Attorney-Advisor (General)

Summary
With an emphasis on high ethical standards, excellence in public service and the delivery of superlative advice and counsel, DOI Solicitor's Office performs the legal work for the United States Department of the Interior, and manages the Departmental Ethics Office and Departmental FOIA Office. With more than five hundred employees, more than four hundred of which are attorneys, the Office strives to provide sound legal services to fulfill the Department's diverse and wide-ranging mission.
This job is open to

• The public
  U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency
Excepted Service
Duties
As an Attorney-Adviser with the Department of the Interior, Office of the Solicitor, Division of Mineral Resources, Branch of Conventional Ocean Resources, located in Washington, DC your specific duties will include:

• Serving as a legal adviser for the Department and advising on all legal issues pertaining to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's (BOEM) oil and gas, marine minerals and carbon sequestration programs;
• Providing written and oral advice on matters arising under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, National Environmental Policy Act, and Endangered Species Act, among others;
• Reviewing and providing comments and legal analysis on energy and mineral lease sale documents, leases, memoranda of agreement, environmental impact statements and environmental assessments, contracts, guidance and reports;
• Providing legal advice and drafting assistance on regulations;
• Serving as the agency's liaison with Department of Justice regarding litigation against BOEM or the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Assessment (BSEE), or related to their activities; and
• Assisting in defending the Bureaus before administrative law judges and administrative judges.

Salary Range
GS-13: $ 112,015 to $129,285
GS-14: $ 132,368 to $172,775
First time hires to the federal government typically start at the beginning salary in the range for their respective grade level.
This vacancy may be used to fill additional positions as vacancies become available.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
Key Requirements:

• Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
• Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
• Must be an active member of the bar.
• Selectee may be subject to serving a 2-year trial period.
• You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit.
• Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service system, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See http://www.sss.gov/.

Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position?

• A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
• If selected for this position, you may be required to file one or more financial statements and/or a procurement integrity certification of compliance upon reporting and annually, some of which may be subject to public disclosure.
• Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore, it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change, please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.
• Because this position requires travel for official business, the selectee will be required to apply for a charge card within 30 calendar days of appointment. Individuals who have delinquent account balances from a previous Government charge card will be required to satisfy their existing obligation before a new card can be issued.
• Identification of promotion potential in this announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. Promotion will depend upon administrative approval and the continuing need for and performance of higher-level duties.

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.
Applicants must also meet one of the following:possess at least 1-year of professional legal experience following law school graduation; ORhave a second professional law degree; ORmeet any of the criteria indicated below:(a) academic standing in top one-third of law school graduating class;(b) graduation with academic honors;(c) significant participation on the law school's law review;(d) significant participation in the law school's moot court competition;(e) significant participation in a clinical legal aid program;(f) significant summer law office clerk experience; or(g) other equivalent evidence of clearly superior achievement.
GS-13/14: In addition to meeting the basic qualification requirements described above, applicants must also have the following additional years of professional legal experience for the grade level indicated:
GS-13 = 2 years
GS-14 = 3 ½ years
This position will be primarily responsible for legal and compliance matters, including assisting with matters related to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, Submerged Lands Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, and Coastal Zone Management Act, among others. In order to better assess your qualifications for this position, when preparing your resume and cover letter please be sure to address any experience you may have or familiarity with the following areas of legal work: researching and writing legal memoranda and opinions, providing legal advice or recommendations to clients and/or senior attorneys, and leading or supporting matters under litigation or before administrative review boards. In addition, please address your experience in or familiarity with the following subject matter areas and legal authorities: Federal administrative law issues, such as matters arising under the Administrative Procedure Act; Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act; Submerged Lands Act; and environmental laws, including but not limited to the National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, and Coastal Zone Management Act.
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: Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the specific educational requirements as stated above. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4
Additional information
Other Information:
The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 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.
Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position. The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 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.
NOTICE: This employer participates in E-Verify and will utilize your Form I-9 information to confirm you are authorized to work in the U.S.
Important Note: All Department of the Interior (DOI) employees are subject to the conflict of interest restrictions imposed upon all employees of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government and may be required to file a Financial Disclosure Report. If selected for this position, you may be required to file one or more financial statements and/or a procurement integrity certification of compliance upon reporting and annually, some of which may be subject to public disclosure.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.
Agency Benefits:
Working for the DOI, Office of the Solicitor offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; health, life, dental, vision, and long term care insurance, flexible spending accounts, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System.
SOL has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework in accordance with the DOI Telework policy and with supervisor approval. The official worksite for the selectee is the duty station identified in this vacancy announcement. The selectee will typically report to this duty location on a regular and recurring weekly basis.
For additional information on telework you may access the Department of Interior's Telework Handbook at https://www.doi.gov/telework/policies.

• 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.

How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire will be made.
Please note applicants must meet the all qualifications requirement and submit all required documentation by closing date of the announcement for consideration for this position. Failure to meet all qualifications requirement and/or submit all required documents will result in an ineligible for consideration rating.
Applicants who are found to be qualified and referred to the selecting official for consideration may be asked to provide a writing sample. Instructions will be included in the email communication sent to qualified candidates
Basis of Rating: Applicants will not be rated or ranked. All applicants that meet the basic eligibility and qualification requirements of the position will be referred to the selecting official for consideration
To preview the announcement questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12221690
DUE WEIGHT
Please submit 1) a copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation and 2) a list of any awards (e.g. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last 5 years. Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the overall selection process. If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, please submit a statement as to why it is not available. Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level.

• 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.
• 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.
  To apply for this position, you must submit a complete application package by the closing date of this announcement. Failure to submit documentation may result in not receiving consideration for this position.
  Your resume must contain information sufficient to make a valid deter...