Summary

This position is in Region 2, Office of Regional Counsel. About Region 2: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/epa-region-2

This is an office-centered positionyou must physically report to one of the duty stations stated in this announcement on a regular basis (location TBD after candidate selected).

Duties

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At the advertised grade, you will:

• Provide legal advice, perform legal research, prepare legal documentation, and make policy recommendations in coordination with Office of Criminal Enforcement, Forensics, and Training HQ agents, management, and civil technical staff, to ensure national consistency in criminal case development.
• Draft legal memoranda and, as necessary, brief Regional and Office of Criminal Enforcement, Forensics, and Training management in support of initiating significant criminal case development and prosecutions.
• Perform the full range of litigation activities to prepare for and support significant criminal case development and prosecution.
• Perform liaison and specialized teamwork with other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to represent and leverage EPA resources.
• Conduct negotiations, facilitates informal dispute resolution, and performs Regional representational work as needed to develop and advance criminal cases.

When entering a federal job at a grade level lower than the highest promotion potential level, you may be promoted to more complex duties and work more independently, as your career progresses. NOTE: Career ladder promotions are not automatic, and all eligibility and qualifications requirements must be met in order to progress to the next grade level.

One or more positions may be filled (in the organization advertised and/or in other organizations), if appropriate to the position.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

#LI-Onsite

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 and licensure/authorization to practice as an attorney.

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

If you are selected, you may be required to complete a trial period (two years if you are not a preference eligible; one year if you are a preference eligible).

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.

REAL ID requirements became effective on 05/07/25. If you are selected for this position and plan to use your driver's license or identification card during the onboarding process (i.e., for employment eligibility verification or to obtain your EPA identification card), the document must be a REAL ID-compliant state-issued driver's license or identification card that includes the REAL ID-compliant star marking or must be an Enhanced Driver's License (EDL). You will receive information about alternative acceptable documents (e.g., passport) prior to onboarding. For more information about REAL ID, see Dept. of Homeland Security and REAL ID FAQs.

If you are selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure form within 30 days of your first day of employment and annually thereafter.

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-13 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level defined as performing legal analysis and research to formulate recommendations to clients or supervisors; and composing pleadings, briefs, and/or other documents involving legal issues in counseling, enforcement, or litigation..

You will need the following competencies in order to perform the duties of this position successfully:

• Criminal Law*
• Critical Thinking
• Written Communication
• Oral Communication
• Attention to Detail*
• Decision Making
• Interpersonal Skills
• Strategic Thinking*
• Negotiation

*You will be evaluated on these critical competencies.

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: Part-Time Experience.

Education

You must:

(1) 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

(2) 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

(3) be an active member of the bar of any U.S. jurisdiction in good standing.

NOTE: Bar membership and licensure are not required at the time of application, but you must be admitted to the bar and obtain your license before entry on duty.

For information about accreditation requirements, visit Accreditation.

Additional information

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.

This position is not in the bargaining unit.

About the Office of Regional Counsel, Region 2: The Office of Regional Counsel (ORC) represents the Region in a wide variety of legal matters, including civil and administrative cases, regulatory and permit actions, government contracts, and employment matters. Often working with the United States Department of Justice, EPA headquarters, and state environmental agency lawyers, this office assists in the enforcement of federal air, water, hazardous waste, toxics and pesticides laws throughout the Region. The office also manages the Freedom of Information (FOIA) response process. Criminal enforcement counsel assists U.S. Attorneys' offices in prosecuting environmental crimes. Most attorneys are based in New York City, with some in Edison, New Jersey and a small office in San Juan, Puerto Rico.



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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

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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.

If you are selected for this position, situational telework may be approved by your supervisor if you meet eligibility requirements, as allowable by agency policy and/or applicable collective bargaining agreement. EPA policy only allows telework to be approved situationally. Situational telework is for work or assignments of specific limited duration on an occasional, emergency, or ad hoc basis.

NOTE: If you are an EPA employee who currently works at a remote work location (i.e., full-time telework), your approval for remote work does not transfer to this position, subject to Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act.

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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.