Attorney-Advisor

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must submit a resume and required documents--see How to Apply section.
• You must be a U.S. citizen.
  
  

If you have not yet passed the bar exam, offer of employment will be contingent upon admission to the bar.

You must self-certify annually and in writing that you hold an active bar membership.

This position is designated as High Risk and requires a background investigation. Unless an appropriate background investigation is already on record with the Office of Personnel Management, you must undergo a background investigation. All conditions of the pre-employment security process must be met before an official letter of employment can be issued with a report for duty date.

If you are selected, you may be required to complete a one-year trial period.

Qualifications

NOTE: You must meet qualification requirements, including any requirements described in the Education section, by the closing date of this announcement.

In addition to the educational requirements, you must meet the minimum grade-specific qualifications as described below:

To qualify for the GS-14 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level defined as working independently to provide legal advice and policy recommendations on issues under major Federal statutes; and communicating with internal and external stakeholders on legal issues.

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.

• If you have part-time work experience, read this: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.
  
  

Education

You Must

• possess a J.D. or LL.M. degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university or equivalent apprentice experience as allowed per state law; and
• 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. (NOTE: Bar membership is not required at the time of application, but you must be admitted to the bar before entry on duty.)
  
  

For information about accreditation requirements, visit EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.

Additional information

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values at EPA. Our excellence can only be fully realized by staff who share our commitment to these values. Successful candidates are committed to advancing equity and inclusion in the Agency’s workplace and mission. We encourage applications from candidates with a variety of personal experiences, values, and worldviews that arise from differences of culture and circumstance. 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.

About the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance: The Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) has staff, including criminal investigators located in HQs and more than 40 field offices located across the nation. OECA provides national policy direction and enforcement for all federal environmental statutes which can include civil and criminal actions; actions to compel cleanup; and federal facility enforcement. OECA leads EPA’s enforcement program which aims to address pollution problems that impact American communities by pursuing vigorous civil and criminal enforcement that target entities causing the most serious water, air, and chemical hazards. For more information, visit Environment Enforcement and Compliance Careers in OECA.

If you have questions about this position, contact Ollie Thomas at [email protected] or by phone at (202) 564-8202 or (937) 272-2372.

This position is 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: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.

This position is excluded from provisions of the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP).

Selection under this appointment authority does not confer civil service competitive status.

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 in the Overview section.

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.

Read more

• 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.

EPA offers workplace flexibilities as described on the EPA Benefits page. These flexibilities are not guaranteed, and eligibility will be determined in accordance with position requirements, policy, and/or applicable Collective Bargaining Agreement after you are hired.

PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS (PSLF): As a federal employee, you may be eligible for student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. The PSLF program forgives the remaining balance on federal Direct Loans after you have made 120 qualifying payments while working full-time for a qualifying employer, including EPA. Learn more: pslf.gov

This position has portable work. If selected for this position, you may be eligible for partial work-from-home flexibilities after meeting eligibility requirements, as allowable by agency policy and/or applicable collective bargaining agreement.

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.