Organizational Location: This announcement will be used to fill multiple vacancies at Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA) field locations. Although this announcement is advertised for multiple locations, it is not intended to convey that vacancies will be filled at all locations. The salary range listed is the base salary rate; locality pay is not included. General Schedule locality pay tables may be found under Salaries & Wages.
Summary
Organizational Location: This announcement will be used to fill multiple vacancies at Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA) field locations. Although this announcement is advertised for multiple locations, it is not intended to convey that vacancies will be filled at all locations. The salary range listed is the base salary rate; locality pay is not included. General Schedule locality pay tables may be found under Salaries & Wages.
ICE is the investigative arm of DHS, and our attorneys help enforce the immigration and customs laws of the United States. The responsibilities of the position consist primarily of representation of the United States Government in removal proceedings before Immigration Judges, frequently involving applicants for asylum or for other forms of relief under immigration laws. Additional duties include providing legal advice and support to the other ICE components and litigation support to United States Attorney's Offices in immigration and/or customs matters. The position also involves appellate advocacy before the Board of Immigration Appeals, including the preparation of briefs and other pleadings.
Applicants must possess the following characteristics and competencies: integrity, judgment, organizational skills, communication skills, reliability, perseverance, decisiveness, initiative, professionalism, the ability to function independently and as part of a team, interpersonal relationship skills, and outstanding written and oral advocacy skills. The selectees will be required to have or be able to obtain a security clearance at the Secret level.
You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this position
Must pass background investigation and drug screen for federal employment
Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered with the Selective Service
Relevant Experience (see Qualifications and Evaluations Tab)
Direct Deposit of salary check to financial organization required.
You may be required to serve a two-year trial period, if the requirement has not been met.
Qualifications
Applicant must be a graduate from a full course of study in a School of Law accredited by the American Bar Association and be an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
National Service Experience (i.e. volunteer experience): Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including 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.
Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.
This position does not confer non-competitive conversion to the competitive service. Acceptance of an excepted service appointment from applicants in the competitive service will require a written statement of understanding when voluntarily leaving the competitive service.
Education
Applicants must be a graduate of a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association and an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
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; applicant's resumes and supporting documentation should only reflect education received from schools accredited by such institutions. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following Website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html.
Additional information
E-Verify: DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.
Suitability: 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.
Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet these standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully obtain and maintain a background investigation for Secret clearance as a condition of placement into this position. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.
Promotion Potential: Applicants selected below the full performance level of GS-14 will have promotion opportunity without further competition. When promotion potential is shown, the agency is not making a commitment and is not obligated to provide future promotions to you if you are selected. Future promotions will be dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, the continuing need for an employee assigned to the higher level, and administrative approval.
Notice to Veterans' Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veteran's preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, OPLA field locations considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring.
The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs.
Financial Disclosure: If you are hired, you may be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Form (OGE 450) within 30 days after appointment.
This is an open continuous announcement until it closes on September 30, 2020. It will be used to fill immediate and future vacancies for this agency. It allows acceptance of applications through the closing date to establish a standing register of qualified candidates and refer them for job consideration when vacancies occur. Applicants will be considered for a maximum of three (3) locations.
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 based upon your resume, citing qualifications and work experience, your writing sample, and, if selected for interview, your responses provided during a structured interview. In responding to structured interview questions, you should be sure to cite specific examples of experience, explain exactly what you did, and the outcome. Your resume and supporting documentation will be reviewed to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements
Qualified candidates will be rated by comparing each candidate's qualifications to the skills and experience pertinent to the position to be filled. Experience, education, training, awards, and performance will be considered.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work through national Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g. professional; philanthropic, religious, community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that relates directly to gain employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. If such experience is on a part-time basis, you must provide the average number of hours worked per week as well as the beginning and ending dates of the experience to be fully credited.
All information you provide may be verified by a review of the work experience and/or education as shown on your application forms, by checking references and through other means, such as the interview process. This verification could occur at any stage of the application process. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempts to conceal information may be grounds for rating you ineligible, not hiring you, or for firing you after you begin work.
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.
You must include all required documentation, as set forth below, with your application package to be considered.
Cover Letter: Please use your cover letter to discuss your interest in the position, your pertinent knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience, and your personal characteristics and competencies that qualify you for the position. In your cover letter, please list the locations, a maximum of three (3) in order of preference.
In addition, your cover letter must include the following information:
full name;
home address;
home and work e-mail addresses;
phone number(s) where we may contact you: cell, work, and/or home; and
name of the law school, year of graduation, and year admitted to the bar
the name, phone number, and email address of two professional references
Resume: Your resume must include: announcement number, education, training, awards, and work experience. Work experience must include: job title, duties, employer's name, employer's telephone number, employer's address, starting and ending dates (MM/YY). Please indicate whether we may contact your current supervisor.
Writing Sample: A writing sample demonstrating your legal analytical abilities must be submitted as part of your application package, for which you must be the principal author. It should not exceed 10 double-spaced pages.
Transcript: If you have practiced law for less than five years, you must submit a copy of your law school transcript and grade-point average or class ranking. If you have practiced law for five years or more, your transcript is not required.
Bar Membership: You must submit proof of your current membership (i.e. bar card or other documentary evidence) or certificate of good standing from the bar to which you are licensed.
Certificate of Good Standing: If you are selected, before you enter on duty you must submit proof that you are a member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. If you do not have a bar card or other documentary evidence as proof of your current membership, you must submit a certificate of good standing. The proof must be dated within six months of the date this application is submitted.
Are you a current or former Federal employee? Submit a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action that demonstrates your eligibility for consideration, e.g., length of time you have been in your current/highest grade (examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, and with-in grade increases).
Are you a veteran? Submit Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 or other (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) and/or documentation of service-connected disability. View more veterans' informationhttps://www.fedshirevets.gov/job-seekers/veterans-preference/#content. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives at www.archives.gov/veterans.
If you are a disabled veterans, Purple Heart recipient, or mother or spouse of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit a completed SF-15 and all additional proof required by the SF-15, as applicable. If you don't have your Department of Veterans Affairs letter establishing proof of disability, you may request it at http://www.ebenefits.va/gov/ or call 1-800-827-1000.
Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment: Position title, type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee), agency and beginning and ending dates of appointment.
Pursuant to Executive Order 12564, and the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan, ICE is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and, therefore, personnel in safety- or security-sensitive positions (testing designated positions) are subject to random drug testing. Moreover, other drug testing of employees (e.g., reasonable suspicion drug test) may be conducted in order to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. All applicants tentatively selected for employment at ICE are subject to pre-employment drug testing and a final offer of employment is contingent upon a negative drug test result.
It is your responsibility to verify that information submitted (i.e., resume, veterans' documentation, and SF-50's) is received and accurate and must be in English.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
Click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the required documents.
Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package. It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
Note: To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select Application Status, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position. It is your responsibility to ensure that your correct documents are uploaded and received.
Applications and supporting documentation willNOTbe accepted by mail, email or fax. Applicants must apply online. If you need further assistance, please contact the OPLA representative listed on this announcement.
OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL LEGAL ADVISOR
7701 N Stemmons Freeway
DALLAS, TX 75247
US
Next steps
Once you submit your application, and a review of your complete application is made, you will be notified of your rating and/or if you were referred to the hiring official for further consideration and interviews.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
You must include all required documentation, as set forth below, with your application package to be considered.
Cover Letter: Please use your cover letter to discuss your interest in the position, your pertinent knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience, and your personal characteristics and competencies that qualify you for the position. In your cover letter, please list the locations, a maximum of three (3) in order of preference.
In addition, your cover letter must include the following information:
full name;
home address;
home and work e-mail addresses;
phone number(s) where we may contact you: cell, work, and/or home; and
name of the law school, year of graduation, and year admitted to the bar
the name, phone number, and email address of two professional references
Resume: Your resume must include: announcement number, education, training, awards, and work experience. Work experience must include: job title, duties, employer's name, employer's telephone number, employer's address, starting and ending dates (MM/YY). Please indicate whether we may contact your current supervisor.
Writing Sample: A writing sample demonstrating your legal analytical abilities must be submitted as part of your application package, for which you must be the principal author. It should not exceed 10 double-spaced pages.
Transcript: If you have practiced law for less than five years, you must submit a copy of your law school transcript and grade-point average or class ranking. If you have practiced law for five years or more, your transcript is not required.
Bar Membership: You must submit proof of your current membership (i.e. bar card or other documentary evidence) or certificate of good standing from the bar to which you are licensed.
Certificate of Good Standing: If you are selected, before you enter on duty you must submit proof that you are a member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. If you do not have a bar card or other documentary evidence as proof of your current membership, you must submit a certificate of good standing. The proof must be dated within six months of the date this application is submitted.
Are you a current or former Federal employee? Submit a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action that demonstrates your eligibility for consideration, e.g., length of time you have been in your current/highest grade (examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, and with-in grade increases).
Are you a veteran? Submit Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 or other (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) and/or documentation of service-connected disability. View more veterans' informationhttps://www.fedshirevets.gov/job-seekers/veterans-preference/#content. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives at www.archives.gov/veterans.
If you are a disabled veterans, Purple Heart recipient, or mother or spouse of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit a completed SF-15 and all additional proof required by the SF-15, as applicable. If you don't have your Department of Veterans Affairs letter establishing proof of disability, you may request it at http://www.ebenefits.va/gov/ or call 1-800-827-1000.
Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment: Position title, type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee), agency and beginning and ending dates of appointment.
Pursuant to Executive Order 12564, and the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan, ICE is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and, therefore, personnel in safety- or security-sensitive positions (testing designated positions) are subject to random drug testing. Moreover, other drug testing of employees (e.g., reasonable suspicion drug test) may be conducted in order to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. All applicants tentatively selected for employment at ICE are subject to pre-employment drug testing and a final offer of employment is contingent upon a negative drug test result.
It is your responsibility to verify that information submitted (i.e., resume, veterans' documentation, and SF-50's) is received and accurate and must be in English.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
Click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the required documents.
Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package. It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
Note: To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select Application Status, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position. It is your responsibility to ensure that your correct documents are uploaded and received.
Applications and supporting documentation willNOTbe accepted by mail, email or fax. Applicants must apply online. If you need further assistance, please contact the OPLA representative listed on this announcement.
OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL LEGAL ADVISOR
7701 N Stemmons Freeway
DALLAS, TX 75247
US
Next steps
Once you submit your application, and a review of your complete application is made, you will be notified of your rating and/or if you were referred to the hiring official for further consideration and interviews.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
