There is an anticipated vacancy for one or more attorneys to serve as an Assistant/Associate Counsel in the Office of Counsel at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane), Crane, Indiana. The successful candidate will be expected to practice primarily in acquisition law but may also be called upon to provide legal services in the areas of ethics and standards of conduct, the Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act, CPL, fiscal law, and environmental law.
Summary
There is an anticipated vacancy for one or more attorneys to serve as an Assistant/Associate Counsel in the Office of Counsel at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane), Crane, Indiana. The successful candidate will be expected to practice primarily in acquisition law but may also be called upon to provide legal services in the areas of ethics and standards of conduct, the Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act, CPL, fiscal law, and environmental law.
You will communicate orally and in writing with high level government and non-government officials, judges, business representative and other attorneys.
You will resolve highly complex legal matters and represent agency before various courts and administrative forums.
You will manage a high volume of varied work requirements, often involving competing time constraints and priorities.
Must be determined suitable for federal employment.
Must participate in the direct deposit pay program.
New employees to the Department of the Navy will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov
Within the Department of Defense (DoD), the appointment of retired military members within 180 days immediately following retirement date to a civilian position is subject to the provisions of 5 United States Code 3326.
Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
You will be required to obtain and maintain an interim and/or final secret security clearance prior to entrance on duty. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal.
This position may require travel from normal duty station to CONUS and OCONUS and may include remote or isolated sites. You must be able to travel on military and commercial aircraft for extended periods of time.
You will be required to complete ethics orientation within three months of appointment and submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-450, within 30 days of appointment.
Qualifications
The position is expected to be filled at the NT-IV/V level (comparable to the GS-11/12/13/14 level) pay band within the NAVSEA Warfare Center Personnel Demonstration Project and will have promotion potential to the NT-VI (comparable to GS-15) level. However, selection may be made at the NT-VI level for an exceptional candidate with expert knowledge of and significant and relevant experience in federal acquisition law.
To be eligible for selection at the NT-IV level (GS-11 equivalent), the applicant must have one year of professional legal experience, or be a recent law school graduate with superior law student work or activities as demonstrated by: graduating in the top third of their law school class; work or achievement of significance on an official law review or journal; or a special high-level honor, e.g., winning a moot court competition, membership on the law school's official moot court team, or membership in the Order of the Coif.
To be eligible for selection at the NT-IV level (GS-12 equivalent), the applicant must have two years of professional legal experience at the GS-11 (or equivalent) level or be a current GS-12 (or equivalent) attorney within the Federal government. Note: For GS-11 and GS-12 positions only, a second professional law degree (LL.M.) that required at least one full academic year of graduate study may be substituted for one year of legal experience.
To be eligible for selection at the NT-V (GS-13 equivalent) level, the applicant must have in excess of two years of successful relevant professional legal experience.
To be eligible for selection at the NT-V (GS-14 equivalent) level, the applicant must have at least three-and-one-half years of successful relevant professional legal experience. For selection at the NT-VI (GS-15 equivalent) level, the applicant must have at least five-and-one-half years of recent professional legal experience in acquisition law.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (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.
Education
The successful candidate must be a U.S. citizen, have graduated from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association, be an active member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. Commonwealth, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia, be admitted to practice before a state or federal court.
Additional information
This is a public notice flyer to notify interested applicants of anticipated vacancies. Applications will not be accepted through this flyer. Interested applicants must follow the directions in the "How to Apply" section of this flyer to be considered. There may or may not be actual vacancies filled from this flyer. Notice of Result letters will not be sent to applicants who respond to this flyer.
The NSWC Crane Office of Counsel is a field office within the headquarters Office of Counsel for NAVSEA and part of DON OGC. NAVSEA is responsible for the development, acquisition, and maintenance of ships, shipboard systems, and ordnance for the DON, with an annual budget of more than $40 billion and a workforce of over 86,000 military and civilian personnel. The NAVSEA Office of Counsel employs over 160 lawyers at its Headquarters in Washington, D.C., and in 22 field offices throughout the United States and one in Italy.
The NSWC Crane Office of Counsel employs eight attorneys, three paralegals, and an administrative assistant. The office has a varied workload covering the full range of OGC practice, with emphasis on federal acquisition law, civilian personnel law (CPL), labor law, litigation, and intellectual property law.
This position is not covered by the Department of Defense Priority Placement Program.
This position is in the excepted service and does not confer competitive status.
Vacancies filled from this announcement will be filled at the grade level listed.
If selected below the full performance level, you may be noncompetitively promoted to the next higher grade level after meeting all regulatory requirements, and upon the recommendation of management. Promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed.
Several vacancies may be filled.
A tentative offer of employment will be rescinded if the selectee fails to meet the pre-employment requirements, including failure to report to any of the scheduled appointments.
Veteran's preference does not apply when selecting individuals under this specific hiring authority. However, if you claim veteran's preference, you will be required to submit supporting documentation with your application as described in the Required Documents section below.
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.
Applicants will be evaluated on: (1) the depth and quality of their relevant legal experience in federal acquisition law; (2) the depth and quality of their experience in other OGC practice areas identified above; (3) their research, analytical, oral and written communication skills; and (4) their interpersonal skills, including the ability to work both independently and as part of a team, and the ability to establish effective attorney-client relationships. Knowledge of the DON, NAVSEA, and OGC is desirable, but not mandatory.
In order to qualify for this position, your resume must provide sufficient experience and/or education, knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are being considered. Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your skills, knowledge, and abilities as they relate to this position. Therefore, we encourage you to be clear and specific when describing your experience.
As vacancies occur, your resumes will be reviewed to ensure you meet the hiring eligibility and qualification requirements listed in this flyer. You will be rated based on the information provided in your resume, along with your supporting documentation.
If selected, you may be required to provide additional supporting documentation.
If after reviewing your resume and supporting documentation, a determination is made that you inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may be found ineligible/not qualified.
Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.
All qualification requirements must be met before being considered for any vacancies.
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.
A complete resume is required. Your resume must show relevant experience, job title, duties and accomplishments. Your resume must show complete information for each job entry to support minimum qualifications. The following information should be provided in your resume, but it is acceptable to provide elsewhere in your application package: employer's name, starting and end dates (Mo/Yr), hours per week, and pay plan, series and grade level (e.g. GS-0201-09) for relevant federal experience. TIP: A good way to ensure you include all essential information is to use the Resume Builder in USAJOBS to create your resume.
Are you using education as a substitute for some or all of the experience requirement? Is there a basic education requirement for this position? Check the Education section above to see what is allowed and what is required. Any claims you make in your resume or assessment questionnaire regarding education or degrees MUST be supported by submitting with your application official or unofficial transcripts or a list of courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned issued from your school. While unofficial transcripts are acceptable for initial application, an official transcript will ultimately be required if you are selected for the position. You may submit a copy of your degree(s) if specific coursework does not have to be verified.
Are you a veteran claiming veterans' preference?
There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of the Navy Office of the General Counsel considers veterans' preference eligibility a positive factor for attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must specifically claim such eligibility in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., DD Form 214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty") to their submissions.
Although the point-preference system is not used, applicants eligible to claim a 10-point preference must submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference," and supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed. (SF-15, which lists the types of 10-point preference and the required supporting documents, is available from the Office of Personnel Management Website at www.opm.gov.)
Are you an active duty service member? Active Duty Service Members will be required to submit a statement of service printed on command letterhead and signed by the command during processing of any hiring action. The statement of service must provide the branch of service, rate/rank, all dates of service, the expected date of discharge and anticipated character of service (Honorable, General, etc.).
Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents contain personal information such as SSN and DOB and some documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove said personal information before you submit your application. You must provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected.
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.
If absolutely necessary, applications may be sent via Fed Ex or some similar means due to delays in regular U.S. mail delivery to:
NAVSEA 00L4
Attn: Ms. Effie Lewis-Robinson
Naval Sea Systems Command
1333 Isaac Hull Avenue SE Stop 1150
Washington Navy Yard, DC 20376-1150
Applicants should submit a resume, a cover letter that addresses the evaluation criteria for this position and their interest in the position; two brief legal writing samples (no more than 20 pages total) that demonstrate analytical and/or advocacy abilities (excerpts of larger pieces may be submitted); the two most recent performance appraisals with rating official narrative, if available; and the names and phone numbers of at least three references who may be contacted. The application should indicate the lowest grade level that the applicant will consider. Attorneys who have graduated from law school less than five years prior to the announcement closing date must provide a copy of their law school transcripts, including class rank. Current federal employees must also provide a copy of their most recent SF-50, showing pay level. Please redact social security numbers from any submitted documents.
Permanent change of station (PCS) funds are not available. However, depending on availability, relocation or recruitment incentives may be authorized and negotiated. Please note in the application whether you wish to seek one of these incentives.
Facsimile applications will not be considered.
All resumes/applications must be received no later than the close date of this flyer.
It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that all information in their resume and documents, are received, legible, and accurate. HR will not modify answers/documents submitted by an applicant.
Failure to submit a complete application package will result in an ineligible rating and loss of consideration.
NAVAL SURFACE WARFARE CENTER
300 Highway 361
Crane, IN 47522-5001
US
Next steps
Qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring manager. The selecting official may choose to conduct interviews.
Our evaluation will be based on the information you provide. You should expect that we will verify performance, suitability, and security information and take that information into account in making employment offers.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
A complete resume is required. Your resume must show relevant experience, job title, duties and accomplishments. Your resume must show complete information for each job entry to support minimum qualifications. The following information should be provided in your resume, but it is acceptable to provide elsewhere in your application package: employer's name, starting and end dates (Mo/Yr), hours per week, and pay plan, series and grade level (e.g. GS-0201-09) for relevant federal experience. TIP: A good way to ensure you include all essential information is to use the Resume Builder in USAJOBS to create your resume.
Are you using education as a substitute for some or all of the experience requirement? Is there a basic education requirement for this position? Check the Education section above to see what is allowed and what is required. Any claims you make in your resume or assessment questionnaire regarding education or degrees MUST be supported by submitting with your application official or unofficial transcripts or a list of courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned issued from your school. While unofficial transcripts are acceptable for initial application, an official transcript will ultimately be required if you are selected for the position. You may submit a copy of your degree(s) if specific coursework does not have to be verified.
Are you a veteran claiming veterans' preference?
There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of the Navy Office of the General Counsel considers veterans' preference eligibility a positive factor for attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must specifically claim such eligibility in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., DD Form 214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty") to their submissions.
Although the point-preference system is not used, applicants eligible to claim a 10-point preference must submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference," and supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed. (SF-15, which lists the types of 10-point preference and the required supporting documents, is available from the Office of Personnel Management Website at www.opm.gov.)
Are you an active duty service member? Active Duty Service Members will be required to submit a statement of service printed on command letterhead and signed by the command during processing of any hiring action. The statement of service must provide the branch of service, rate/rank, all dates of service, the expected date of discharge and anticipated character of service (Honorable, General, etc.).
Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents contain personal information such as SSN and DOB and some documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove said personal information before you submit your application. You must provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected.
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.
If absolutely necessary, applications may be sent via Fed Ex or some similar means due to delays in regular U.S. mail delivery to:
NAVSEA 00L4
Attn: Ms. Effie Lewis-Robinson
Naval Sea Systems Command
1333 Isaac Hull Avenue SE Stop 1150
Washington Navy Yard, DC 20376-1150
Applicants should submit a resume, a cover letter that addresses the evaluation criteria for this position and their interest in the position; two brief legal writing samples (no more than 20 pages total) that demonstrate analytical and/or advocacy abilities (excerpts of larger pieces may be submitted); the two most recent performance appraisals with rating official narrative, if available; and the names and phone numbers of at least three references who may be contacted. The application should indicate the lowest grade level that the applicant will consider. Attorneys who have graduated from law school less than five years prior to the announcement closing date must provide a copy of their law school transcripts, including class rank. Current federal employees must also provide a copy of their most recent SF-50, showing pay level. Please redact social security numbers from any submitted documents.
Permanent change of station (PCS) funds are not available. However, depending on availability, relocation or recruitment incentives may be authorized and negotiated. Please note in the application whether you wish to seek one of these incentives.
Facsimile applications will not be considered.
All resumes/applications must be received no later than the close date of this flyer.
It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that all information in their resume and documents, are received, legible, and accurate. HR will not modify answers/documents submitted by an applicant.
Failure to submit a complete application package will result in an ineligible rating and loss of consideration.
NAVAL SURFACE WARFARE CENTER
300 Highway 361
Crane, IN 47522-5001
US
Next steps
Qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring manager. The selecting official may choose to conduct interviews.
Our evaluation will be based on the information you provide. You should expect that we will verify performance, suitability, and security information and take that information into account in making employment offers.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
