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ATTORNEY-ADVISOR (GENERAL)

Department of Defense
Defense Legal Services Agency
Office of the Deputy General Counsel (Acquisition and Logistics)
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located in the Defense Legal Services Agency (DLSA), with duty in the Office of the Deputy General Counsel (Acquisition and Logistics) (DGC(A&L), Department of Defense. The General Counsel of the Department of Defense, who is appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the chief legal officer of the Department of Defense and performs such functions as the Secretary of Defense may prescribe (10 U.S.C. § 113 and 140).

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
10/27/2022 to 11/07/2022
Salary
$148,484 to - $176,300 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 15
Location
Pentagon, Arlington, VA
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—Relocation incentive may be authorized in accordance with regulatory requirements.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
DE-11698577-23-LNS
Control number
685555200

Duties

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Incumbent typical work assignments may include the following:

  • Serves as a staff attorney with continuing responsibility for legal matters relating to support of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy and the Deputy for Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Resilience, including its Office of Foreign Investment Review.
  • Responsible for numerous acquisition law matters within the overall responsibility of the General Counsel, DoD, including areas other than CFIUS within the Office of Foreign Investment raised by DoD concerns triggered by adverse foreign capital investment in the industrial base.
  • Advises on the legal and related policy implications of matters relating to or arising out of participation of the Department of Defense in the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). Provides legal advice and assistance on all matters involving CFIUS for the Department of Defense.
  • Provides legal advice to the Secretary of Defense and OSD staff with respect to the implementation of statutes, executive orders, court decisions, regulations, and policy directives.
  • Provides oversight in preparation of DoD legal and policy positions on matters requiring consultation with or action by other governmental and non- governmental organizations in connection with congressional hearings and investigations. Provides legal advice and assistance on the broad range of matters assigned to the Deputy General Counsel (A&L).
  • Provides advice and assistance on all legal matters involving the acquisition process, including the Competition in Contracting Act, acquisition reform legislation, contract negotiation and administration, and contract disputes.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/Home/Registration)
  • Total salary varies depending on location of position
  • This position is subject to provisions of the WHS/OSD PPP Pilot Program
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period
  • Must be determined suitable for federal employment
  • Required to participate in the direct deposit program
  • This position is subject to pre-employment and random drug testing
  • The incumbent must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance with SCI and SAP components. A Special Background Investigation (SBI) is required, with favorable adjudication by determining authority.
  • This position may require occasional travel (up to 5%) away from your normal duty station, for official business on military or commercial aircraft.
  • The incumbent may be required to work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and/or holidays and/or overtime.
  • A current, valid license to practice law in a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a condition of continued employment.
  • Recruitment incentive may be authorized in accordance with regulatory requirements.

Qualifications

For qualifications determinations, it is recommended that applicants include their months and hours worked per week for each employment listed on their resume. If a determination is not able to be made about the length of your creditable experience for qualification requirements, you will be removed from consideration.

Read more about what should I include in my federal resume?
at https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include/

I possess the first professional law degree, i.e. Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) or Juris Doctorate (J.D.), from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.
AND
I am an active member, in good standing, of the bar of the highest court of any one of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and any territory or possession of the United States.
AND
I have professional legal experience in excess of three (3) years that is commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. Attorneys performing duties in GS-15, or equivalent-level positions are expected to perform with substantial independence even when working on the most complex or difficult matters.
Examples of legal experience are: Post-bar experience as a licensed attorney preparing for, participating in, and/or appealing formal hearings or trials involving litigation and/or administrative law at the Federal, State or local level or at military courts-martial. Qualifying litigation experience involves cases in which a complaint was filed with a court, or a charging document (e.g., indictment or information) was issued by a court, a grand jury, or appropriate military authority. Qualifying administrative law experience involves cases in which a formal procedure was initiated by a governmental administrative body, OR post-bar experience as a licensed attorney presiding over formal hearings or trials involving felony-level criminal litigation and/or administrative law at the Federal, State or local level or as a military judge presiding over general courts-martial.

In addition, to meeting the Basic Requirement:

You may qualify at the GS-15 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:

One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 grade level in the Federal service (experience may have been gained in the private sector) that demonstrates specialized experience in: 1) providing legal advice, assistance and services on all legal matters involving the acquisition process, including the Competition in Contracting Act, acquisition reform legislation, contract negotiation and administration, and contract disputes; and/or 2) conducting legal research and analysis in evolving areas of law which require adapting international, foreign, and military legal principles to specific issues and using creative thinking to develop well-articulated positions on an array of legal issues.

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.

ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: The VOW Act Chapter 21 of Title 5, United States Code (U.S.C.), Section 2108a, requires Federal agencies treat active duty service member as veterans, disabled veterans, and preference eligible, when they submit, at the time they apply for a Federal job, a "certification" of active service in lieu of a DD-214, assuming the service member is otherwise eligible. A "certification" letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service. The service member's military service dates are necessary in order to determine whether he or she meets the definition of "veteran" under 5 U.S.C. 2108(1). The "certification" must reflect the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date of submission. The "certification" must be signed by, or by direction of, the adjutant, personnel officer, or commander of your unit or higher headquarters and must indicate when your terminal leave will begin (if applicable), your rank, dates of active duty service, the type of discharge and character of service (i.e. honorable). Further, under paragraph (h) of the rule, agencies are required to verify a qualifying separation from military service prior to appointment, through the DD-214 or other appropriate documentation. Your preference and/or appointment eligibility will be verified prior to appointment. Active duty members that fail to provide a valid "certification" of service with their initial application will be found "not eligible." Military members may be appointed before the effective date of their military retirement/separation if member is on terminal leave.

Current or Former Political Appointees: Beginning January 1, 2010, agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level under the provisions of title 5, United States Code. If you are currently or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Human Resources Office. 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.

All qualifications and education requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume.

COVID-19 Vaccination: To ensure compliance with an applicable preliminary nationwide injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. Therefore, to the extent a Federal job announcement includes the requirement that applicants must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 pursuant to E.O. 14043, that requirement does not currently apply. Federal agencies may request information regarding the vaccination status of selected applicants for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as protocols related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.

Education

ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? You MUST provide transcripts to support your educational claims. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

A tentative offer of employment will be rescinded if the selectee fails to meet the pre-employment requirements, including failure to report to any of the scheduled appointments.

If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application. Please view the following link for information on how to obtain an alternative application https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?%20title=Alternate_Application_Information

Appointment Authorities: For more information on appointment authority eligibility requirements:

Career Transition Assistance Programs: These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 90 or above; and, (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information visit: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/

Employed Annuitants (Reemployed Annuitants): Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. /www.esd.whs.mil/DD/DoD-Issuances/140025/

Nepotism: Under the provisions of 5 USC 3110, an individual may not be appointed into a position if the position is under the supervisory chain of command of a relative.

Additional vacancies may be filled by this announcement.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your résumé and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your résumé and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If, after reviewing your résumé and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

All qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your responses to the assessment questionnaire and the competencies listed below. The assessment questionnaire link can be found under the 'How To Apply' section.

  • Attention to Detail
  • Interpersonal Skill
  • Legal, Government and Jurisprudence
  • Oral Communication
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Writing


For Category Rating: Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If, after reviewing your resume and or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility. Qualified candidates will be assigned to one of the three quality categories: Qualified, Highly Qualified, or Best Qualified. Qualified Category = Does not exceed the basic qualifications requirements described in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement. Highly Qualified Category = Meets the basic qualifications requirements described in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and demonstrates proficiency in the Critical Competencies defined below. Best Qualified Category = Meets the basic qualifications requirements described in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and excels in the Critical Competencies defined below. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position.

Veteran's preference requirements do not apply to attorney positions in the excepted service, however the principles of veteran's preference will be followed to the extent which is administratively feasible.

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