This is a non-bargaining unit position.
This is not a (drug) testing designated position (TDP).
This position is located in the Small Business Administration, Office of Hearings and Appeals in Washington, D.C. The Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) is an independent office of the Small Business Administration (SBA), established in 1983 to provide a forum for fair and timely adjudication of disputes arising from determinations made by SBA program offices.
Summary
This is a non-bargaining unit position.
This is not a (drug) testing designated position (TDP).
This position is located in the Small Business Administration, Office of Hearings and Appeals in Washington, D.C. The Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) is an independent office of the Small Business Administration (SBA), established in 1983 to provide a forum for fair and timely adjudication of disputes arising from determinations made by SBA program offices.
As an Attorney Adviser for the Office of Hearings andAppeals, among other duties, you will perform the following tasks:
- Provide advice and assistance to the Administrative Law Judge
- Perform legal analysis and research and prepares memoranda for presentation to the AA/HA or an individual Judge as the case requires.
- Attend formal hearings held by the OHA Judges on the appeal, claim or complaint in the issue; participates in conference calls including the lawyers and parties, with participation by the Judge;
- Analyze pleadings, testimony, exhibits, hearing records and briefs of counsel in connection with determinations on the merits of cases; makes recommendations to the Judges concerning the allegations, legal arguments, contested and uncontested facts, the appraisal of evidence and the inferences to be drawn from the evidence;
- Render written analyzes for proposed orders and decision addressing factual and legal issues involved in the case for review by Judges.
Please note that this position is in the Excepted Service. Excepted service positions are not in the competitive service. This position is appointed under an authority defined by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) as excepted or being appointed to a position defined by OPM as excepted (e.g., Attorneys), and has a one year-probationary period. More information can be found on the OPM website at, https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/excepted-service/
You must successfully complete a background investigation.
You may be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
Qualifications
GS-12: One year of professional legal experience at the level of difficulty comparable to the GS-905-11 providing legal advice and assistance to clients and/or supervisors, and demonstrating experience in legal research, writing, and analysis. See education section for more key requirements.
Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on OPM's Qualifications web site.
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.
TIME-IN-GRADE: If you are a current career or career-conditional federal employee applying for promotion under Merit Promotion you must have completed a minimum of 52 weeks in positions at the next level lower than the position being filled
All qualification requirements must be met by 11:59 pm (Eastern Time) on 09/11/2019.
Education
Attained a professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.), plus one of the following:
One year of professional legal experience at the level of difficulty comparable to the GS-905-11; or two years of professional legal experience, one of which must be at the level of difficulty comparable to the GS-905-11;
OR
Second professional law degree (LL.M.) plus one year of professional legal experience at the level of difficulty comparable to the GS-905-11;
OR
One year of professional experience; plussuperior law student work (academic standing in the upper 1/3 of the law school graduating class, high-level honors for academic excellence in law school, winning of a moot court competition with other law schools, significant work or achievement on the schools official law review, significant summer clerkship or other evidence of clearly superior achievement)
NOTE: A transcript is required to substantiate possession of the required and claimed education. Unofficial transcripts (including screen-prints from your school's web portal) are acceptable for initial application; however the unofficial transcript must show your name, the name of the educational institution, the degree awarded, and the conferred/awarded date. Self-prepared transcripts will not be accepted. Official transcripts are required prior to appointment.
BAR MEMBERSHIP: All attorney positions require current active bar membership. Admission to the bar of any State, territory, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, District of Columbia, or Federal Court is acceptable.
NOTE: You MUST provide proof that you are authorized to practice law. Such proof can include a current active bar card, a screen print from a bar website that reflects you are an active member of the bar or a letter/certificate from the bar certifying that you are licensed and authorized to practice law. Proof (bar card, screen print, letter/certificate) must be dated within one year of the announcement. If using a screen print, make sure it is clear what date the screen print was taken.
NOTE: 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 (particularly positions with a positive education requirement.) Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Verify School accreditation. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly. *** If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. *** For further information, click on: Foreign Education.
Additional information
SUITABILITY, CLEARANCE & REQUIREMENTS: A background investigation may be required for all new hires. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
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. For additional information visit www.sss.gov.
Consistent with work requirements and current SBA Policy, and all applicable provisions of the collective bargaining agreement with AFGE the SBA offers employees opportunities to perform work at an alternative location (e.g. home).
Additional vacancies may be filled from this vacancy announcement if additional vacancies occur within 180 days of the date the certificates were issued.
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.
Applicants meeting basic eligibility requirements will be further evaluated based on the information provided in the Occupational Questionnaire. To preview this questionnaire, click on the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10590832. You will be rated based on your responses to the occupational questionnaire. The occupational questions relate to the following Competencies required to do the work of this position:
Interpersonal Skills
Legal, Government and Jurisprudence
Problem Solving
All qualified Non Competitive applicants and the best qualified Merit Promotion applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration.
Career and InterAgency Career Transition Assistance Programs: If you are applying for a special selection priority under SBA's Career Transition Assistance Plan (open to surplus SBA employees only) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (open to surplus and displaced Federal employees). To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet CTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above based on the competencies listed above; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP eligibility. For more information: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp
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.
1. Your Resume - must contain the following information:
Name, address, telephone number, email address;
Supervisor's contact information, if available (indicate if you would prefer to be notified before your supervisor is contacted);
Job Title (if Federal Service, provide series and grade; if not in GS plan, provide GS equivalent grade);
If qualifying based on related unpaid (e.g. volunteer service) experience, you must provide hours worked per week and beginning/ending dates (mm/dd/yyyy to mm/dd/yyyy);
If other than full time you must provide hours worked per week.
An integral part of our selection process includes the completion of reference checks. Please provide the names and telephone numbers of three professional references (e.g., current and/or former supervisors, college or university professors, managers or coordinators of volunteer activities, etc.) who know your qualifications relative to this position and who we can contact to verify your credentials. Do not list personal friends or relatives.
PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume/application does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). Your resume must contain sufficiently detailed information upon which to make a qualification determination. Please ensure that your resume contains specific information such as position titles, beginning and ending dates (mm/dd/yyyy - mm/dd/yyyy) of employment for each position, average number of hours worked per week, and if the position is/was in the Federal government, you should provide the position series and grade level.
Proof of bar membership
Should you submit multiple resumes, only the latest uploaded resume will be reviewed.
2. A complete Occupational Questionnaire
3. In addition to the online application (resume and responses to the occupational questionnaire), you are required to submit the following forms, if applicable. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure all documents are legible:
Federal employees must submit proof of your permanent career/career-conditional competitive status ("1" or "2" in Tenure, block 24 and "1" in Position Occupied, block 34). Submit SF-50 showing current grade and tenure and an SF-50 showing highest (permanent) grade ever held, if different. NOTE: An award or detail SF-50 will not be accepted as proof of status.
If you are using education as a substitution for experience (the announcement will state whether this is allowed), or if there is an educational requirement for this position, you must submit a copy of your transcripts (unofficial or official) that clearly describes your qualifying education. If selected, official transcripts will be required;
If you are claiming Veteran status, you must submit a copy of all required documents to support your claim (including a DD-214 showing character of service)--see VetGuide;
To receive consideration for a special appointment authority (30%, severely disabled, Peace Corps, ICTAP, VRA), you must submit all required documentation supporting your claim for Special Appointing Authorities;
Veterans who are still in the service may be granted tentative preference on the basis of information contained in their applications, but they must produce a DD-214 (showing the character of service) or other proof of service to receive consideration for veterans' preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit FedsHireVets.gov.
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.
Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions will affect your rating. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience your rating may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities.
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/11/2019 to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package.
It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation are submitted prior to the closing date.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, 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.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
Office of Hearings and Appeals
409 3rd Street SW
8th Floor
Washington, DC 20416
US
Next steps
Once your responses to the occupational questionnaire are received by our system, you will be sent an acknowledgement email stating that your submission was successful. After a review of your complete application is made, you will be notified of your rating and/or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required you will be contacted. During the evaluation and interview process you may be asked to provide written responses to questions or writing samples. You may track the status of the application process through USAJOBS and you will be notified of the outcome.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
1. Your Resume - must contain the following information:
Name, address, telephone number, email address;
Supervisor's contact information, if available (indicate if you would prefer to be notified before your supervisor is contacted);
Job Title (if Federal Service, provide series and grade; if not in GS plan, provide GS equivalent grade);
If qualifying based on related unpaid (e.g. volunteer service) experience, you must provide hours worked per week and beginning/ending dates (mm/dd/yyyy to mm/dd/yyyy);
If other than full time you must provide hours worked per week.
An integral part of our selection process includes the completion of reference checks. Please provide the names and telephone numbers of three professional references (e.g., current and/or former supervisors, college or university professors, managers or coordinators of volunteer activities, etc.) who know your qualifications relative to this position and who we can contact to verify your credentials. Do not list personal friends or relatives.
PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume/application does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). Your resume must contain sufficiently detailed information upon which to make a qualification determination. Please ensure that your resume contains specific information such as position titles, beginning and ending dates (mm/dd/yyyy - mm/dd/yyyy) of employment for each position, average number of hours worked per week, and if the position is/was in the Federal government, you should provide the position series and grade level.
Proof of bar membership
Should you submit multiple resumes, only the latest uploaded resume will be reviewed.
2. A complete Occupational Questionnaire
3. In addition to the online application (resume and responses to the occupational questionnaire), you are required to submit the following forms, if applicable. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure all documents are legible:
Federal employees must submit proof of your permanent career/career-conditional competitive status ("1" or "2" in Tenure, block 24 and "1" in Position Occupied, block 34). Submit SF-50 showing current grade and tenure and an SF-50 showing highest (permanent) grade ever held, if different. NOTE: An award or detail SF-50 will not be accepted as proof of status.
If you are using education as a substitution for experience (the announcement will state whether this is allowed), or if there is an educational requirement for this position, you must submit a copy of your transcripts (unofficial or official) that clearly describes your qualifying education. If selected, official transcripts will be required;
If you are claiming Veteran status, you must submit a copy of all required documents to support your claim (including a DD-214 showing character of service)--see VetGuide;
To receive consideration for a special appointment authority (30%, severely disabled, Peace Corps, ICTAP, VRA), you must submit all required documentation supporting your claim for Special Appointing Authorities;
Veterans who are still in the service may be granted tentative preference on the basis of information contained in their applications, but they must produce a DD-214 (showing the character of service) or other proof of service to receive consideration for veterans' preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit FedsHireVets.gov.
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.
Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions will affect your rating. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience your rating may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities.
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/11/2019 to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package.
It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation are submitted prior to the closing date.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, 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.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
Office of Hearings and Appeals
409 3rd Street SW
8th Floor
Washington, DC 20416
US
Next steps
Once your responses to the occupational questionnaire are received by our system, you will be sent an acknowledgement email stating that your submission was successful. After a review of your complete application is made, you will be notified of your rating and/or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required you will be contacted. During the evaluation and interview process you may be asked to provide written responses to questions or writing samples. You may track the status of the application process through USAJOBS and you will be notified of the outcome.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
