Organizational Location: This attorney position is located in the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA), Commercial and Administrative Law Division (CALD), Washington, D.C.
NOTE: One or more positions may be filled using this vacancy announcement.
Salary: General Schedule locality pay tables may be found under Salaries & Wages.
Summary
Organizational Location: This attorney position is located in the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA), Commercial and Administrative Law Division (CALD), Washington, D.C.
NOTE: One or more positions may be filled using this vacancy announcement.
Salary: General Schedule locality pay tables may be found under Salaries & Wages.
As a General Attorney with the Commercial and Administrative Law Division (CALD), part of the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA), you will perform the following duties at the full performance level:
Advising and assisting ICE officials (including the Head of Contracting Activity and Chief Financial Officer) in carrying out ICE responsibilities with respect to acquisition programs and inquiries involving fiscal and appropriations law.
Providing oral and written legal advice on all stages of the acquisition process, including acquisition planning, solicitation, and award, as well as contract administration;
Litigating and representing ICE in bid protests before the Government Accountability Office and claims before the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals;
Assisting Department of Justice counsel in all aspects of bid protest and claims litigation before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims;
Providing legal counsel and representation in a variety of practice areas, including, but not limited to, federal procurement law, fiscal law, appropriations law, suspension and debarment, general administrative law, contract and fiscal issues related to medical and health law, and intellectual property law.
You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
You must successfully pass a background investigation and drug screen for federal employment.
Males born after 12/31/59 must certify registration with Selective Service.
Relevant Experience. Unless otherwise noted, you must meet all requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
Complete Application Package (see How to Apply Tab).
You may be required to serve a two-year trial period, if the requirement has not been met.
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, or the District of Columbia, and be a graduate of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, you must have the following experience:
Providing legal counsel and representation in a variety of practice areas, including but not limited to federal procurement law, fiscal law, suspension & debarment, general administrative law, and intellectual property law;
Conducting extensive research, analysis, and evaluation and providing oral and written advice; experience in one or more of the following is highly preferred: appropriation and fiscal law, suspension & debarment and contract matters to include formation, administration, claims, disputes, terminations, appeals, and litigation;
Possessing well-developed written advocacy skills, organizational skills, communication skills, the ability to function both independently and as part of a team, interpersonal relationship skills, a strong work ethic, and an ability and willingness to learn new areas of the law;
Drafting legal opinions that contain complex legal analysis while balancing policy considerations.
Education
Applicants must be a graduate of an American Bar Association accredited law school with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree. Please see Required Documents for more information.
A student loan repayment incentive may be available, in which case a service agreement will be required.
Additional information
E-Verify: DHS uses E-Verify 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.
Promotion Potential: This position has promotion potential to the GS-15. 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.
Direct Deposit: All federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit.
Veterans' Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the Excepted Service; however, OPLA considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Please see Required Documents for more information.
Financial Disclosure: If you are hired, you may be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days after appointment.
Suitability: If you receive a conditional offer of employment, you must complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and 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: 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 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.
Drug Test: Pursuant to Executive Order 12564, and the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan, ICE is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace. All applicants tentatively selected for employment are subject to pre-employment drug testing and a final offer of employment is contingent upon a negative result.
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 C.F.R. § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 C.F.R. § 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.
This is a bargaining unit position.
The exclusive representative for this bargaining unit position is the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), with representation provided by AFGE, Local 511.???????
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 for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
We will review 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:
Ability to research, draft, and present timely legal opinions for clients, management, and senior leadership at various levels of the agency.
Ability to prioritize multiple assignments; exercise sound legal judgment; efficiently produce quality legal analyses of complex legal issues; be detail-oriented and work effectively (both independently and as part of a team).
Ability to take initiative and work in a reliable, decisive and professional manner.
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. An applicant need not have specific knowledge and experience with regard to each item listed in the Duties section in order to qualify for the position.
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 the 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 may 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 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 before the closing date. No extensions will be granted. 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.
Cover Letter: Your cover letter must 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 as detailed in the Duties section of this announcement.
In addition, your cover letter must include the following information:
full name;
home address;
home or work e-mail address(es);
phone number(s) where we may contact you: cell, work, and/or home; and
name of the school, year of graduation, and year admitted to the bar.
Resume: Your resume must include: announcement number, education, work experience, training, and awards. Work experience must include: job title, place of employment (include company/agency/firm name and address), duties, supervisor's name, supervisor's telephone number, supervisor's email address, and starting and ending dates. Please indicate whether or not we may contact your current supervisor. Please limit your resume to 5 pages. If more than 5 pages are submitted, only the first 5 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications (for more information, see the Frequently Asked Questions about the Five-Page Resume Limit).
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 showing you possess a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree and your transcript must include your grade-point average or class ranking. If you have practiced law for five years or more, your transcript is not required.
Bar Membership/Certificate of Good Standing: Submit a copy of your bar card, certificate of good standing, or other documentary evidence to prove that you are 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.
If you are a current or former federal employee: Submit a copy of your latest SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, showing tenure, grade and step, and the type of position occupied.
If you are 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.
Veterans Preference Documentation (if applicable): If you are a discharged, non-disabled veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD214 (Member 4 copy) or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions. If you do not have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives at www.archives.gov/veterans. If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces, dated within 120 days of your separation, certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) your discharge was under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time, of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, and 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received.
If you are a disabled veteran, 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 do not have your Department of Veterans Affairs letter establishing proof of disability, you may request it at https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/homepage or call 1-800-827-1000.
The complete initial Application must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 10/20/2023 to receive consideration.
To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log into your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process. 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.
Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. If you need further assistance, please contact the OPLA representative listed on this announcement.
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.
OPLA GENERAL AND ADMIN LAW
500 12th Street SW
Washington, DC 20536
US
Next steps
This is an open continuous announcement. Qualified applicants will only be referred to the hiring official for further consideration on an "as needed" basis.
Notification Process: Once the online questionnaire is received, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. All qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration. If you are found qualified after a complete review of your application is made, you will receive a notification that you were referred to the hiring official for selection. Highly qualified applicants may be contacted for an interview. The process of consideration of applicants may take several weeks or longer. If you are selected, a suitability/security background investigation will be conducted.
To check your status, log on to your USAJOBS account, click on "Application Status," and then click "More Information" link under the application status for this position.
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.
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 before the closing date. No extensions will be granted. 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.
Cover Letter: Your cover letter must 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 as detailed in the Duties section of this announcement.
In addition, your cover letter must include the following information:
full name;
home address;
home or work e-mail address(es);
phone number(s) where we may contact you: cell, work, and/or home; and
name of the school, year of graduation, and year admitted to the bar.
Resume: Your resume must include: announcement number, education, work experience, training, and awards. Work experience must include: job title, place of employment (include company/agency/firm name and address), duties, supervisor's name, supervisor's telephone number, supervisor's email address, and starting and ending dates. Please indicate whether or not we may contact your current supervisor. Please limit your resume to 5 pages. If more than 5 pages are submitted, only the first 5 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications (for more information, see the Frequently Asked Questions about the Five-Page Resume Limit).
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 showing you possess a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree and your transcript must include your grade-point average or class ranking. If you have practiced law for five years or more, your transcript is not required.
Bar Membership/Certificate of Good Standing: Submit a copy of your bar card, certificate of good standing, or other documentary evidence to prove that you are 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.
If you are a current or former federal employee: Submit a copy of your latest SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, showing tenure, grade and step, and the type of position occupied.
If you are 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.
Veterans Preference Documentation (if applicable): If you are a discharged, non-disabled veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD214 (Member 4 copy) or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions. If you do not have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives at www.archives.gov/veterans. If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces, dated within 120 days of your separation, certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) your discharge was under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time, of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, and 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received.
If you are a disabled veteran, 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 do not have your Department of Veterans Affairs letter establishing proof of disability, you may request it at https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/homepage or call 1-800-827-1000.
The complete initial Application must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 10/20/2023 to receive consideration.
To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log into your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process. 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.
Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. If you need further assistance, please contact the OPLA representative listed on this announcement.
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.
OPLA GENERAL AND ADMIN LAW
500 12th Street SW
Washington, DC 20536
US
Next steps
This is an open continuous announcement. Qualified applicants will only be referred to the hiring official for further consideration on an "as needed" basis.
Notification Process: Once the online questionnaire is received, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. All qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration. If you are found qualified after a complete review of your application is made, you will receive a notification that you were referred to the hiring official for selection. Highly qualified applicants may be contacted for an interview. The process of consideration of applicants may take several weeks or longer. If you are selected, a suitability/security background investigation will be conducted.
To check your status, log on to your USAJOBS account, click on "Application Status," and then click "More Information" link under the application status for this position.
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.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
