Address
Form of work
SalaryDuties
Position is Remote (Restricted)- The duty station can be the employees' home, however, must be located within the local commuting area of Washington, DC which has been established as 125 miles or 2.5 hours. The applicant would not be required to report to the DOE Worksite every pay period but will be required to do so with some regularity (e.g., a few times a month) for work that cannot be performed remotely.
The Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of the General Counsel is looking for a dynamic, innovative, seasoned executive to lead and provide legal support and services for DOE on crosscutting matters impacting Federal employees, including specifically matters of general law and the administration of DOE programs.
As the Assistant General Counsel for Ethicsand Personnel Law you will:
- Serve as the principal legal advisor to the Deputy General Counsel for General Law with respect to legal matters within the designated areas of expertise and responsibility and directly supervises a staff of attorneys performing legal work in these areas, paralegal assistants and clerical support personnel.
- Supervise the development, implementation, interpretation, and enforcement of conduct of employee regulations and other regulations pertaining to standards of employee conduct. Also supervises the services of staff attorneys and ethics program specialists who serve as ethics counselors to the Department's Headquarters employees and consultants.
- Administer the Department's Federal employee conflicts of interest and standards of employee conduct program across the entire Department. The incumbent is designated by the Secretary to serve as the Alternate Designated Agency Ethics Official for the Department of Energy.
- Program Counsel for offices of the Chief Human Capital Officer, Economic Impact and Diversity, and the Ombudsman.
- Provide legal support and review of DOE directives, delegations of authority, and other organizational matters.
- Provide legal support to DOE Federal Advisory Committee Act activities.
- Provide legal services in personnel matters and represents DOE in formal administrative litigation proceedings before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Federal Labor Relations Authority, the Merit Systems Protection Board, and the Office of Special Counsel.
- Provide legal advice on HQ labor relations matters including grievances and allegations of unfair labor practices.
- Provide legal and technical legal support to field chief counsels in connection with labor relations matters.
- Provide legal support on Federal personnel matters involving DOE HQ employees and Senior Executive Service members regardless of duty station.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT FOR THIS VACANCY: This is a career position in the SES. Unless the selectee is already a member of the SES with career status or has successfully completed an SES Candidate Development Program certified by OPM, executive qualifications must be approved by OPM before the appointment can be effected. If you are selected, you will be responsible for working with a DOE Executive Consultant to finalize your ECQ narrative for OPM submission.
CITIZENSHIP: You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
HOMELAND SECURITY PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE (HSPD-12): A selectee's appointment is contingent upon compliance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD-12) governing personal identity.
PUBLIC FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REPORT (OGE 278): If you are selected for this position, will be required to file this report prior to entry on duty in accordance with the Ethics of Government Act of 1978.
PROBATIONARY PERIOD: An individual's initial SES career appointment becomes final only after the individual successfully completes a one-year probationary period.
SECURITY CLEARANCE: You must be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance.
DRUG TESTING: As a condition of appointment to this position, you will be subject to pre-employment/pre-appointment testing for illegal drug use under the U.S. Department of Energy Employee Drug Plan. If you are selected you will be provided information regarding drug testing. Failure to undergo testing or positive findings resulting from the test will eliminate you from further consideration for this position. If selected for and appointed to this position you will be subject to random drug testing while employed.
SELECTIVE SERVICE: All males born after December 31, 1959 must abide by laws regarding Selective Service registration. To learn more about this law, visit the Selective Service web page, Who Must Register. If you are not registered and don't have an approved exemption, you will not be eligible for employment with the Federal government.
MOBILITY: A mobility agreement may be required based on mission needs.
BAR MEMBERSHIP: Must be a current member in good standing of the Bar of a state or territory or the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Qualifications
EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): The five (5) ECQs described below were designed to assess executive-level experiences and potential not technical expertise. They measure whether an individual has the broad executive skills needed to succeed in a variety of SES positions.
1:Leading Change: Ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals and establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment.
2:Leading People: Ability to lead people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals and provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts.
3:Results Driven: Ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations, and make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks.
4:Business Acumen: Ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically.
5:Building Coalitions: Ability to build coalitions internally and with other Federal agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals.
MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (MTQs):As part of your application package, asupplemental narrative must be uploaded addressing each MTQ listed below. No more than one (1) page per MTQ is allowed; additional informational information will not be considered. MTQs must provide specific examples that address relevant experience and accomplishments. Applicants must reflect superior technical qualifications demonstrated through leadership and management in the following MTQs.
Failure to submit a narrative statement addressing each of the MTQs may cause your application to be deemed incomplete and not be considered.
MTQ 2: Describe your experience providing legal advice and counsel, directly and by overseeing other attorneys, regarding the ethical restrictions that apply to all types of both career and Presidentially appointed civilian Executive Branch employees and reviewing financial disclosure reports, and providing legal advice and counsel regarding the Federal Advisory Committee Act.
MTQ 3: Describe your experience providing and overseeing:
- Representation in administrative Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Federal Labor Relations Authority and the Merit Systems Protection Board.
- Legal advice and counsel regarding (a) federal Personnel Law, (b) labor relations, (c) equal employment opportunity, and (d) the Federal Tort Claims Act.
Education
Must meet the minimum education requirements of successful completion of a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) with a professional law degree (L.L.B or J.D.).
You must provide a copy of your transcripts from an accredited institution. Be sure to include those transcripts directly applicable to determining your meeting the education requirements. Failure to provide proof of education will result in non-consideration for this position. OFFICIAL ORIGINAL TRANSCRIPTS will be required to be provided prior to entrance-on-duty for individuals selected.
Education must be obtained from an accredited institution 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 Department of Education.
Additional information
The U.S. Department of Energy fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Telework: Your position may be eligible for workplace flexibilities which may include remote work or telework options, and/or flexible work scheduling. These flexibilities may be requested in accordance with the DOE Workplace Flexibilities policy. For general information on government-wide Telework polices visit: www.telework.gov
E-VERIFY: New employees to the Department of Energy will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.
OF-306: You may be required to complete an OF-306, "Declaration for Federal Employment" form used to (a) determine your suitability for Federal Employment and/or (b) in conducting an investigation to determine your suitability or ability to hold a security clearance.
Applications contain information subject to the Privacy Act (PL 93 579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361.
The Fair Chance Act prohibits specific inquiries concerning an applicant's criminal or credit background unless the hiring agency has made a conditional offer of employment to the applicant. An applicant may submit a complaint to the agency within 30 calendar days of the date of alleged non-compliance by completing the Fair Chance Act Intake Form and submitting it to the Administrative Investigations Program at AdministrativeInvestigations@hq.doe.gov.
The selecting official may need to consult Departmental ethics counsel to determine whether any of your former or current employers, affiliations, or financial holdings conflict with your ability to perform the duties of this position. If necessary, ethics counsel will work with you and the hiring office regarding potential mitigation strategies, if available.
Hiring incentives may be authorized in accordance with agency policy and if funding is available.
This is a non-bargaining unit position.
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.
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.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
You will be evaluated on the quality and extent of your total accomplishments, experience, and education (if applicable). Your application will be rated and ranked by an Executive Resources Board (ERB) Panel, comprised of at least three SES members, using only the information submitted within the application package. Applicants who do not demonstrate in their application sufficient possession of the ECQs & MTQs will be determined ineligible for further consideration.
As part of the Resume Based recruitment method, the ERB Panel conducts a structured interview for all applicants, both competitive and non-competitive, who are determined to be in the top category from the ERB Rating Panel. Based on the Panel's evaluation, applicants who are determined Best Qualified will be referred to the selecting official for further consideration.
Failure to meet all qualifications automatically disqualifies an applicant. The most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. Persons tentatively selected for appointment to SES positions must prepare their ECQ package for OPM/QRB certification. The QRB review and certification is the last critical step in the SES selection process, and all SES candidates must have their executive qualifications certified by a QRB before being appointed as career members of the SES. Eligibility for this position will be based upon a clear showing that the applicant has experience of the scope and quality sufficient to effectively carry out assignments of the position.
Veteran's Preference does not apply to the Senior Executive service (SES).
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.
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.
Required Documents
As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
It is important you include and address all ECQs, MTQs, and accomplishments in your resume, MTQ narrative, and optional cover letter. A sample 5-page resume addressing ECQs can be viewed in the Guide to SES Qualifications (indexed at page 29-37).
Thoroughly review the following list to determine the documentation you need to submit. If you fail to submit required documentation before the announcement closes, you will be rated "ineligible." Some documents may not apply to all applicants.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
1. ALL APPLICANTS - Five (5) page ECQ-based Resume including the following:- Full name, mailing and email addresses, day & evening telephone numbers
- Education information including:
- Name, city, state of colleges/universities attended, major & type of degree received.
- Report only schools accredited by the accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education
- All work experience (paid and unpaid) including:
- Job title, duties/accomplishments, employer's name/address, start/end dates (include month, day, and year), average hours per week worked, salary
- Honors, awards, special accomplishments
Tips for preparing SES applications. We recommend that your resume emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of the programs managed, and your program accomplishments, including the results of your actions.2. ALL APPLICANTS - MTQ Narrative (no more than one page per MTQ, using 1 inch margins and 12 point font size).3. Current or former career SES members must provide a SES appointment SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action), and an SF-50 showing current career SES status or career SES reinstatement eligibility.4. Applicants who have successfully completed an OPM-approved SES Candidate Development Program must submit a copy of their certification.5. Current or former Federal Civilian employees, must submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 (non-award) documenting the following: 1) Full position title; 2) appointment type; 3) occupational series; 4) pay plan, grade, and step; 5) tenure code; 6) service computation date (SCD).6. ALL APPLICANTS - If positive education requirement: you must submit a copy of your transcript(s) or a separate course listing showing the course title, department, hours earned (quarters or semester), and grade. If you have completed any part of your education outside of the U.S., you must submit the evaluation of your foreign education that has been prepared by an accredited organization. The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) can provide a list of who can evaluate your foreign education. For additional information, visit Department of Education.8. Optional - cover letter (one page maximum).
7. Must provide a copy of your bar membership from a State, District of Columbia, territory of the United States or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
NOTE:- All documents must be uploaded into the system; USAJobs Resume Builder resumes will not be accepted.
- Separate written narratives addressing the ECQs will not be considered.
- Pages submitted in excess of the limits described above will not be considered. Substituting pages for other required documents in the application is not acceptable (e.g., submitting only a four-page resume but adding an additional page to address an MTQ).
- Do not use borders, provide photos or list a Social Security Number or date of birth on any attachment.
- If you are selected for this position, you may be asked to provide additional documentation to verify your responses.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the announcement closing date to receive consideration. Faxed or e-mailed applications and/or resumes will not be accepted. Requests for extensions will not be granted.
All statements made in this application are subject to investigation and any false or dishonest answer to any question may be grounds for disqualification and loss of consideration. If your resume does not support the responses in your application questionnaire, or if you fail to submit required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible' or 'not qualified'.
The application process is as follows:You may update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by returning to your USAJOBS account, select Update Application: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.- You must have a login.gov account to sign into USAJOBS: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/account/.
- To begin the application process in USAJOBS, click the Apply Online button.
- Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all required and supporting documentation.
- You must click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 pm (ET) on the announcement closing date.
To verify the status of your application, during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account; applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each application status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
If you need help with login.gov or USAJOBS (e.g., account access, Resume Builder) visit the USAJOBS Help Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/
If you experience difficulty applying on USAJOBS, after clicking the Apply Online button, or you are experiencing a significant hardship hindering your ability to apply online, the Agency Contact listed in the announcement can assist you during normal business hours. If you receive any system error messages, take screenshots if possible, to aid technical support.Agency contact information
Rashida Smith
Email
rashida.smith@hq.doe.gov
Address
Office of the General Counsel
P.O. Box 5088
Oak Ridge, TN 37831
USNext steps
You may check your application status any time after the announcement closes. USAJOBS has added an alert setting to the system to drive status updates notification for applicants. We recommend that you update your USAJOBS profile to receive these status updates via email after the announcement closes. We will continue to update your status on-line as changes are made. Applicants who meet the mandatory ECQs and MTQs will be evaluated by a panel of senior executives.
Once a candidate has been identified for selection, reference checks may be completed. The Department's appointing official(s) will make a final approval of the selection, and in competitive cases, OPM's Qualifications Review Board (QRB) must certify the ECQs before final appointment can occur. If OPM/QRB certification is required, the candidate identified for selection is required to prepare their ECQ package for OPM/QRB certification. Verification of performance, suitability and security information from reference checks will be taken into consideration when making offers of employment.Fair and Transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
- Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
- Reasonable accommodation policy
- Financial suitability
- Selective Service
- New employee probationary period
- Signature and false statements
- Privacy Act
- Social security number request
Required Documents
It is important you include and address all ECQs, MTQs, and accomplishments in your resume, MTQ narrative, and optional cover letter. A sample 5-page resume addressing ECQs can be viewed in the Guide to SES Qualifications (indexed at page 29-37).
Thoroughly review the following list to determine the documentation you need to submit. If you fail to submit required documentation before the announcement closes, you will be rated "ineligible." Some documents may not apply to all applicants.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
1. ALL APPLICANTS - Five (5) page ECQ-based Resume including the following:
- Full name, mailing and email addresses, day & evening telephone numbers
- Education information including:
- Name, city, state of colleges/universities attended, major & type of degree received.
- Report only schools accredited by the accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education
- All work experience (paid and unpaid) including:
- Job title, duties/accomplishments, employer's name/address, start/end dates (include month, day, and year), average hours per week worked, salary
- Honors, awards, special accomplishments
7. Must provide a copy of your bar membership from a State, District of Columbia, territory of the United States or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
NOTE:
- All documents must be uploaded into the system; USAJobs Resume Builder resumes will not be accepted.
- Separate written narratives addressing the ECQs will not be considered.
- Pages submitted in excess of the limits described above will not be considered. Substituting pages for other required documents in the application is not acceptable (e.g., submitting only a four-page resume but adding an additional page to address an MTQ).
- Do not use borders, provide photos or list a Social Security Number or date of birth on any attachment.
- If you are selected for this position, you may be asked to provide additional documentation to verify your responses.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
This job is open to
Federal employees - Competitive service
Current or former competitive service federal employees.
Federal employees - Excepted service
Current excepted service federal employees.
Senior executives
Those who meet the five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs).
The public
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
Clarification from the agency
Open to All U.S. Citizens
