This position is part of the WAPA Headquarters. As a Attorney-Adviser (General), you will primarily practice Federal Administrative Law and report directly to the Administrative Law Attorney Supervisor.
**This is not a remote position. The selectee will be required to be physically present at Lakewood, Colorado.**
Summary
This position is part of the WAPA Headquarters. As a Attorney-Adviser (General), you will primarily practice Federal Administrative Law and report directly to the Administrative Law Attorney Supervisor.
**This is not a remote position. The selectee will be required to be physically present at Lakewood, Colorado.**
As an Attorney-Adviser (General), some of your duties will include:
Primarily represents a particular WAPA program office or region in matters of Federal Administrative Law.
Reviews documents drafted by program and regional offices for legal sufficiency. Offers advice, opinions, and recommendations to all levels of WAPA management and supports leadership and staff.
Represents WAPA as lead Attorney-Adviser in legal proceedings before administrative bodies such as the Merit Systems Protection Board, the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals, Federal Labor Relations Board, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Represents the agency in public information and comment forums as either a moderator or as a panel member during which the agency's position or policies are presented in a format consistent with the Administrative Procedures Act.
Assists attorneys who represent WAPA in legal proceedings before administrative bodies such as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation.
A trial period of up to 2 years for the purpose of assessing the ability of an individual to adequately perform in an attorney position will be established for appointments under these authorities. Previous Federal experience in like positions MAY count toward the completion of this requirement.
Admission to the State Bar in any state within the U.S. or the District of Columbia is required. You must submit written documentation that you are a current member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or your application will not be considered.
Incumbent is required to submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450), upon entering the position and annually.
Overtime may be required on short notice to include nights, holidays and weekends in support of related mission requirements.
Attorney-Advisor must be flexible and able to rotate area or representation between and among the various programs regional offices as needed.
Qualifications
Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. The experience need not have been in the federal government.
To qualify for the GS-13:
NOTE. Two (2) years of progressively responsible professional experience as a practicing attorney in any of the following duty areas: Federal Administrative Law, including finance law, environmental law, property law, personnel law, labor law, and procurement law is preferred.
To qualify for the GS-13 applicants must have:
One year (52 weeks) of professional (attorney) legal experience and hold active Bar membership in good standing of a state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or territory of the United States and meet the educational requirements that clearly indicates the ability to independently perform complex legal work; AND
One year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at the GS-12 grade level or equivalent pay band. This experience that includes all the following:
- Providing recommendations on questions of law and policy for endorsement by the
supervisor.
- Preparing evidence and determining its value and completeness, preparing briefs, pleadings, exhibits, interviewing and deposes witnesses, engaging in discovery for administrative trials and hearings.
"Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. 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.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The majority of the work will be in an office setting, but the Attorney-Adviser must be able to travel. The position requires the ability to handle high levels of stress due to the adversarial nature of the position; handle situations in which quick thinking is required with no prior preparation; and work lengthy hours when a trial or hearing situation requires it.
WORK ENVIRONMENT: Work is performed in an office setting.
Education
Attorney positions do have an education requirement.
ALL Candidates must be a graduate of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association with a:
Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree; OR
Bachelor of Law (LL.B.) degree.
For positions with an education requirement, you MUST submit:
A copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.; AND
You must provide proof of bar or your bar number.
Additional information
The U.S. Department of Energy fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Your position may be eligible for workplace flexibilities which may include remote work or telework options, and/or flexible work scheduling. These flexibilities may be requested in accordance with the DOE Workplace Flexibilities policy.
New employees to the Department of Energy will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.
Veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. For more information, please visit the links at the bottom of this page or visit the FedsHireVets website.
More than one selection may be made from this vacancy announcement.
A trial period of up to 2 years for the purpose of assessing the ability of an individual to adequately perform in an attorney position will be established for appointments under these authorities. Previous Federal experience in like positions MAY count toward the completion of this requirement.
Your performance appraisal and incentive awards will be given due consideration in the selection process based on their relation to the duties of the position and the consistency with which they may be considered in evaluating you against other candidates.
The selectee for this position may be eligible to receive a recruitment or relocation incentive. You will need to sign an employment agreement to be eligible for this incentive.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs are not authorized.
This position may be eligible for creditable service towards annual leave. Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. DOE may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
The Fair Chance Act prohibits specific inquiries concerning an applicant's criminal or credit background unless the hiring agency has made a conditional offer of employment to the applicant. An applicant may submit a complaint to the agency within 30 calendar days of the date of alleged noncompliance by completing the Fair Chance Act Intake Form and submitting it to the Administrative Investigations Program at AdministrativeInvestigations@hq.doe.gov.
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.
Your evaluation involves determining the relevance and quality of your experience and education and whether you meet the minimum qualifications as required. You will be evaluated for this job based on the qualifications above, and your resume. Your resume should describe your experience and touch on the following range of tasks:
Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):
Mastery of a range of legal functions and subject matter specialties, including the ability to prepare legal opinions on complex issues primarily in the fields of Federal Power Marketing Law, including power and transmission rates, power and transmission contracts, power operations and reliability matters, and specific related laws.
Knowledge of legal principles, precedents, and research techniques to render competent and professional legal advice and assistance.
Ability to analyze proposals, conduct extensive legal research and prepare effective memoranda, correspondence and contracts. Ability to prepare and cross-examine witnesses, and prepare, introduce, and have admitted as evidence relevant factual information at trials and hearings.
Knowledge of public policy issues and the political environment in which decisions are implemented.
Skill in interacting with WAPA management and staff, other OGC Attorney-Advisors, customer attorneys, and experts in other professional fields.
Skill in organizing and interpreting voluminous information in many forms.
Skill in preparing and presenting complex material and issues to courts, administrative bodies, subject matter experts, and non-specialists.
Ability to work effectively under the pressure of fluctuating and diverse assignments and tight deadlines.
Minimum Requirements: Your application must show that you meet all requirements, including the education and/or experience required for this position. You will be found "not qualified" if you do not possess the minimum competencies required for the position. If your application is incomplete, we will rate you as ineligible.
Referral: Since this is an Excepted Service position, a non-rated method of evaluation will be used. We will evaluate your application by comparing your description of your work experience, level of responsibility, and accomplishments with the requirements of the position to determine whether you meet all the qualification requirements. Although competitive examining rules for rating and ranking and veterans' preference do not apply, veteran's preference will be considered as a positive factor. Candidates who meet all the qualification and other eligibility requirements will be referred to the selecting official for consideration and possible interview.
You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date (06/10/2024) of this announcement.
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.
To apply for this position, you MUSTprovide a complete application package which includes:
Your RESUMEshowing all relevant work experience (paid and unpaid) including: duties performed; full name and address of the each employer; start and end dates (month/day/year); work schedule (part-time, full-time, number of hours if intermittent); salary; and any completed education and training (program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).
Active Bar Membership: You must submit evidence of an Active Bar Membership as described in the Qualifications Section of this announcement.
Education Documentation: You MUST submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. Unofficial law school transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned (semester or quarter hour) and final grade is acceptable. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the educational requirements of this position. A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions.
Veterans' Preference documentation,ifapplicable, DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service; current active duty members- certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within 120 days; SF-15 Form and related documentation; VA letter. For more information visit the USAJOBS Help Center & OPM CHCOC website for VOW information.
Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation,if applicable(e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.) For more information see the OPM Guide to Career Transition. If you believe that you are eligible for the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), please visit the OPM ICTAP/CTAP website for more information. In order to be considered under the ICTAP program, your application must score within the pre-established "well qualified" category as stated in the Qualifications section.
Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the announcement closing date to receive consideration.
To begin the application process in USAJOBS, click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all required and supporting documentation.
You must click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 pm (ET) on the announcement closing date.
You may update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by returning to your USAJOBS account, select Update Application: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To verify the status of your application, during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account; applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each application status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
If you need help with login.gov or USAJOBS (e.g., account access, Resume Builder) visit the USAJOBS Help Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/
If you experience difficulty applying on USAJOBS, after clicking the Apply Online button, or you are experiencing a significant hardship hindering your ability to apply online, the Agency Contact listed in the announcement can assist you during normal business hours. If you receive any system error messages, take screenshots if possible, to aid technical support.
WAPA Headquarters
12155 W. Alameda Pkwy
Lakewood, CO 80228
US
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. The status of your application will be updated in USAJOBS as it is evaluated.
You can check the status by logging into USAJOBS. You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application changes by logging into your USAJobs Account and editing the Notification Settings.
You will be contacted directly if an interview is required.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
To apply for this position, you MUSTprovide a complete application package which includes:
Your RESUMEshowing all relevant work experience (paid and unpaid) including: duties performed; full name and address of the each employer; start and end dates (month/day/year); work schedule (part-time, full-time, number of hours if intermittent); salary; and any completed education and training (program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).
Active Bar Membership: You must submit evidence of an Active Bar Membership as described in the Qualifications Section of this announcement.
Education Documentation: You MUST submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. Unofficial law school transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned (semester or quarter hour) and final grade is acceptable. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the educational requirements of this position. A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions.
Veterans' Preference documentation,ifapplicable, DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service; current active duty members- certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within 120 days; SF-15 Form and related documentation; VA letter. For more information visit the USAJOBS Help Center & OPM CHCOC website for VOW information.
Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation,if applicable(e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.) For more information see the OPM Guide to Career Transition. If you believe that you are eligible for the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), please visit the OPM ICTAP/CTAP website for more information. In order to be considered under the ICTAP program, your application must score within the pre-established "well qualified" category as stated in the Qualifications section.
Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the announcement closing date to receive consideration.
To begin the application process in USAJOBS, click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all required and supporting documentation.
You must click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 pm (ET) on the announcement closing date.
You may update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by returning to your USAJOBS account, select Update Application: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To verify the status of your application, during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account; applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each application status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
If you need help with login.gov or USAJOBS (e.g., account access, Resume Builder) visit the USAJOBS Help Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/
If you experience difficulty applying on USAJOBS, after clicking the Apply Online button, or you are experiencing a significant hardship hindering your ability to apply online, the Agency Contact listed in the announcement can assist you during normal business hours. If you receive any system error messages, take screenshots if possible, to aid technical support.
WAPA Headquarters
12155 W. Alameda Pkwy
Lakewood, CO 80228
US
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. The status of your application will be updated in USAJOBS as it is evaluated.
You can check the status by logging into USAJOBS. You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application changes by logging into your USAJobs Account and editing the Notification Settings.
You will be contacted directly if an interview is required.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
