The primary purpose of this position is to provide specialized professional legal advice and services as senior litigation attorney for the Air Force's Environmental Restoration Program (ERP), and as a senior level litigation attorney for environmental legal litigation practice on all environmental matters including air, water (including stormwater), solid and hazardous waste, endangered species, natural and cultural resources, cleanup, base closure and realignment, and land use and reuse.
Summary
The primary purpose of this position is to provide specialized professional legal advice and services as senior litigation attorney for the Air Force's Environmental Restoration Program (ERP), and as a senior level litigation attorney for environmental legal litigation practice on all environmental matters including air, water (including stormwater), solid and hazardous waste, endangered species, natural and cultural resources, cleanup, base closure and realignment, and land use and reuse.
Serves as Senior Litigation Attorney for the Air Force's Environmental Restoration Program Incumbent is responsible for highly specialized, professional litigation involving the Air Force's legally and technically complex, multi-billion dollar, high mission impact cleanup program involving federal, state and local environmental statutes, rules, regulations and policy.
Maintains Highest Level of Subject Matter Expertise on All Aspects of Environmental Litigation Incumbent is recognized as a subject matter expert in complex litigation involving all aspects of environmental, occupational safety and health, property and/or cultural and natural resources laws, rules and regulations.
Represents the Air Force before all Federal and State Tribunals Represents the interests of the Air Force in environmental, occupational safety and health, property, and natural and cultural resources related litigation and administrative proceedings in state and federal courts and administrative venues.
Directs and Instructs Field Attorneys in Actual and Prospective Litigation As a primary expert in designated areas of environmental, occupational safety and health, natural and cultural resources, and property law, the incumbent continually builds upon that expertise and ensures that the benefits of that expertise and experience are shared with other Air Force attorneys and with DoD as a whole.
If authorized, PCS will be paid IAW JTR and AF Regulations. If receiving an authorized PCS, you may be subject to completing/signing a CONUS agreement. More information on PCS requirements, may be found at: https://afciviliancareers.com/regulatory/
Males must be registered for Selective Service, see www.sss.gov.
Must be able to obtain and retain up to a SECRET Security Clearance.
Work occasionally requires travel away from the normal duty station.
Attorney appointments are subject to serve a one-year probationary period.
Candidates are not required to have active duty service or veterans’ preference to be referred and considered. All qualified candidates who meet the recruitment assessment criteria will be referred to the selecting official.
Leave accrual may be authorized upon request
Advance in hire may be authorized if there is demonstrable proof on your resume
Leave accrual may be authorized upon request
Qualifications
Condition Of Employment Continue:
Must have a law degree (JD) from an accredited law school and be a member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of a state or the District of Columbia or other Federal Bar, as appropriate, and at least 12 years of related experience. A master of laws (LL.M.) in a related field will count for three (3) years of experience.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:
You 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).
In addition, at the time of application, you must provide proof, dated within four months of application, of "active" status with a bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. commonwealth, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia. On-line information is allowed as long as it shows that you are in "active" status.
Specialized Experience: In addition to the basic requirement: you must have professional legal experience in excess of three (3) years that commensurate with the position's duties and responsibilities.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:
1. Must have a law degree (JD) from a recognized law school and be a member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of a state or the District of Columbia or other federal bar, as appropriate. Extensive environmental law and/or litigation experience and/or a master of laws (LL.M.) in environmental/natural resource law is required.
2. Must have the skill and ability to conduct complex legal research and a familiarity with the research resources most commonly involved in environmental, occupational safety and health, natural and cultural resources and property laws. This includes various statutes, Department of Defense and Air Force policy and guidance, the United States Code, court opinions, the Code of Federal Regulations, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the Federal Rules of Evidence, etc.
3. The incumbent must have in-depth experience as a practicing environmental law attorney and possess at least three years of relevant experience. This position requires a fully qualified attorney licensed and admitted to the practice of law in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia. The incumbent must be thoroughly competent in federal civil procedure, environmental and natural resources law and knowledgeable in administrative and general law.
4. Must be highly skilled in written and oral advocacy in order to prepare and present written briefs and oral
arguments on behalf of the Air Force. Must possess superior negotiation skills and be capable of rational, logical thinking in order to formulate, coordinate and present the government's legal position before senior attorneys assigned to various government
agencies as well as the court.
5. Previous experience in the use of computer word processing software such as Microsoft applications, etc. is highly desirable, but is not required.. Must possess knowledge of research databases and resources such as Westlaw, Lexis, etc.
6. Experience working within a large and complex legal organization is desirable but is not required. Similarly,
experience working at high levels within the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force, and the
Department of Justice is desirable, but is not a requirement.
At the time of application, you must provide proof, dated within four months of application, of "active" status and in good standing with a bar of the highest court of a State, US commonwealth, US territory, or the District of Columbia. On-line information is allowed as long as it shows that you are in "active" status and dated within four months of application.
PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.
VOLUNTEER WORK EXPERIENCE: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Education
Must be a graduate of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association, and be currently licensed as an attorney, in active (or equivalent) status and in good standing, with the bar of a U.S. state, territory, or commonwealth. The attorney must maintain such bar membership in at least one jurisdiction during the entire course of employment with the Air Force.
Additional information
Employed Annuitants (Reemployed Annuitants): Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. Click here for more information.
Writing Example: Prior to receiving an offer, you will be asked to provide a writing sample demonstrating your legal analytical skills.
120-Day Register: This announcement may result in a 120-day register that may be used to fill like vacancies for 120 days after the closing date. Applicants may be referred for consideration as vacancies occur.
Direct Deposit: All federal employees are required to have direct deposit.
Incentives: Recruitment and/or retention incentives may or may not be used.
Disabled veteran leave is available to a Federal employee hired on/after 5 Nov 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more. For more information, click here.
If you have questions regarding this announcement and have hearing or speech difficulties click here.
Tax Law Impact for PCS: On 22-Dec-2017, Public Law 115-97 - the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017" suspended qualified moving expense deductions along with the exclusion for employer reimbursements and payments of moving expenses effective 01-Jan-2018 for tax years 2018 through 2025. 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 GSA Bulletin FTR 20-04 here for additional information.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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 application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.
The resume/documents you submit must support your responses to the online questionnaire. If your application contradicts or does not support your questionnaire responses, you will receive a rating of "not qualified" or "insufficient information" and you will not receive further consideration for this job.
Applications who disqualify themselves will not be evaluated further.
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.
The following documents are required and must be provided with your application. Applicants who do not submit required documentation to determine eligibility and qualifications will be eliminated from consideration. Other documents may be required based on the eligibility/eligibilities you are claiming. Click here to view the AF Civilian Employment Eligibility Guide and the required documents you must submit to substantiate the eligibilities you are claiming.
Online Application: Questionnaire
Resume: Your resume may NOT exceed two pages, and the font size should not be smaller than 10 pts. You will not be considered for this vacancy if your resume is illegible/unreadable. Additional information on resume requirements can be located under "How To Apply".
License: At the time of application, you must provide proof, dated within four months of application, of "active" status with a bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. commonwealth, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia. On-line information is allowed as long as it shows that you are in "active" status.
ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: The VOW Act requires federal agencies to treat an eligible active duty service member as a veteran, disabled veteran, and preference eligible (as applicable) when applying for civil service positions before the effective release or discharge date. Appointment of military members before the release or discharge date is permissible if the member is on terminal leave. At the time the active duty member applies for a civil position, he or she must submit a "certification" memo in lieu of a DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. The certification memo must originate from the member's military service branch on official letterhead and contain the following:
Name/Rank/Grade of Service Member
Branch of Armed Forces
Dates of Active Service (Start and End Date(s)
Expected Date of Discharge/Release from Active Duty
Terminal leave start date (if applicable)
Expected character of service/discharge (honorable/general) and type of separation (i.e. separation or retirement)
Must be certified within 120 days of anticipated discharge
Signature by, or by direction of the adjutant, personnel office, unit commander, or higher headquarters commander
NOTE: The VOW Act provides tentative preference. If appointed, a DD Form 214 must be submitted upon receipt.
NOTICE OF VETERANS' PREFERENCE:
There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Defense considers veterans' preference eligibility a positive factor for attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation to their submissions.
Although the point-preference system is not used, applicants eligible to claim Veterans Preference must submit VOW certification memo or copy of the official DD Form 214, which must include the character of service, and 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.)
NOTE: Applicants for attorney appointments do not require veterans' preference in order to be eligible for consideration.
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.
To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the application questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Application button at the end of the process.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Your Resume. If you submit more than one resume, only the most recent will be reviewed. The "most recent" is considered the resume with the latest timestamp.
Resumes may not exceed two pages. The two-page resume ensures the most relevant experience is reviewed and considered, which is a common practice in both the public and private sectors. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. Additional information on how to complete or update your resume may be located here.
For qualification determination your resume must contain hours worked per week and dates of employment (i.e., month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as insufficient, and you will not receive consideration for this position. If you are a current Federal employee or previous Federal employee, provide your pay plan, series and grade, i.e. GS-0301-09. Current Federal Civilian Employees may list any relevant performance related rating (given within the last three years) and/or incentive awards in your resume.
Do NOT include photographs, inappropriate material, inappropriate content, nor personal information such as age, gender, religion, social security number, etc., on your resume. If the resume you submit contains such information you will not be considered for this vacancy.
Your name, first and last, MUST be included on your resume.
2. A complete Application Questionnaire
3. Additional Required Documents (see Required Documents section). Ensure all submitted documents contain your full name.
4. Help recruiters find you. Make your resume and profile searchable, which means recruiters may contact you about possible jobs. Additional information may be located here.
5. Optional Documents: Performance Appraisals for Current Federal Civilian Employees - Most recent performance appraisals (dated within last 3 years) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable.
PLEASE NOTE: It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and/or uploaded, (i.e., resume) is received, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. You may verify your documents have been processed with your application package successfully. You can access your USAJOBS account to do so by clicking here. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
Human Resources WILL NOT modify or change any answers submitted by an applicant.
AF Legal Operations Agency - Pentagon
1720 Air Force Pentagon
Washington, DC 20330
US
Next steps
Once your application package is received an acknowledgement email will be sent. After a review of your complete application is made you will be notified of your rating and/or referral to the hiring official.
If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility and qualifications for consideration. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.
To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select My Applications, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.
If you do not provide an email address, you are responsible for checking status updates and notifications in USAJOBS. Hard copy notifications will not be sent to you.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
The following documents are required and must be provided with your application. Applicants who do not submit required documentation to determine eligibility and qualifications will be eliminated from consideration. Other documents may be required based on the eligibility/eligibilities you are claiming. Click here to view the AF Civilian Employment Eligibility Guide and the required documents you must submit to substantiate the eligibilities you are claiming.
Online Application: Questionnaire
Resume: Your resume may NOT exceed two pages, and the font size should not be smaller than 10 pts. You will not be considered for this vacancy if your resume is illegible/unreadable. Additional information on resume requirements can be located under "How To Apply".
License: At the time of application, you must provide proof, dated within four months of application, of "active" status with a bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. commonwealth, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia. On-line information is allowed as long as it shows that you are in "active" status.
ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: The VOW Act requires federal agencies to treat an eligible active duty service member as a veteran, disabled veteran, and preference eligible (as applicable) when applying for civil service positions before the effective release or discharge date. Appointment of military members before the release or discharge date is permissible if the member is on terminal leave. At the time the active duty member applies for a civil position, he or she must submit a "certification" memo in lieu of a DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. The certification memo must originate from the member's military service branch on official letterhead and contain the following:
Name/Rank/Grade of Service Member
Branch of Armed Forces
Dates of Active Service (Start and End Date(s)
Expected Date of Discharge/Release from Active Duty
Terminal leave start date (if applicable)
Expected character of service/discharge (honorable/general) and type of separation (i.e. separation or retirement)
Must be certified within 120 days of anticipated discharge
Signature by, or by direction of the adjutant, personnel office, unit commander, or higher headquarters commander
NOTE: The VOW Act provides tentative preference. If appointed, a DD Form 214 must be submitted upon receipt.
NOTICE OF VETERANS' PREFERENCE:
There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Defense considers veterans' preference eligibility a positive factor for attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation to their submissions.
Although the point-preference system is not used, applicants eligible to claim Veterans Preference must submit VOW certification memo or copy of the official DD Form 214, which must include the character of service, and 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.)
NOTE: Applicants for attorney appointments do not require veterans' preference in order to be eligible for consideration.
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.
To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the application questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Application button at the end of the process.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Your Resume. If you submit more than one resume, only the most recent will be reviewed. The "most recent" is considered the resume with the latest timestamp.
Resumes may not exceed two pages. The two-page resume ensures the most relevant experience is reviewed and considered, which is a common practice in both the public and private sectors. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. Additional information on how to complete or update your resume may be located here.
For qualification determination your resume must contain hours worked per week and dates of employment (i.e., month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as insufficient, and you will not receive consideration for this position. If you are a current Federal employee or previous Federal employee, provide your pay plan, series and grade, i.e. GS-0301-09. Current Federal Civilian Employees may list any relevant performance related rating (given within the last three years) and/or incentive awards in your resume.
Do NOT include photographs, inappropriate material, inappropriate content, nor personal information such as age, gender, religion, social security number, etc., on your resume. If the resume you submit contains such information you will not be considered for this vacancy.
Your name, first and last, MUST be included on your resume.
2. A complete Application Questionnaire
3. Additional Required Documents (see Required Documents section). Ensure all submitted documents contain your full name.
4. Help recruiters find you. Make your resume and profile searchable, which means recruiters may contact you about possible jobs. Additional information may be located here.
5. Optional Documents: Performance Appraisals for Current Federal Civilian Employees - Most recent performance appraisals (dated within last 3 years) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable.
PLEASE NOTE: It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and/or uploaded, (i.e., resume) is received, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. You may verify your documents have been processed with your application package successfully. You can access your USAJOBS account to do so by clicking here. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
Human Resources WILL NOT modify or change any answers submitted by an applicant.
AF Legal Operations Agency - Pentagon
1720 Air Force Pentagon
Washington, DC 20330
US
Next steps
Once your application package is received an acknowledgement email will be sent. After a review of your complete application is made you will be notified of your rating and/or referral to the hiring official.
If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility and qualifications for consideration. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.
To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select My Applications, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.
If you do not provide an email address, you are responsible for checking status updates and notifications in USAJOBS. Hard copy notifications will not be sent to you.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
