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General Attorney

Department of the Army
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Caribbean District, Office of Counsel
This job announcement has closed

Summary

About the Position: This position provides legal services in a variety of substantive practice areas in support of the Caribbean District's missions but is expected to focus on providing legal advice on labor and employment law to agency supervisors including advising on performance and discipline matters, and personnel policies; and representing the agency in related litigation. This is a great opportunity to contribute to a positive work environment for a federal agency!

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
10/31/2024 to 11/21/2024
Salary
$103,409 to - $158,860 per year

An adjusted Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) rate of 2.63% to base salary is authorized if located in Puerto Rico. Salary is dependent upon grade.

Pay scale & grade
GS 13 - 14
Location
San Juan, PR
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel up to 10% of the time for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
14
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
CERL244936117063
Control number
816529900

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Duties

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  • Provides legal services in a variety of practice areas that are expected to include labor and employment law and government ethics;
  • - and may also include administrative and information law, environmental law, real estate, fiscal law, litigation, and/or torts.
  • Furnishes expert legal advice and advocacy in the area of labor and employment law; administers the District's ethics program and confidential financial disclosure program.
  • Identifies, researches, and addresses extremely complex and difficult legal questions affecting the Agency's missions.
  • Represents and defends the Agency through all phases of litigation;
  • - including serving as first chair trial attorney in appeals before the Merit Systems Protection Board and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
  • Serves as Agency counsel and assists the Department of Justice in litigation before U.S. federal courts;
  • - including by drafting motions and pleadings, preparing the administrative record, drafting and responding to discovery, and preparing for depositions, hearings, and trials.
  • Advises and communicates effectively, both orally and in writing, with senior leadership and team members at all levels.
  • Works effectively and cohesively on teams, including clients, experts and other witnesses, and colleagues.
  • Keeps managing counsel informed and coordinates advice to ensure consistency with agency policy before it is rendered to clients.
  • This position will also serve as agency ethics counselor providing ethics training and opinions.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
  • Possess a current valid law license and be in good standing with the licensing authority of at least one state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
  • Incumbent is required to submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-450, upon entering the position and annually, in accordance with DoD Directive 5500-7-R, Joint Ethics Regulation.
  • This position may require temporary duty (TDY) business travel up to 10% of the time.

Qualifications

ho May Apply: US Citizens

In order to qualify, you must meet the education an/or experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

The following minimum qualifications requirements must be met before applicants are eligible for further consideration.

Education: Applicants must have successfully completed a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and have the first professional law degree (LLB or JD) (NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts).Bar membership: Applicants must currently be a member in good standing of a bar of a state territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. A copy of your current certification must be submitted.

To qualify at the GS-13 level you must have more than two (2) years of professional legal experience commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position.

To qualify at the GS-14 level: You must have more than three (3) years of professional legal experience commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position.

NOTICE TO VETERANS PREFERENCE: There is no formal rating system for applying veteran's preference to Attorney appointments in the Excepted Service; however, the Department of the Army considers veteran's preference eligibility a positive factor for Attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veteran's preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documents (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 http://www.opm.gov/ )

For GS-13: Time in Grade Requirements: Applicants currently employed as an Attorney by the Federal government must have completed one year of time-in-grade at the next lower grade level (GS-12) or the equivalent within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement, or previously served at the same or higher grade as the position being filled.

For GS-14: Time in Grade Requirements: Applicants currently employed as an Attorney by the Federal government must have completed one year of time-in-grade at the next lower grade level (GS-13) or the equivalent within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement, or previously served at the same or higher grade as the position being filled.


You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency in the following areas:

Technical Knowledge

Demonstrated practical experience and mature judgment in solving legal problems.
Demonstrated experience providing interpretations of statutes and regulations, drafting legal documents, and reviewing client documents for legal soundness and accuracy sufficient for the accomplishment of difficult, complex, and varied work.
Demonstrated experience providing legal advice and guidance on employment law, labor law, and/or ethics (broadly including government or organizational ethics and professional responsibility), and/or other substantive areas of law that may include administrative and information law, environmental law, real estate, fiscal law, litigation, and/or torts.

Litigation - Representation and Advocacy

Demonstrated experience providing legal advice and trial advocacy regarding litigation that presents complex factual issues requiring extensive research, analysis, and obtaining and evaluating expert testimony or information.
Demonstrated experience effectively representing and advocating for the client in litigation (preparing administrative records, pleadings, and dispositive motions; drafting and responding to discovery; hearing or trial experience) and in different forms of alternative dispute resolution.
Demonstrated experience representing and advocating for the client in various forums, including before external agencies, stakeholders, and members of the public, often on contentious matters that involve very large sums of money and/or involve extremely capable opposing legal talent.

Other Indicia of Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Ability to advise and communicate effectively with senior leadership and team members at all levels in a manner to advise, inform, and educate, even when the legal advice may differ from what is desired.
Ability to work effectively on teams, including clients, experts and other witnesses, and colleagues.
Ability to work effectively on matters with increased confidentiality and/or sensitivity. Credentials as indicated in the resume and other application materials (e.g., awards, performance ratings, educational achievements)

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

  • Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
  • You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
  • Two years trial/probationary period may be required.
  • Direct Deposit of Pay is required.
  • This position requires you to submit a Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE 278) or a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE450) upon entry, and annually thereafter.
  • Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
  • If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
  • This is a(n) 56 Career Field position
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
  • Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
  • When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable. Visit https://www.dfas.mil/civilianemployees/civrelo/Civilian-Moving-Expenses-Tax-Deduction/ for more information.
  • Permanent Change of Station (PCS) allowances may be authorized, subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations and an agency determination that a PCS move is in the Government Interest.
  • Recruitment/relocation incentives may be authorized.
  • The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is an equal opportunity employer. The Corps is firmly committed to recruiting, retaining, and developing a diverse and inclusive workforce where all employees are valued for their talents as members of the team.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume as that information may be taken into consideration during the selection process. If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation.

You may claim Military Spouse preference.

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