Attorney-Adviser

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen
• If you are selected, a pre-employment background check is required
• You must submit a resume and required documents (See How to Apply)
• You may be required to travel occasionally
  
  

Qualifications

Qualifications: Applicant must possess a J.D. degree or equivalent apprentice experience as allowed per state law, be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any state, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia, and be an active member of

the bar of any U.S. jurisdiction in good standing.

Incumbent should have experience in providing legal advice and counsel at EPA, other federal, state or local agencies, or courts, non-governmental organizations, or in private practice.

If you are selected, you must complete a one-year trial period if you have not completed this requirement.

The ideal candidate will have a very strong academic and employment record, including evidence of nuanced legal analysis with respect to both statutory construction and applicable case law, excellent research and writing skills, superior oral and written communication, strong interpersonal skills, initiative and self-motivation, the ability to work effectively in a team and independently, a commitment to public service, mature judgement and the ability to work with diverse persons and perspectives, and a strong customer service ethic, and an eagerness to teach and mentor. Knowledge and relevant experience in administrative law, environmental law, information law, litigation or some combination thereof, preferred but not required.

Please identify in your written statement of interest/cover letter and resume any specialized experience in administrative law, environmental law, information law and litigation, if applicable. Note: Applicants must include a separate business-style resume with your application in lieu of the automated USAJobs resume. This document should be uploaded as part of your complete application packet described below under the Supporting Documentation Tab.

To qualify at the GS-12 grade level, applicants must have one year of specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-11 grade level. Examples of specialized experience include performing legal analysis on complex and difficult legal issues; formulating recommendations to senior managers for review by supervisors; and preparing and assisting in filing pleadings, briefs, and other court documents involving legal issues in counseling or litigation. Employee must be able to conduct basic legal research and draft legal advice for EPA clients in the relevant area of law. The drafts must be complete and clear. Employee must be able to review draft regulations and guidance documents and identify basic legal issues in the relevant area of law and provide advice on how to address them with assistance from managers.

To qualify at the GS-13 grade level, applicants must have one year of specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-12 grade level. Examples of specialized experience include performing and/or directing legal analysis and developing legal opinions on complex and difficult legal issues; preparing recommendations to senior managers; and preparing and filing pleadings, briefs, and other court documents involving legal issues in counseling or litigation. Employee must be able to conduct thorough legal research and draft strong legal advice for EPA clients in the relevant area of law. The drafts must be complete, well-written, persuasive, and clear. Employee must be able to review draft regulations and guidance documents and identify legal issues in the relevant area of law and provide thorough and complete legal advice on how to address the issues with moderate assistance from managers.

To qualify at the GS-14 grade level, applicants must have one year of specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-13 grade level. Examples of specialized experience include performing and/or directing legal analysis and developing legal opinions on extremely complex and difficult legal issues; preparing recommendations which are accepted as authoritative and tantamount to final Agency decisions; and preparing and filing pleadings, briefs, and other court documents involving legal issues in counseling or litigation. Employee must be able to conduct extensive and thorough legal research and draft comprehensive and detailed legal advice for EPA clients in the relevant area of law. The drafts must be well-written, persuasive, cover all relevant legal issues and deal with the most complex and fact intensive questions. Employee must be able to review draft regulations and guidance documents and identify complex and tricky legal issues in the relevant area of law and provide creative and ingenious legal advice on how to address the with minimal assistance from managers.

Veterans: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Environmental Protection Agency 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).

More information on GS levels for the 0905 Attorney position are available at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/classifying-general-schedule-positions/standards/0900/gs0905.pdf.

If you are selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Form prior to your first day of employment and annually thereafter.

This position is designated as a High Risk and requires a background investigation. Unless an appropriate background is already on record with the Office of Personnel Management, you must undergo a background investigation.

Additional information

Diversity and Inclusion

At EPA, diversity is a vital element in bringing a balance of perspectives to bear on every challenge we face. We are committed to creating a diverse workforce because we know that the individual strengths and abilities of our employees make us a stronger organization. The more inclusive our employee base is, the greater the variety of ideas that are generated, and the more representative we are of the nation we serve. To learn more about how EPA values and supports our diverse workforce, visit Equal Opportunity Employment at EPA. You can also hear a diverse group of attorneys talk about their careers at EPA on the Legal Careers at EPA Webinar.

It is the policy of the Government not to deny employment simply because an individual has been unemployed or has had financial difficulties that have arisen through no fault of the individual. Information about an individual’s employment experience will be used only to determine the person’s qualifications and to assess his or her relative level of knowledge, skills, and abilities. Although an individual’s personal conduct may be relevant in any employment decision, including conduct during periods of unemployment or evidence of dishonesty in handling financial matters, financial difficulty that has arisen through no fault of the individual will generally not itself be the basis of an unfavorable suitability or fitness determination. For more information, visit https://hru.gov/Studio_Recruitment/tools/Mythbuster_on_Federal_Hiring_Policies

These positions are in the bargaining unit.

EPA participates in e-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that enables participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees. For additional information: http://www.epa.gov/careers/epa-job-vacancy-announcements-policies-and-procedures.

If you are selected, travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid by EPA. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expenses associated with reporting to work in this position will be your responsibility.

Position has portable work and selectee may be eligible to telework.

This position is in the excepted service. Selection under this appointment authority does not confer civil service competitive status; however, this position is covered for the purpose of federal retirement and benefits.

Except in special circumstances, those new to the federal government will be hired at the starting salary (step 1) of the applicable grade range listed above.

If you are selected, you will be expected to report to work as soon as practical but no later than thirty (30) days from the date you receive a final job offer. Extension of this reporting requirement may be granted only under extraordinary circumstances.

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• Help Help 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.
  
  

Join EPA in protecting human health and the environment and enjoy many work life quality options! Working for the EPA offers you a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, life insurance, health benefits, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System.

To learn more about us, visit Life and Careers at EPA.

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.