Clarification from the agency

United States Citizens For definitions of terms found in this announcement, please go to: https://www.dhs.gov/homeland-security-careers/common-terms-announcements.

As a Supervisory Attorney-Advisor (General) GS 0905 15, your typical work assignments may include the following:

• • Supervise staff litigation attorneys and manage high-volume work flow. Priorities frequently shift, requiring regular readjustment of assignments.
• • Oversee the conduct of all significant civil litigation nationwide at both the trial and appellate levels involving or affecting DHS. Litigation matters encountered may be highly complex, including class actions, constitutional challenges to DHS activities, and multi-district litigation.
  • Provide advice and assistance on all aspects of litigation, including assisting in formulating and implementing DHS's position in litigation, coordinating with attorneys within DHS and at the Department of Justice on all phases of trial and appellate litigation, and providing the General Counsel, other senior DHS executives and attorneys, and Department of Justice attorneys with oral and written advice on issues relating to litigation.
  • Advise on litigation strategy and help identify potential litigation risks.
  • Perform detailed legal research, and draft, review, and edit thorough and well-reasoned legal briefs, pleadings, memoranda, and correspondence. Issues encountered will be highly diverse, including questions of constitutional, statutory, regulatory, and procedural law, and will include issues in the area of immigration, law enforcement, administrative, tort, privacy, civil rights, information disclosure, maritime, transportation, customs, employment, and procurement law. Issues encountered are often novel, complex, and precedent-setting.

Conditions of employment

• U. S. Citizenship Required
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
• You must successfully pass a background investigation.
• You must be able to obtain a (TS/SCI) Security Clearance.
• You must submit to a pre-employment drug test.
• You must submit a Financial Disclosure Form.
• You may be required to serve a one-year supervisory probationary period.
• Employees hired under an Excepted Service appointment are required to serve a two (2) year trial period.
• You will be required to undergo random drug testing.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:
You must be an active member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. Commonwealth, U.S. Territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and be a graduate of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association; AND, meet the minimum qualifications as stated below:

For the GS-15:
1. The first professional law degree (LL.B. or JD); or
2. The second professional law degree (LL.M.) AND
3. Specialized professional legal experience in excess of three (3) years that is commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. The quality of the individual's background may be evidenced by the relatedness of his or her specialization.

Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience may not be used for this grade level.

Specialized Experience:
The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) will evaluate eligible candidates based on the following criteria:
OGC will assess qualified applicants by comparing each candidate's qualifications to those pertinent to the position. OGC will consider relevant skills and experience, education and training, performance, and awards. The skills and experience listed immediately below are of particular importance to the position, and applicants should provide specific detailed information in these areas, where applicable, as part of their application.

For this position, specialized experience includes experience in litigation at the trial and/or appellate level. Experience as a judicial law clerk and experience managing or supervising other litigation attorneys is preferred. Applicants must have specialized experience in private industry, public service, or non-profit that is equivalent to the next lower grade level in the Federal service which provided the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Applicants must have seven or more years of relevant post-JD experience.

Current General Schedule (GS) federal employees, and those that have served in GS positions within the last 52 weeks, must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade, or a combination of the next lower grade level and an equivalent band in the federal service.
All qualifications and eligibility requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

All qualifications and eligibility requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Selectee may be required to serve a two-year trial period.
Selectee may be required to serve a one-year supervisory probationary period.
Selectee will be required to complete an OGE 450, Confidential Financial Disclosure Form.
Permanent Change of Duty Station (PCS) Expenses will (not) be paid.

Promotion Potential: This position is being filled at the full performance level (GS-15).

This is a permanent appointment in the excepted service and will be filled on a full-time permanent basis. Employees hired under an Excepted Service appointment are required to serve a two (2) year trial period. Upon successful completion of the required trial period, this position will be permanent.

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.

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.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

We will assess your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education and training will be rated using a job questionnaire based on the following competencies or knowledge, skills and abilities needed to perform this job:

1. Applicants must possess exceptional writing skills, and frequently will be called upon to provide well-reasoned and thorough legal analysis on short deadlines.

2. Applicants must all possess strong oral advocacy skills, as the incumbent will be required to give briefings on legal matters of interest, and may represent DHS in meetings, negotiations, and conferences with representatives of other Executive Branch departments and agencies, industry, and the public.

3. Applicants must be able to work well with a team, but also must be able to work independently with minimal guidance and oversight.

4. Applicants must be comfortable working under short deadlines and providing quick advice.

5. Applicants must possess sound legal and professional judgment.

6. Applicants should demonstrate aptitude with federal litigation and familiarity with all aspects of the civil litigation process, including pre-trial, trial, and appeals.

7. Applicants should demonstrate a capacity to effectively manage other litigation attorneys and support staff.

If you are placed in the Best Qualified category, you will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.

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.

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. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.