procedures; civilian personnel and employment law; labor-management relations; and non-contract claims), as well as other complex areas of Federal law such as:

a) Civil Works programs and authorities;
b) environmental compliance and natural resources law;
c) litigation;
) Federal procurement law;
e) Federal information law;
f) Federal fiscal law;
g) Federal Indian law;
i) environmental remediation law; and
j) Department of the Army Regulatory Program law.

2. Ability, experience, and aptitude in supervising, leading, mentoring, and motivating a diverse staff of attorney professionals, including as a practice group manager in a designated field of legal practice.

3. Ability to function as a senior counselor and advisor to the Commander and to work effectively as legal subject matter expert and programmatic advisor with other military and senior management officials within the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and with other governmental entities, the public, and private parties.

4. Ability to balance multiple national (external) and agency (internal) program goals and priorities; ability to review program implementation and results; ability to balance customer programs with legal goals and priorities; and ability to develop and utilize innovative approaches in solving problems and issues.

5. Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with diverse clients and constituencies on varied and complex topics. Please provide a writing sample, demonstrating your verbal communication and legal analysis skills through legal briefs, memoranda, or letters. WRITING SAMPLES SHOULD NOT EXCEED 10 PAGES.

NOTICE OF VETERANS' PREFERENCE:
There is no formal rating system for applying veteran's preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Defense considers veterans' preference eligibility a positive factor for attorney hiring. Applicants eligible to claim veterans' preference may include that information in their cover letter or résumé and attach supporting documentation (e.g., DD Form 214) to their submissions. Although the point-preference system is not used, applicants eligible to claim a 10-point preference and desiring to obtain consideration of veteran's status must submit a Standard Form SF-15, "Application for 10-point Veteran Preference," and supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference.

Required Documents

The documents you are required to submit vary based on whether or not you are eligible for preference in federal employment. A complete description of preference categories and the associated required documents is in the Applicant Checklist for Public Announcements.

As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

1. Your resume:

  • Your resume may be submitted in any format and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement.
  • If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
  • For qualifications determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week and the dates of employment (i.e., HRS per week and month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete and you may not receive consideration for this position.
  • For additional information see: What to include in your resume.
If you are a current U.S. Army Corps of Engineers attorney, you MUST submit the following documents:
  • Resume;
  • Last two annual performance appraisals;
  • Your latest non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50); and
  • A writing sample. WRITING SAMPLES MAY TOTAL NO MORE THAN 10 PAGES IN LENGTH. Extracts of selected sections of larger documents are acceptable. Redacted material is acceptable.
If you are NOT a current U.S. Army Corps of Engineers attorney, you MUST submit the following documents:
  • Resume;
  • Copy of law school transcripts (official copies will be required if selected and before placement); AND an official statement of relative standing in your class or official statement demonstrating the unavailability of class standing information;
  • Certificate issued by the Bar Registrar or similar official showing that you are a member in good standing with the Bar, dated NO MORE THAN 3 months before the opening date of this announcement (a copy is sufficient for the application, but a certified copy may be necessary upon selection);
  • A SWORN STATEMENT, certifying that your fitness to practice law or your conduct as an attorney has never been challenged in any jurisdiction. This statement MUST be notarized on a date NO MORE THAN 3 months before the opening date of this announcement. IF YOUR FITNESS TO PRACTICE LAW OR YOUR CONDUCT AS AN ATTORNEY HAS BEEN CHALLENGED IN ANY JURISDICTION, you must provide a notarized statement concerning the facts and circumstances, and any other explanation that you deem appropriate;
  • One signed letter of professional reference from a member of the Bar of a State or Territory, dated within 12 months of the opening date of this announcement; AS WELL AS the names of two additional professional references who are each members of the Bar of a State or Territory; and,
  • A writing sample. WRITING SAMPLES MAY TOTAL NO MORE THAN 10 PAGES IN LENGTH. Extracts of selected sections of larger documents are acceptable. Redacted material is acceptable.
NOTE: Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove another person's personal information before you submit your application. You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.

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 apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 12/06/2024 to receive consideration.

  • To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12618920).
  • Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
  • You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
  • It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
  • Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

Agency contact information

Army Applicant Help Desk
Address
RH-W2SJ02 US ARMY ENGINEER DISTRICT-SEATTLE
DO NOT MAIL
Seattle, WA 98124
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.


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


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