Attorney

Summary

This position is within the Department of Energy, Bonneville Power Administration, Office of General Counsel.

As an Attorney-Adviser, you will provide strategic legal counsel shaping the Pacific Northwest's energy future. You will advise agency leadership, negotiate high-impact agreements, and represent BPA in administrative hearings and litigation involving complex energy and resource matters. Help power the region while tackling rewarding, cutting-edge legal work!

Duties

Key Duties & Meaningful Impact

Here are eight high-impact responsibilities where your legal expertise will make a difference:

1. Strategic In-House Counsel & Executive Advisory: Serve as a trusted legal advisor to agency managers and technical experts. You will analyze complex operational and policy questions, conduct legal investigations, assess risk, and propose clear, practical courses of action that protect and advance the agency's public mission.
2. Commercial, Real Estate & Infrastructure Negotiations: Participate in or lead multidisciplinary teams negotiating high-value commercial, financial, and utility infrastructure agreements. You will work with public utilities, financial institutions, private industry, and local governments to draft and review critical contracts and transactional terms.
3. Federal Court Litigation & Appellate Advocacy: Develop and support litigation strategies for cases in U.S. District Courts, the Court of Federal Claims, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. You will draft persuasive motions, briefs, and pleadings, manage discovery, and collaborate with federal partners to defend agency actions.
4. Regulatory Proceedings & Administrative Hearings: Advocate for BPA before regulatory commissions and administrative bodies, such as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). You will draft filings, examine witnesses, present arguments, and help establish formal public records in contested matters.
5. Solving Novel, High-Stakes Energy & Environmental Issues: Tackle groundbreaking legal challenges involving major financial stakes and regional policy impacts. Where precedent is scarce or conflicting, you will develop creative, well-reasoned legal frameworks that balance public utility duties with environmental protection and market realities.
6. Legislative & Policy Analysis: Interpret evolving federal and state environmental statutes, energy regulations, and public law. You will review proposed state and congressional legislation affecting regional energy markets, drafting influential agency comments, policy guidelines, and legal notices.
7. Tribal, Regional & Intergovernmental Engagement: Engage with sovereign tribal governments, state and regional utility councils, conservation groups, and international partners. You will provide strategic legal guidance that respects intergovernmental relationships, navigates public sensitivities, and builds consensus.
8. Claims Evaluation & Alternative Dispute Resolution: Assess contract disputes, tort claims, and property rights matters to identify cost-effective resolutions. You will perform privilege reviews, conduct legal risk analyses, and advise leadership on whether to negotiate fair settlements, engage in arbitration, or pursue formal legal defense.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

In accordance with Executive Order 14170, applicants are encouraged to respond to four short, free-response, essay questions in the questionnaire. Answer to these questions is not scored or rated. Your answers will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration.

When you apply you will be asked a series of questions to determine your eligibility for employment and your qualification for this position specifically. You must answer all of these questions completely and truthfully.Key Requirements:

• You must be a United States Citizen.
• This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
• Males must abide by Selective Service registration requirements.
• You will be required to report in person to the official duty location.

Conditions of Employment:

• Selectee will be required to complete the Office of Government Ethics Standard of Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OFGE450e) within 30 days of employment and annually.

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENT:

Professional law degree (L.L.B. or J.D.) and membership in a State or D.C. bar association is required.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

GS-11:

A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-09) in the Federal service.

Specialized experience for this position is defined as: professional legal experience 1) conducting legal research, fact gathering, and statutory and case law analysis to identify applicable legal precedents; 2) preparing initial drafts of legal memoranda, pleadings, discovery requests, briefs, or transactional agreements under the direction of senior counsel; and 3) assisting senior attorneys with hearing preparation, regulatory filings, or commercial dispute matters.

GS-12:

A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11) in the Federal service.

Specialized experience for this position is defined as: professional legal experience 1) analyzing and interpreting complex statutes, regulations, and judicial orders to provide legal advice to clients or management on operational, administrative, or policy questions; 2) drafting and editing legal pleadings, motions, transactional instruments, contracts, and formal legal analyses; and 3) supporting lead counsel in administrative proceedings, regulatory matters, or civil litigation, including preparing evidentiary records, participating in dispute resolution, and drafting pre-proceeding documents.

GS-13:

A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-13) in the Federal service.

Specialized experience for this position is defined as: professional legal experience 1) independently researching, analyzing, and rendering legal opinions and counsel to executive management or organizational officials on complex administrative, regulatory, commercial, or environmental legal matters; 2) drafting, examining, and participating in the negotiation of complex contracts, commercial agreements, or settlement arrangements; and 3) representing an organization or clients before administrative tribunals, arbitration panels, regulatory bodies, or judicial courts, including drafting dispositive motions, conducting witness examinations, and formulating trial or hearing strategy.

"Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. 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.

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

This vacancy has a positive education requirement. In order to be rated as qualified, you must provide copies of your college transcripts. Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See Department of Education Accreditation Search to verify school accreditation.

Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website.DO NOT email or mail in any of your application documents. Documents will not be accepted outside of the online application system.

Failure to provide copies of your college transcripts may result in a rating of "Ineligible".

Additional information

• This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across DOE

Hiring incentives may be authorized for a highly qualified candidate based on budget availability and in accordance with federal regulations.

BPA strives to ensure a safe and positive work environment.

We also understand the importance of work/life balance and offer a variety of programs and policies designed to create more flexible, responsive work environments supportive of commitments to community, home and family members. BPA also supports employees' overall wellness through its Be Well program, which helps employees adopt healthier lifestyles and feel better about their work/life balance. The program supports five key areas of life: career, community, financial, physical and social.

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

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.