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Attorney-Adviser

Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration
Office of the Chief Counsel, International Affairs and National Security Law Division, (AGC-700)
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Serves as legal counsel within the Office of the Chief Counsel, International Affairs and National Security Law Division (AGC-700), providing legal advice, counsel, and assistance concerning national security, cyber-security, and emergency management matters related to aviation safety, air navigation services, and commercial space.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
07/13/2023 to 07/31/2023
Salary
$95,293 - $147,691 per year

The salary listed above includes a 32.49% locality payment for the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

Pay scale & grade
FV I
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Washington, DC
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% or less - The job may require up to 25% travel.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
NA
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Drug test
Yes
Announcement number
AWA-AGC-23-04653AN-83824
Control number
736847000

Duties

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Based on professional knowledge, assists with providing timely advice and counsel concerning legal matters relating to national security, cyber-security, emergency management, and the FAA's legal authorities for aviation safety, air navigation services, commercial space, and agency guidance, advisory materials, and responses to requests for legal opinions and interpretations.

Performs full performance level assignments under limited direction. Serves as an individual contributor, team member, or project leader for routine assignments. Applies considerable experience and advanced professional knowledge of legal concepts, processes, and proficiency to the practice area/assignments. Performs most assignments independently. Receives direction from a manager or more experienced attorney when exceptionally difficult issues are encountered. Work is vital to the legal programs of the International & National Security Law Division (AGC-700) and applicable mission areas.

In conjunction with other legal practice areas, provides advice and counsel regarding national security, cyber-security, and emergency management matters related to aviation safety, air navigation services, and commercial space. This includes a wide range of aviation safety, air navigation services, and commercial space-related matters, including but not limited to: civil aviation safety in conflict zones; cyber-security; all-hazards emergency management; continuity of operations; crisis response; information security; advanced threat analysis and mitigation; facility and personnel security; and special projects of a classified nature.

Reviews and provides legal advice concerning draft FAA regulations, orders, other policy documents, and informational products, including interagency circulations and legislative proposals pertaining to national security, cyber-security, and emergency management. Advises FAA management and staff on inter-agency engagements related to national security, cyber-security, and emergency management, including but not limited to the National Security Council (NSC) process, as well as engagements with the Department of Transportation (DOT), foreign governments, and industry stakeholders on such matters.

Provides legal and policy advice and guidance to headquarters and regional offices relating to the foregoing matters, which cover a diversified and complex field of law and national, inter- and intra-governmental relations. The work involves frequent contact and dealings with high-level officials within the FAA, the Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST), other executive and legislative agencies, foreign governments, and industry. Reviews regulatory and legislative proposals to ensure conformity with the authorizing statute and agency policy.

Conducts thorough legal research by appropriately identifying and analyzing relevant legal and factual issues and arguments. Assesses legal strengths and weaknesses of available arguments to provide accurate, complete, and practical legal advice and conclusions. Identifies and learns emerging issues, principles, and practices relevant to the legal practice area.

Produces communications that are well-organized, clear, and persuasive. Provides advice tailored to the client and requirements of the agency. Adjusts communications to meet the audience expectations and level of understanding. Provides accurate, complete, and practical legal advice.

Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of key client business processes, priorities, and objectives relevant to the practice area. Assists with accurately identifying client business objectives and issues when providing legal advice. Provides appropriate alternative solutions as needed to meet client’s strategic business objectives. Provides legal risk/reward analysis in support of business decisions.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • US Citizenship is required.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
  • Designated or Random Drug Testing required.
  • This position has a positive education requirement. Transcript(s) required.
  • **Veterans preference does not apply to Attorney positions. PLEASE do not submit any documentation related to veterans preference.**

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, ALL applicants MUST meet the following criteria:

(1) have a JD Degree from an accredited law school;

(2) be admitted to practice before the bar of any U.S. jurisdiction or within the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico;

(3) be an active member of that bar; and

(4) demonstrate at least one year (52 weeks) of SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE equivalent to the next lower grade/pay band (FG/GS-12/FV-H) that is typically related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of the position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been at least equivalent to the next lower level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. A candidate must possess two years of attorney experience and one year of specialized experience, for a total of three years of experience.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE is defined as:

  • Experience advising on national security, cyber-security, and/or emergency management matters related to aviation, air navigation services, and/or commercial space.

You should include relevant examples of the specialized experience in your work history. Errors or omissions may impact your rating or may result in you not being considered.

Answer all questions to the best of your ability. DO NOT ASSUME THAT BECAUSE YOU HOLD, OR HAVE HELD THIS POSITION, YOU WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE FOUND ELIGIBLE. You may be asked to provide evidence or documentation that you have this type of experience later in the selection process. Your responses are subject to verification through job interviews, or any other information obtained during the application process. Any exaggeration of your experience or any attempt to conceal information can result in disqualification.

*Applicants who fail to demonstrate possession of any of the above criteria AND who do not provide the required documentation will receive no further consideration for this position.*

Eligible applicants meeting the minimum qualification requirements and/or selective placement factor(s) (SPF) may be further evaluated on the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA) and/or Quality Ranking Factor (QRF) listed in the announcement. Based on this evaluation, applicants will be placed in one of the following categories: (1) score order; (2) category grouping; or (3) alphabetical, and referred to the selecting official for selection consideration.

Applicants may be asked to verify information on your application for employment with the FAA.

**All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement.**

Education

This position has a positive education requirement: Applicants must submit a copy of their college or university transcripts(s) and certificates by the closing date of announcement to verify qualifications. If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to appointment. You may upload these documents with your application in USAJOBS or fax it to fax number provided in the announcement (please include announcement number on each page).

Failure to do so will result in loss of consideration.

Schools must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation may be verified at the following website: www.ed.gov/accreditation.

Foreign education must be evaluated by a private professional organization specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials or an accredited U.S. educational institution in terms of equivalence to a degree acquired at an American college or university. A copy of the evaluation results must be included, otherwise your foreign education will not be considered.

For additional information regarding foreign education, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

**Applicants who are not currently in the 905 occupational series (Attorney) in the Federal Government and fail to provide a copy of an unofficial or official transcript will not receive further consideration for this vacancy. Upon selection, if not currently employed in the 905 occupational series (Attorney), you will be required to submit an official transcript prior to appointment. If you do not have an official transcript (original, with the raised seal), you should contact your school immediately to request it.

Preview job questionnaire

Make sure your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications and answers to the job questionnaire.

Additional information

We may use this vacancy to fill other similar vacant positions.
Position may be subject to a background investigation.
A one-year probationary period may be required.

The person selected for this position may be required to file a financial disclosure statement within 30 days of entry on duty. FAA policy limits certain outside employment and financial investments in aviation-related companies. www.faa.gov/jobs/working_here/financial_disclosure_requirements

The U.S. Department of Transportation strives to ensure that equity, transparency, accountability, collaboration, and communication permeate all that we do for the betterment of the Department, the traveling public, and our nation. As such, DOT values a highly diverse workforce of persons who promote a culture of belonging by respecting the personal dignity and worth of each individual and fostering a positive environment where all feel safe and welcome. If these commitments coincide with your personal ideals and professional aspirations, please consider joining the DOT family.

This position is covered by the Department of Transportation's Drug and Alcohol Testing Program. Any applicant tentatively selected for this position will be subject to pre-employment or pre-appointment drug screening. Persons occupying a "testing designated position (TDP)" will be subject to random drug and/or alcohol testing.

NOTES:

1) As a part of the Federal-Wide Hiring Reform Initiative (streamlining the hiring process), the FAA is committed to eliminating the use of the Knowledge, Skills and Ability (KSA) narratives from the initial application in the hiring process for all announcements. Therefore, as an applicant for this announcement, you are NOT required to provide a narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA.

In lieu of providing a KSA narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA section, in your work history, please include information that provides specific examples of how you meet the response level or answer you chose for each KSA. Your work history examples should be specific and clearly reflect the highest level of ability. Your KSA answers will be evaluated further to validate whether the level that you selected is appropriate based on the work history and experience you provided. Your answers may be adjusted by a human resource specialist as appropriate.

2) This position is covered by the FAA Core Compensation plan. Additional information about core compensation is available on the following website: http://jobs.faa.gov/FAACoreCompensation.htm.

3) This Level 4 (Special Sensitive; TS/SCI) position requires favorable adjudication of a Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) background investigation prior to appointment, unless a waiver is obtained.

4) Some, all, or none of the referred applicants may be interviewed.



This is not a bargaining unit position.

Links to Important Information: Locality Pay , COLA

How you will be evaluated

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



IMPORTANT: Applicants may be rated on the extent and quality of experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of the position(s). All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated. Ensure that your application package/resume supports your responses.

Federal Aviation Administration

Thanks to the work of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), over the past 60 years, aviation has become central to the way we live and do business, linking people from coast to coast and connecting America to the world. In fact, FAA has created the safest, most reliable, most efficient, and most productive air transportation system in the world. The FAA operates from locations across the U.S. and around the world. The agency is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and maintains nine regional offices, Air Route Traffic Control Centers and Terminal Radar Approach Control Facilities across the nation, and other key facilities. In addition, the FAA maintains a presence in every major and regional airport in the United States and has several international offices around the globe.

Agency contact information

Amber Newkirk
Phone
1 (202) 267-6268
Fax
1 (202) 267-8330
Email
amber.newkirk@faa.gov
Address
Federal Aviation Administration
HQ Employment Services Branch
800 Independence Ave, SW, Room 523
AHF-110
Washington, DC 20591
US

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