Attorney Advisor (General)

Summary

This position will collaborate closely with the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) and will be based in the Phoenix Field Office of the Office of the Solicitor. The incumbent will provide substantive legal support on matters involving the BOR.

This is a term excepted appointment not-to-exceed 5 years and may be extended for additional periods of time without further competition.

Duties

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As an Attorney-Advisor with the Department of the Interior, Office of the Solicitor, Intermountain Region, Phoenix Field Office located in Phoenix, AZ your specific duties will include:

• Providing advice on and legal services for matters pertaining to the Bureau of Reclamation.
• Providing advice and legal services for contractual matters, regulatory compliance, environmental liability, water rights, endangered species issues, and general law.
• Providing advice on and legal services on matters relating to laws and regulations of general applicability to Federal agencies, such as the Freedom of Information Act, Federal Advisory Committee Act, federal appropriation laws, property acquisition, and the Federal Acquisition Regulation.
• Providing litigation support on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior and various Interior agencies, including the Bureau of Reclamation, to the Department of Justice, and reviewing and analyzing draft legislation and agency policy guidance.
• Involves knowledge of contracts and cooperative agreements; federal and state litigation procedure; federal environmental laws; real property laws; the ability to analyze legal requirements and succinctly provide advice and counsel to technical/non-legal professionals; and the ability to interact and negotiate with outside entities, including Tribes, States, and local governmental entities, regarding contracts, agreements, and other matters.

You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 2 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.

Salary Range Information (Per Annum):

GS-12: $93,629 (Step 01) - $121,720 (Step 10)

GS-13: $111,338 (Step 01) - $144,741 (Step 10)

GS-14: $131,568 (Step 01) - $171,043 (Step 10)

*First time hires to the federal government typically start at the beginning salary in the range for their respective grade level.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Direct Deposit participation required.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit www.dhs.gov/EVerify/.
• A financial disclosure report will be required within 30 days of appointment.
• You are required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority.
• Requirement. Active bar membership is required for all attorneys engaged in the practice of law in Federal government

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 2-year trial during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.

This trial period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the trial period, such appointments are terminated.

Upon completion of your trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

Basic Qualification Requirements

Applicants must be law school graduates with LL.B. or J.D. degrees AND applicants must be an active member in good standing of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico bar.

• To qualify for a GS-12 applicants must possess at least 2 years of professional legal experience following law school graduation;
• To qualify for a GS-13 applicants must possess at least 3 years of professional legal experience following law school graduation;
• To qualify for a GS-14 applicants must possess at least 4.5 years of professional legal experience following law school graduation;

For any of the grades indicated above you can also substitute one year of experience with any of the following:

• have a second professional law degree; OR
• meet any of the criteria indicated below;
  
  1. academic standing in top one-third of law school graduating class;
  2. graduation with academic honors;
  3. significant participation on the law school's law review;
  4. significant participation in the law school's moot court competition;
  5. significant participation in a clinical legal aid program;
  6. significant summer law office clerk experience; or
  7. other equivalent evidence of clearly superior achievement.

Candidates should have excellent oral communication, writing, research and analysis skills, and the ability to work effectively with other people, and exercise sound judgment.

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.

Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website: https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

Education: If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide transcripts as proof of meeting the requirements.

Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education. https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualification

Additional information

This position is in the excepted service and not subject to competitive service procedures.

Merit promotion procedures do not apply.

Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.

Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor.

All Department of Interior (DOI) employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here, https://www.doi.gov/ethics/ethics-prohibitions.

The duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

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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.

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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.