Public Notice for Attorney Advisor (Direct Hire)

Summary

Chief Counsel, Regulations Division: Responsible for providing legal counsel on regulatory law, security standards, compliance matters, and the interpretation and application of statutes, regulations, policies, and agency requirements.

Duties

This Public Notice for Attorney Advisor (Direct Hire) position is located in Chief Counsel, Regulations Division, Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Duties include but are not limited to:

• Provides expert legal guidance on administrative law, including regulatory and security standards and compliance, to TSA and external stakeholders on varied, complex, and sensitive issues affecting homeland security and TSA's mission. Advises policymakers and managers on the development, implementation, and compliance implications of new or sensitive policies, programs, regulations, and security standards. Communicates legal advice and agency positions clearly and effectively, tailoring messages to varied audiences and incorporating stakeholder input as appropriate.
• Proposes preventive actions and innovative legal approaches to ensure TSA regulations, security standards, policies, and practices remain legally sufficient and compliant with evolving statutory, regulatory, and administrative requirements. Recommends legally supportable solutions to complex regulatory and security standards issues where existing precedents or prior interpretations must be adapted to emerging legal interpretations or changing operational needs.
• Serves as a primary legal authority on major, high-profile regulatory law, security standards, and compliance issues affecting the transportation industry. Develops briefings and legal analyses to communicate TSA's strategic regulatory and security standards positions to internal and external stakeholders and decision-makers. Supports policymakers in coordinating legally sound regulatory, compliance, and security countermeasures with appropriate Federal departments, agencies, and instrumentalities.
• Drafts and reviews regulatory and security standards documents and related legal actions, including documentation of policy decisions, legal sufficiency of the administrative record, Memoranda of Understanding, Privacy Impact Assessments, Paperwork Reduction Act documents, System of Records Notices, legal opinions, guidance documents, and other regulatory requirements. Serves as a lead legal advisor to executive-level staff on questions of regulatory law, security standards compliance, and administrative policy involved in developing policies, strategies, and plans addressing threats to transportation security.

Preferred Qualifications: The ideal candidate will possess a combination of legal training, subject-matter knowledge, and practical experience with rulemaking, compliance, enforcement, and administrative procedures. Familiarity with the Administrative Procedure Act, Federal Register process, and agency rulemaking procedures is highly desired. Effective communication skills in advising clients across all levels of an organizational structure. Extensive experience with the regulatory drafting and review process in a federal agency, emerging technologies, cybersecurity, and implementing administration priorities is highly valued.

Please note: The major duties described reflect the full performance level of this position. Typically, the lower pay bands perform the same duties but will receive more guidance and training; and/or projects/work assignments may be less complex.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

1. You must possess U.S. Citizenship or be a U.S. National.
2. You must have reached the minimum age (18) at the time of application.
3. You must complete a favorable Background Investigation (BI).
4. Selective Service registration is required.
5. You must obtain and maintain a Secret clearance level.
6. Must be an active member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. Commonwealth, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia.
7. Must be a graduate of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association

You must submit a copy of your law school transcript. (Submission of an unofficial copy is sufficient, but official copy must be submitted prior to appointment).

You must submit a certificate of bar membership and proof of good standing.

If you fail to meet the conditions of employment or any other pre-employment requirements, such as missing any of the scheduled appointments, the hiring agency may rescind their tentative offer of employment.

Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for TSA to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.

Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.

Qualifications

Basic requirements for all grade levels:

• Applicants must have a Law Degree (e.g., J.D., LL.B.) from an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law school.
• Must be an active member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of any state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States.

Specialized Experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.

To qualify for the SV-G Pay Band (equivalent to GS-11), you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the SV-F or GS-09 Pay Band in the Federal service or equivalent education or experience in the private sector. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

• Researching laws and regulations, analyzing legal issues, and writing legal opinions, memoranda, or recommendations; AND
• Developing draft letters, memoranda, legal analyses, pleadings, or other legal documents for review and use by a senior or higher-graded attorney, ensuring the drafts are clear, accurate, well-organized, and consistent with applicable legal requirements, policies, and procedures.

OR Be a graduate from an accredited law school and be an active member in good standing.

To qualify for the SV-H Pay Band (equivalent to GS-12), you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the SV-G or GS-11 Pay Band in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. Specialized experience MUST include all the following:

• Researching laws and regulations, analyzing legal issues, and writing legal opinions, memoranda, or recommendations; AND
• Developing draft letters, memoranda, legal analyses, pleadings, or other legal documents for review and use by a senior or higher-graded attorney, ensuring the drafts are clear, accurate, well-organized, and consistent with applicable legal requirements, policies, and procedures; AND
• Reviewing legal precedents and preparing written recommendations for supervisory review.

To qualify for the SV-I Pay Band (equivalent to GS-13), you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the SV-H or GS-12 Pay Band in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. Specialized experience MUST include all the following:

• Conducting complex legal research and factual investigation, analyzing legal and factual issues, identifying additional facts needed, and determining applicable legal sources; AND
• Writing complex legal opinions or guidance that interpret state or Federal laws, regulations, or orders, and assisting with drafting regulations and/or orders; AND
• Advising program offices, agency leadership, or other stakeholders on compliance with regulatory requirements.

To qualify for the SV-J Pay Band (equivalent to GS-14), you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the SV-I or GS-13 Pay Band in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. Specialized experience MUST include all the following:

• Providing regulatory legal counsel and policy guidance on the interpretation, implementation, and application of laws, regulations, policies, and requirements; AND
• Assessing regulatory legal risks and recommending legally supportable courses of action based on applicable statutes, regulations, policies, and agency requirements; AND
• Handling regulatory enforcement matters, administrative litigation, hearings, or appeals involving the application or interpretation of statutes, regulations, and agency requirements.

To qualify for the SV-K Pay Band (equivalent to GS-15), you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the SV-J or GS-14 Pay Band in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. Specialized experience MUST include all the following:

• Providing regulatory legal counsel and policy guidance on laws, regulations, policies, and requirements related to intelligence, national security or transportation infrastructure, or threats to the traveling public; AND
• Assessing regulatory legal risks and recommending legally supportable courses of action based on applicable statutes, regulations, policies, and agency requirements; AND
• Handling regulatory enforcement matters, administrative litigation, hearings, or appeals involving the application or interpretation of statutes, regulations, and agency requirements; AND
• Training, mentoring, or providing guidance to junior attorneys on legal research, analysis, writing, case strategy, regulatory requirements, and professional practice.

Preferred Qualifications: The ideal candidate will possess a combination of legal training, subject-matter knowledge, and practical experience with rulemaking, compliance, enforcement, and administrative procedures. Familiarity with the Administrative Procedure Act, Federal Register process, and agency rulemaking procedures is highly desired. Effective communication skills in advising clients across all levels of an organizational structure. Extensive experience with the regulatory drafting and review process in a federal agency, emerging technologies, cybersecurity, and implementing administration priorities is highly valued.

Education

This position has a basic education requirement listed under the Qualifications section of this announcement.

For positions requiring positive education requirements, or if you are using education to meet all or part of the qualification requirements, you MUST submit a copy of your transcripts or an itemized list of college courses from an accredited college or university, which includes equivalent information from the transcript (course title, semester/quarter hours, and grade/degree earned) in your resume. The information must be provided with the application by the closing date of the announcement. If selected, the applicant must supply a transcript or certification of degree.

Additional information

Eligibility to apply for other Federal positions: TSA is an Excepted Service agency exempt from most of Title 5 United States Code, including regulations which apply to displaced Federal employees (CTAP/ICTAP) of other agencies, and employment with TSA does not confer "Competitive Status" that generally results from selection and service in Competitive Service agencies. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has established an Interchange Agreement, which allows most permanent TSA employees to apply and be considered for vacancies in Competitive Service agencies. Information from OPM on this or other Interchange Agreements is available at: www.opm.gov/.

To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation as a condition of placement into this position.

If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306 Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

TSA employees who are absent for the purpose of performing military duty may apply for any vacancies announced in their absence.

More than one position may be filled from this announcement.

If you are entering TSA employment on an appointment without time limitations, you must serve a basic trial period unless you have already met the requirement.

DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include flexible work schedules; telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select "Benefits." Disabled veteran leave will be available to any Federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.