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Attorney-Advisor (Associate Director)

Environmental Protection Agency
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is in  the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA), Office of Compliance (OC), Immediate Office.  About OECA:  OECA Website

This is an office-centered position--you must physically report to the duty station stated in this announcement on a regular basis. Partial work-from-home flexibilities may be authorized.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open date: 01/09/2023
Closed date: 01/20/2023
Location
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$155,700 - $183,500 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 15
Promotion potential
15
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be required to travel occasionally of each month.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Excepted Service
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Announcement number
CIN-BE-OAE-2023-0003
Control number
698468000

Duties

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You will:

  • Participate in activities, which involve closely working with high level program officials in the development of overall goals and objectives.
  • Assess and identify legal and programmatic issues.
  • Identify, evaluate and recommend options for proceeding with projects related to cross-cutting environmental policy or nationally significant compliance and enforcement issues.
  • Provide technical expertise to legal and administrative program staff in developing responses to Members of Congress, other Federal agencies, and the public regarding compliance monitoring and enforcement procedures.  
  • Advise management and staff regarding important legal theories, strategies, and often precedent-setting matters to ensure consistency and the appropriateness of any course of action.
  • Participate in/assume a lead management role in helping develop, implement and oversee OECA's National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives.
  • Participate in the day-to-day management and operational responsibilities of the OC immediate office.
  • Ensure the participation and consideration of OC's programs with that of other National Program Managers and Regional offices, states, tribes and stakeholders.
  • Perform special projects and leads specialist priority efforts affecting the office.
  • Participate in and actively support the Office of Compliance's Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity and Accessibility efforts designed to strengthen the workforce in OC, in OECA, and in the EPA generally.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must submit a resume and required documents--see How to Apply section.
  • You must be a U.S. citizen.

You must self-certify annually and in writing that you hold an active bar membership.

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.

 #LI-Onsite

If you are selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure form within 30 days of your first day of employment and annually thereafter.

This position is designated as High Risk and requires a background investigation.  Unless an appropriate background investigation is already on record with the Office of Personnel Management, you must undergo a background investigation.  All conditions of the pre-employment security process must be met before an official letter of employment can be issued with a report for duty date.

If you are selected, you may be required to complete a one-year trial period.

Qualifications

In addition to the educational requirements, you must meet the minimum grade-specific qualifications as described below:

To qualify for the GS-15 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level defined as Fist or second line supervisory/managerial experience desired but not required. 

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.

If you have part-time work experience, read this: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.

Education

You must (1) possess a J.D. or LL.M. degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university or equivalent apprentice experience as allowed per state law, (2) be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any state, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia, and (3) be an active member of the bar of any U.S. jurisdiction in good standing.

For information about accreditation requirements, visit EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.

Additional information

This position is excluded from provisions of the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP).

Selection under this appointment authority does not confer civil service competitive status.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values at EPA.  Our excellence can only be fully realized by staff who share our commitment to these values.  Successful candidates are committed to advancing equity and inclusion in the Agency’s workplace and mission.  We encourage applications from candidates with a variety of personal experiences, values, and worldviews that arise from differences of culture and circumstance.  At EPA, diversity is a vital element in bringing a balance of perspectives to bear on every challenge we face.  We are committed to creating a diverse workforce because we know that the individual strengths and abilities of our employees make us a stronger organization.  The more inclusive our employee base is, the greater the variety of ideas that are generated, and the more representative we are of the nation we serve.  To learn more about how EPA values and supports our diverse workforce, visit Equal Opportunity Employment at EPA.  You can also hear a diverse group of attorneys talk about their careers at EPA on the Legal Careers at EPA Webinar.

About the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA), Officer of Compliance (OC):  The Office of Compliance serves as the principle advisor to the AA/OECA on the implementation and oversight of national activities related to five main areas of the Environmental Protection Agency's enforcement and compliance assurance program.

If you have questions about this position, contact Jacqueline Robles Werner at werner.jacqueline@epa.gov.

EPA participates in E-Verify.  E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that enables participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees.  For additional information: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.

This position is not in the bargaining unit.

If you are selected, travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid by EPA.  Any travel, transportation, and relocation expenses associated with reporting to work in this position will be your responsibility.

Except in special circumstances, those new to the federal government will be hired at the starting salary (step 1) of the applicable grade range listed in the Overview section.

How you will be evaluated

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

Traditional rating and ranking of applications does not apply to this vacancy.  Applications will be evaluated against the basic qualifications, and then may be subject to additional assessments (e.g., technical writing sample or other work sample, job knowledge test, case scenario analysis, scientific data assessment, structured interview, etc.).

EPA considers veterans’ preference as a positive factor.  Applicants who have veterans’ preference are encouraged to include their information in their cover letters or resumes and attach supporting documentation to substantiate their preference.

Excepted service positions are not covered by regular civil service hiring procedures.


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Environmental Protection Agency

Earth Day is every day at EPA!  At EPA, you can protect human health and the environment of all Americans, and you’ll discover that EPA is one great place to work!  We offer great benefits and work flexibilities, and our diverse workforce connects to more than just a career--we share a common passion to promote a cleaner, healthier environment.  Discover how exciting safeguarding our natural resources and protecting human health can be.  Find yourself at EPA.  Learn more about EPA at https://www.epa.gov

Agency contact information

Twanita Augustine
Phone
513-569-7765
Fax
513-569-7826
Email
augustine.twanita@epa.gov
Address
Environmental Protection Agency
US Environmental Protection Agency
Human Resources Office
26 West Martin Luther King Drive, Mail Stop 132
Cincinatti, Ohio 45268
United States

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