The United States Sentencing Commission is seeking a deputy general counsel. The incumbent reports to the general counsel and assists in discharging the responsibility of the Office of General Counsel (OGC) to provide legal advice and counsel on a broad range of issues to the Chair, Commissioners, and staff of the Commission.
Summary
The United States Sentencing Commission is seeking a deputy general counsel. The incumbent reports to the general counsel and assists in discharging the responsibility of the Office of General Counsel (OGC) to provide legal advice and counsel on a broad range of issues to the Chair, Commissioners, and staff of the Commission.
The incumbent, along with the general counsel, shares the responsibility of supervising OGC staff and assists the general counsel in the development and drafting of the sentencing guidelines, policy statements, and commentary (and for amendments thereto) for Commission consideration. The incumbent performs a variety of tasks and responsibilities dealing with federal sentencing and the federal sentencing guidelines.
Duties include, but are not limited to:
Supervising staff; coordinating and allocating resources; ensuring short and long-term goals and strategies of the office are met; and approving requests for travel, leave, and work schedules.
Assisting the general counsel in coordinating the legal unit's input into the guideline amendment process, reviewing sentencing case law, reviewing reports of case law summaries and circuit conflicts for use in amendment consideration and training, and identifying sentencing guideline provisions in need of amendment.
Performing in-depth legal research and analysis of statutes, proposed legislation, sentencing guideline issues relating to all federal offenses, statutory and constitutional issues relating to federal sentencing and sentencing guidelines, substantive sentencing and criminal law issues, administrative law and federal agency practice, personnel, ethical, and administrative matters.
Writing legal briefs, legal memoranda, and other documents on matters pertinent to the work and administrative functioning of the Commission; and presenting legal research and analysis relating to federal sentencing and sentencing guidelines for use in amendment consideration and on other matters pertinent to the administrative functioning of the Commission.
Providing legal advice and counsel to Commissioners and staff on issues relating to the sentencing guidelines for both individual and organizational defendants, substantive criminal law issues, administrative law and federal agency practice, and personnel and administrative matters.
Participating on or leading staff working groups that focus on new legislation, sentencing guideline amendments, and other sentencing issues.
Responding to inquiries from judges, probation officers, attorneys, congressional staff, and inmates on the application of the federal sentencing guidelines and other sentencing issues.
Representing the Commission at seminars and other programs on sentencing guideline issues.
Participating in the recruitment and selection of legal unit staff.
Performing back-up duties in the absence of the general counsel and other duties as assigned.
Applicants must have a minimum of seven years of extensive legal experience which is in or directly related to the line of work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this position.
Applicants must have demonstrated work experience applying the federal sentencing guidelines.
Applicants must possess a law degree (JD) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and be a member of the bar of a state, territory, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a Federal court of general jurisdiction.
Applicants must possess excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to interact successfully with staff at all levels and with the Commissioners.
Applicants must have excellent organization and planning skills.
Applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-15.
Applicants must have demonstrated work experience related to the mandatory requirements listed below and must address the qualification requirements in an attached cover letter or separate narrative statement.
Ability to effectively manage staff and resources. Ability to manage competing priorities and work requirements. Skill in planning and scheduling own and unit's workload, managing multiple assignments, and ensuring deadlines are met and projects are completed on time.
Substantial knowledge of relevant federal criminal law, procedural and administrative rules and regulations, canons of statutory construction, and methods of investigating the legislative history of congressional enactments. Excellent knowledge of recent Supreme Court jurisprudence relating to federal sentencing.
Substantial experience conducting in-depth legal research related to sentencing and other issues involving analysis of statutes, proposed legislation, case law, and governmental and private reports. Excellent legal analysis, writing, and editing skills. Ability to express, orally and in writing, complex legal issues in clear and succinct language so that the concepts are understood by both lawyers and non-lawyers.
Ability to maintain effective working relationships with agency staff at all levels, Commissioners, and key individuals in a variety of other federal organizations and interest groups. Ability to serve as a representative for the agency.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Supervisory experience and progressively responsible administrative experience in public service or business.
Federal criminal trial or appellate experience.
Experience as a state appellate law clerk or federal judicial law clerk.
Outstanding academic credentials.
BENEFITS
The Commission participates in the following federal benefits:
The Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program.
the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP),
the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) program,
federal retirement,
the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP),
and the federal leave program.
In addition, the Commission participates in the Judiciary's Flexible Spending Program for dependent care, health care, and commuter reimbursement, and the government-wide Long Term Care Insurance Program, unemployment, and workers' compensation benefits.
The Commission is conveniently located next to Union Station on Capitol Hill, and is easily accessible by public transportation, including the Metro, and the MARC and VRE commuter trains. In addition to the federal benefits package, the Commission's location in the Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building offers various amenities such as a health unit, credit union, day care center, cafeteria, and free on-site fitness center.
The Commission offers a monthly transit subsidy to employees who use mass transit to commute to and from work, subject to the availability of funds. The Commission offers alternative work schedules (AWS), which are fixed work schedules that enable full-time employees to complete the basic 80-hour biweekly work requirement in 9 workdays.
The Commission offers regular telework (not full-time) to employees in positions deemed eligible by the staff director and who meet the requirements of an approved telework arrangement in which an employee performs official duties at home or at an approved telework site.
The Commission also offers training opportunities to employees through LinkedIn Learning, and the Judiciary's Online University, which offers academic credit and professional credit programs through web-based learning. These training tools assist Commission employees with taking online courses in a flexible way, by offering training courses in the areas of: staff training and development; credit toward undergraduate degree programs; continuing education and non-credit certificate programs; executive education; contract training; credit credentials courses for continuing professional education and credit for individuals who hold credentials and achieve certifications associated with several globally-recognized sponsored organizations.
Education
Applicants must possess a law degree (JD) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and be a member of the bar of a state, territory, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a Federal court of general jurisdiction.
Additional information
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
This position is in the excepted service and does not carry the tenure rights of positions in the competitive Civil Service.
All information is subject to verification. Applicants are advised that false answers or omissions of information on application materials or inability to meet the following conditions may be grounds for non-selection, withdrawal of an offer of employment, or dismissal after being employed.
Selection for this position is contingent upon completion of OF-306, Declaration for Federal Employment during the pre-employment process and proof of U.S. citizenship or, for noncitizens, proof of authorization to work in the United States and proof of entitlement to receive compensation. Additional information on the employment of non-citizens can be found at: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/non-citizens/. For a list of documents that may be used to provide proof of citizenship or authorization to work in the United States, please refer to http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-9.pdf.
The Commission participates in E-Verify and will confirm your authorization to work in the United States.
A background security investigation is required for all selectees. Appointment will be subject to a selectee's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements may be grounds for appropriate personnel action. A background security reinvestigation or supplemental investigation may be required at a later time.
All new Commission employees must identify a financial institution for direct deposit of pay before appointment, mandated by the Federal Compensation Act.
All new Commission employees, those converted from a temporary appointment to a permanent appointment, and all rehired former Commission employees are required to serve a one-year probationary period. The probationary period begins on the effective date of the employee's appointment, conversion, or rehire.
The selected applicant must relocate to the Washington DC Metropolitan area.
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.
The Commission evaluates applicants through a structured interview process. Applicants may also be screened for some jobs through a narrative/application review, and/or a preliminary video conference interview. Applicants who do not address the qualification requirements (mandatory and preferred) in his or her application materials as stated in the vacancy announcement are automatically disqualified from consideration and must re-apply before the closing date to be considered for employment.The Office of Human Resources:
Reviews each application to ensure the proper materials are submitted.
Ensures that the application addresses all of the qualification requirements (mandatory and preferred) as stated in the vacancy announcement.
Determines whether the applicant meets the qualification requirements for the particular position and notifies the applicant about the status of his or her application.
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.
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.
In order to be considered, all applicants must submit an electronic resume and cover letter that address all of the qualification requirements listed in this announcement, and if available, provide a recent job performance evaluation and college transcripts. Applicants will also need to complete the online occupational questionnaire. All applications must be submitted at www.usajobs.gov.
United States Sentencing Commission
One Columbus Circle NE Suite 2-500
Washington, DC 20002
US
Next steps
Applicants who meet the mandatory qualification requirements will be considered and their application materials will be forwarded to the screening panel for review. Applicants who do not meet the mandatory qualification requirements for the position are automatically disqualified from consideration. In addition, some applicants may be tested using various assessment tools not listed on the vacancy announcement to verify an applicant's experience, knowledge, and training directly related to the job in order to identify the best qualified applicants for consideration and selection.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
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.
In order to be considered, all applicants must submit an electronic resume and cover letter that address all of the qualification requirements listed in this announcement, and if available, provide a recent job performance evaluation and college transcripts. Applicants will also need to complete the online occupational questionnaire. All applications must be submitted at www.usajobs.gov.
United States Sentencing Commission
One Columbus Circle NE Suite 2-500
Washington, DC 20002
US
Next steps
Applicants who meet the mandatory qualification requirements will be considered and their application materials will be forwarded to the screening panel for review. Applicants who do not meet the mandatory qualification requirements for the position are automatically disqualified from consideration. In addition, some applicants may be tested using various assessment tools not listed on the vacancy announcement to verify an applicant's experience, knowledge, and training directly related to the job in order to identify the best qualified applicants for consideration and selection.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
