Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens - Current Career United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Service and United States Postal Inspection Service, and Postal Regulatory Commission Employees will not be considered or selected from this vacancy announcement.

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In-Office Requirement:
The U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General values collaboration, teamwork, and effective communication to foster our dynamic working and learning environment. The position adheres to our agency's telework policy to facilitate this and requires an in-office presence of at least two days per pay period. Remote work is not available for this role.

Among the largest Offices of Inspector General in the federal government, we are charged with detecting and preventing fraud, waste, and abuse in the U.S. Postal Service's nationwide operations.

The Office of General Counsel provides legal and policy advice to the OIG's nearly 1,000 employees as they work to implement that mission, providing mission critical advice on issues of first impression.

The successful candidate will provide quality, timely, and responsive legal advice and services related to a diverse range of statutes that apply to the OIG. Attorneys routinely advise on criminal laws related to Postal Service operations, including theft, fraud, narcotics trafficking, contracting and procurement, and other legal issues related to OIG's oversight of U.S. Postal Service programs.

The successful candidate will also be a part of the agency's ethics program, advising employees on the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch (5 C.F.R. § 2635), the Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the United States Postal Service (5 C.F.R. § 7001), the Hatch Act, outside employment, conflict of interest issues, and the financial disclosure reporting process.

Candidates will be evaluated on the skills that they possess that are directly related to the duties of the position and the experience, education and training that indicate the applicant's ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position. Only those candidates who meet all qualification and eligibility requirements and who submit the required information by 11:59 PM EST on 10/16/2023 will be considered.

The USPS OIG uses a Pay Banding system, which is equivalent to the Federal GS scale. Grade and salary determinations will be made based upon a candidate's education and professional experience.

This position is being advertised at the Band level, equivalent to a GS-12 - GS-14. The salary range for this position is $94,199.00 - $172,075.00. The salary figures include locality pay. Promotion potential to a GS-14 equivalent is at management's discretion.

Please note that the duties and responsibilities associated with this position may vary based upon the agency's needs at the time of hire. The following description of major duties and responsibilities is only intended to give applicants a general overview of the expectations.

• Advise key management officials and staff, identifying and addressing all aspects of laws applicable to the OIG with an emphasis on criminal law and procedure and standards of criminal investigation.
• Review and analyze requests for issuing investigative subpoenas in support of OIG criminal investigations and audits and coordinating with appropriate U.S. Attorneys' Offices for enforcement of subpoenas.
• Review and advise key management personnel and OIG employees on compliance with federal and Postal Service standards of ethical conduct.
• May serve as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney prosecuting criminal violations investigated by the OIG (on a voluntary basis).
• Formulate legal opinions that recommend or establish new legal or policy positions for the OIG concerning complex and unprecedented questions.
• Develop and provide training to OIG employees on a variety of legal issues, including judicial or administrative decisions, search and seizure, the Hatch Act, Brady, Giglio, Jencks and whistleblower reprisal.
• Interpret statutes, regulations, policy, and guidance and advise on their applicability to the U.S. Postal Service and the OIG.
• Keep abreast of legal developments and best practices within the OIG and legal community to effectively represent the OIG's interest.

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. citizen
• Must be able to pass a drug screening and medical assessment questionnaire.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain Background Investigation security clearance
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a government-issued credit card
• May be required to successfully complete a 12-month probationary period

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

You must meet ALL of the minimum qualifications listed below.

• Graduation from an ABA accredited law school with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) Degree;
• Membership in good standing with a bar of any U.S. jurisdiction; and
• At least three (3) years of post-J.D. legal experience, completed by the time of hire, which may include a judicial clerkship.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

• State or federal criminal prosecution or defense experience.
• Ethics experience, including advising on the Standards of Ethical Conduct, conflict of interest issues, the Hatch Act, and the financial disclosure reporting process.
• Experience interpreting a range of complex statutory and regulatory and administrative language and providing advice concerning its implementation.
• Excellent analytical and writing skills.
• Knowledge of the Inspector General Act.
• Knowledge of U.S. Postal Service's operations or legal policies and practices.
• Experience in training and development of legal and best practices for clients and stakeholders.
• Experience with civil, criminal, or administrative asset forfeiture.

EVALUATION FACTORS

You must have the experience and/or skills as listed in at least three (3) of the seven (7) areas of practice in evaluation factor A (below), plus demonstrated experience as described in evaluation factors B, C, and D. Failure to demonstrate that you meet all the evaluation factor requirements as listed below, in addition to the minimum qualifications, will result in a score of zero (0), an ineligible status, and you will not be referred for further consideration.

Your resume, cover letter and/or writing sample must address all four Evaluation Factors (A, B, C, and D).

A. Experience in three (3) or more of the following areas of practice:

1. Criminal investigations, law, and procedure
2. Prosecution or criminal defense experience
3. Inspector General authorities
4. Federal ethics rules, regulations, and standards of conduct
5. Privacy Act and Freedom of Information Act
6. Contracting or procurement in the context of federal government entities
7. Federal administrative law with demonstrated experience in statutory and regulatory construction

Applicants will be evaluated based on their experience in these areas, as well as the number of areas in which they have experience. Depth and/or breadth of experience will be considered when rating applicants.

B. Demonstrated exposure to pre-trial and trial advocacy (Civil or Criminal), including discovery, motions, briefs, and witness preparation.

C. Demonstrated experience writing legal and/or policy analysis, providing sound guidance to clients, and recommending appropriate action, particularly when the law is not directly on point. (A writing sample is required. Please submit one writing sample between 5-10 pages that demonstrates analytical capabilities in one or more of the areas of practice in evaluation factor A above.)

D. Demonstrated strong oral and written communication skills.

IMPORTANT: Include your major accomplishments relevant to the position requirements in your resume.

You will not be considered for this position if you receive a zero (0) rating on any evaluation factor.

Failure to demonstrate that you meet all evaluation factor requirements will result in a score of zero (0). Upon receipt of a zero score, you will be deemed "not minimally qualified," and you will not be referred for further consideration.

How you will be evaluated

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

The Human Resources Office will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications required for this position. You will no longer be considered for this position if you: receive a zero (0) rating on any evaluation factor; fail to attach all required documentation; if your application materials indicate that you are not minimally-qualified for this position; or if you fail to qualify on the interview. Only the top-rated candidates will be referred to a review official or the selecting official for further consideration. Top-rated applicants may be required to participate in an interview. Your rating may be further adjusted or rated as ineligible by the review official or the selecting official based on your interview performance. Once all applicant scores are finalized, the selecting official will make a final decision. NOTE: If you receive a zero (0) rating on any evaluation factor or on the interview, you will be considered NOT MINIMALLY QUALIFIED for the position and rated ineligible.