Clarification from the agency

Open to the public

Videos

As an Attorney-Advisor in the NOAA Office of the General Counsel, Oceans and Coasts Section:

You will provide legal counsel to the National Ocean Service (NOS), including the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, the Office for Coastal Management, and the Office of Coast Survey. NOS provides data, tools, and services that support coastal economies and their contribution to the national economy. NOS is dedicated to advancing the following priorities: safe and efficient transportation and commerce; preparedness and risk reduction; and stewardship, recreation and tourism. The Section also provides legal counsel to the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations, including the NOAA Corps.

In your role as an Attorney-Advisor with the Oceans and Coasts Section, you will support the implementation of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, Coastal Zone Management Act, Coast and Geodetic Survey Act, and other federal statutes (e.g., the National Environmental Policy Act, the Administrative Procedure Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, and the Freedom of Information Act). You will work closely with experienced scientists, oceanographers, marine archaeologists, and other professionals in developing and reviewing regulations, permits, and policies relating to the management and conservation of ocean and coastal resources. This position requires interaction with other NOAA OGC attorneys, policy makers and technical staff, DOC officials, other Federal and state agency officials, members of the regulated community, and representatives of public interest organizations. It also involves active participation, in concert with U.S. Department of Justice attorneys, in defending NOAA cases brought under the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, Coastal Zone Management Act, Coast and Geodetic Survey Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Freedom of Information Act, Administrative Procedure Act, admiralty law, and other federal laws. The work involves complex and challenging issues on important matters of national significance.

The attorney(s) will be hired at the GS-12 through GS-15 grade levels, depending on experience. The promotion potential for this position is GS-15 level.

Conditions of employment

Conditions of employment:

• The incumbent is required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450), within 30 days after entrance-on-duty date, and annually thereafter.
• This position is designated as Position Sensitivity 5, Moderate Risk, and is subject to all requirements applicable to that designation.

This position has positive education requirements. Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement:
Applicants must be law school graduates with LL.B. or J.D. degrees. (Transcripts MUST be provided with your application package to receive further consideration.) AND
Applicants must be an active member in good standing of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico bar. (Certificate of bar membership and proof of good standing is required prior to receiving a job offer. Failure to provide your certificate of bar membership and proof of good standing will result in lost consideration.)

Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Key Requirements:

• Position is in excepted service.
• Payment of relocation/recruitment expenses is not authorized.
• Applicants must successfully complete a background security investigation.
• Applicants must be suitable for Federal employment.
• Applicant must be a US citizen or National to apply for this position.
• Applicants must complete a 2 year trial period.
• Applicants must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
• This position is in the bargaining unit.
• A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
• Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore, it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change, please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.

Qualifications

This position has positive education requirements. Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement:

• Applicants must be law school graduates with LL.B. or J.D. degrees. (Copy of Transcripts MUST be provided with your application package to receive further consideration.) AND
• Applicants must be an active member in good standing of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico bar. (Certificate of bar membership and proof of good standing is required prior to receiving a job offer. Failure to provide your certificate of bar membership and proof of good standing will result in lost consideration.)

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.

Specialized Experience for all grades:

• NOAA seeks attorneys with a comprehensive knowledge of Federal environmental statutes and conservation laws, as well as laws and regulations related to the implementation and oversight of large-scale natural resource restoration projects.
• Applicants must have a demonstrated ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing and to identify and resolve complex legal issues.
• Applicants also must demonstrate the ability to manage large projects independently, assimilate large amounts of materials quickly, balance a large and diverse workload, and work effectively in a team with other attorneys and support staff.
• Significant academic achievement in law school (such as top 20% class ranking, graduation with honors, judicial clerking experience, or participation in moot court or law review) or experience practicing environmental law will be favorably considered.

The career ladder for attorney positions in OGC is generally GS-12 to GS-15. Applicants may be hired at any of the grades shown in this announcement, commensurate with the candidate's experience and qualifications. You are encouraged to identify the grade level(s) or salary for which you wish to be considered. The minimum qualifications for hiring at each grade level (or equivalent) are as follows:

To qualify at the GS-12 level:
- Holds a professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) from an accredited law school; and
- Must be an active member in good standing of a State bar, the bar of the District of Columbia, the bar of a U.S. territory, or the bar of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
To qualify at the GS-13 level:
- Holds a professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) from an accredited law school;
- Must be an active member in good standing of a State bar, the bar of the District of Columbia, the bar of a U.S. territory, or the bar of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and
- Possess a minimum of twenty-four months of relevant legal experience.
To qualify at the GS-14 level:
- Holds a professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) from an accredited law school;
- Must be an active member in good standing of a State bar, the bar of the District of Columbia, the bar of a U.S. territory, or the bar of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and
- Possess a minimum of three years relevant legal experience.
To qualify at the GS-15 level:
- Holds a professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) from an accredited law school;
- Must be an active member in good standing of a State bar, the bar of the District of Columbia, the bar of a U.S. territory, or the bar of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and
- Possess a minimum of four years relevant legal experience.

How you will be evaluated

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

Applicants will be evaluated based on their education, experience, demonstrated legal research and writing abilities, and performance during the interview process. Basis for evaluation: If eligible and meeting basic qualifications, your application package will be evaluated in conjunction with your resume and supporting documents.

Please be advised that NOAA Attorney positions are in the Excepted Service. As such, these positions are not covered by the usual civil service hiring procedures.

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications stated herein. We will perform an initial review of applications to determine basic eligibility and minimum qualifications for the position and numeric scores will not be assigned.

There are no numerical rating systems through which to apply veterans' preference; however, the Office of the General Counsel favorably considers veterans preference eligibility in hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference are encouraged to include that information in their cover letter or resume. If selected, additional information may be required.