Summary
The Environment and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice is seeking experienced litigators for its Environmental Crimes Section in Washington, D.C.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
U.S. citizens or nationals
Duties
As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.
Attorneys in the Environmental Crimes Section prosecute complex, white-collar crime cases (including fraud, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, money laundering, etc.) against individuals and corporations that violate laws designed to prevent pollution of the environment and destruction of the world's critical natural resources.
The Section is at the forefront of changing industry practice and raising public awareness that environmental crimes are substantial crimes, which left unchecked threaten human health and the environment. Section attorneys handle all aspects of investigative and litigative work, from advising agencies on long-term, undercover investigations to grand jury presentations, discovery, motions practice and trial, and work with AUSAs in all 94 U.S. judicial districts. In pursuit of its mission to protect our air, water, soil and threatened and endangered species, the Section works closely with criminal investigators from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Coast Guard Investigative Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA Fisheries Enforcement, as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Customs, and Inspectors General from many additional agencies. Attorneys from the Section are additionally engaged in capacity building to investigate and prosecute environmental crimes both domestically and internationally.
Consistent with the Section's practice, individuals selected will be responsible for handling a range of matters, including some of the most complex cases handled by the Section. This position will allow the individual to utilize his or her superior legal research, writing, and oral advocacy skills in all aspects of investigation, negotiation, motions practice and trial.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- You must be a U.S. citizen or national.
- You must complete a background investigation to include pre-employment drug testing.
- Selective Service Registration is required, as applicable.
- You must maintain a bank account for direct deposit of salary.
- J.D. degree required, must be an active member of the bar, any jurisdiction.
Qualifications
Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar (any jurisdiction), have at least five years of post-J.D. litigation experience, and be a U.S. citizen or National. Applicants must have tried a minimum of five criminal jury trials.
Prior experience as a Federal, State or Local prosecutor or defender is preferred. The ideal candidate will possess not only the requisite litigation experience, but also an interest in environmental protection and enforcement.
YOUR RESUME MUST provide specific details as to how your experience meets the specialized experience as described in the vacancy announcement if you are using experience to meet all or part of the qualification requirements. Please ensure that your resume includes the month and year that you began and ended each position held or that position will not be credited toward meeting the experience requirement. Part-time employment will be prorated in crediting experience. Failure to provide details will result in an ineligible rating.
Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.
Education
All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see www.ed.gov.
Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to timely provide such evidence by submitting proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency with your application materials. More information may be found at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.
All documentation must be in English or include an English translation. https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.
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.
You will be evaluated based on your qualifications for this position as evidenced by the experience you report relative to this position.
Veterans: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions.
Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service-connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).
Required Documents
- Resumé demonstrating relevant experience and month/year dates the experience was obtained
- Brief statement of interest
- Writing sample
- Copy of J.D. degree transcripts
- DD 214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation, if applicable
Your resumé MUST include full employment information such as periods of employment with month/year started and ended, title of position(s), PT hours worked, and description of duties. If you have Federal employment, you must include the grade of the position(s).
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
You must apply online through USAJOBS. Click on the APPLY Online button. Follow the prompts to answer a few questions and submit all required documents by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date to receive consideration.
Applicants must submit a current resume, brief statement of interest, writing sample, law school transcript, and DD-214 (if applicable).
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/
If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Office of Human Resources using the contact information listed below.
Next steps
Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications. The most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. We expect to make a selection within 80 days of the closing date of this announcement. You will be notified of the outcome.
|