With an emphasis on high ethical standards, excellence in public service and the delivery of superlative advice and counsel, DOI Solicitor's Office performs the legal work for the U.S. Department of the Interior, and manages the Departmental Ethics Office and Departmental FOIA Office. With more than five hundred total employees, more than four hundred of which are licensed attorneys, the Office strives to provide sound legal services to fulfill the Department's diverse and wide-ranging mission.
Summary
With an emphasis on high ethical standards, excellence in public service and the delivery of superlative advice and counsel, DOI Solicitor's Office performs the legal work for the U.S. Department of the Interior, and manages the Departmental Ethics Office and Departmental FOIA Office. With more than five hundred total employees, more than four hundred of which are licensed attorneys, the Office strives to provide sound legal services to fulfill the Department's diverse and wide-ranging mission.
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Temporary - This is a temporary excepted appointment not-to-exceed 2 years and may be extended for additional periods of time without further competition.
This position is located within the Department of the Interior, Office of the Solicitor, Indian Trust Litigation Office, located in Washington, D.C.
At the full performance level (GS-14) the major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following:
Analyzing and interpreting federal statutes, rules and regulations, and other guidance, including program authorities, relating to the authority of contracting and program officials to meet departmental and program goals.
Providing on-the-spot legal guidance in the resolution of complex procurement, administrative, and program issues.
Conducting legal research and producing opinions and memoranda requiring a high degree of creative legal effort, judgment, and discretion, often harmonizing conflicting positions in areas with little or no precedent, while promoting goals of uniformity, simplicity, and efficiency. Ensuring that information regarding possible violations of law is referred to the Office of Inspector General (OIG) as required, referring other matters for OIG investigations as appropriate and providing technical assistance to the OIG in the analysis of potential ethics violations;
Performing legal research concerning novel and complex issues, reviewing documents for the Regional Solicitor or Assistant Regional Solicitor and for DOI agencies, drafting legal opinions, providing formal and informal advice to DOI agencies, and often drafting agency decisions;
Drafting litigation reports to guide the Department of Justice (DOJ) and assisting DOJ in litigation, including working in close coordination with DOJ representing the Secretary of the Interior and the various bureaus of the Department in federal courts;
Conduct comprehensive electronic document review using e-discovery platforms to identify, categorize, and analyze documents for responsiveness, privilege, confidentiality, and legal significance in litigation and administrative proceedings;
Manage all phases of discovery, including planning, implementing, and overseeing document collection, preservation, processing, review, and production in accordance with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, agency policies, and litigation hold requirements.
Draft and prepare discovery requests (interrogatories, requests for production, requests for admission, subpoenas) tailored to the factual and legal issues in pending matters.
Draft and coordinate responses to incoming discovery requests, including gathering responsive materials, preparing objections consistent with applicable legal standards, and ensuring timely and complete productions.
Oversee privilege review and privilege log creation, applying attorney-client privilege, work-product doctrine, deliberative-process privilege, and other protection doctrines, including the use of technology-assisted review and privilege-screening tools when appropriate.
Salary Information: First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the lower salary range of the grade level.
GS-12: $102,415 - $133,142 per annum.
GS-13: $121,785 - $158,322 per annum.
GS-14: $143,913 - $187,093 per annum.
Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
Must be an active member of the bar.
Selectee may be subject to serving a 2-year trial period.
You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit.
Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service system, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See http://www.sss.gov/.
Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position?
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.
Identification of promotion potential in this announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. Promotion will depend upon administrative approval and the continuing need for and performance of higher-level duties.
Qualifications
Basic Qualification Requirements
Applicants must be law school graduates with LL.B. or J.D. degrees 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.
To qualify for a GS-12 applicants must possess at least 2-years of professional legal experience following law school graduation;
To qualify for a GS-13 applicants must possess at least 3-years of professional legal experience following law school graduation;
To qualify for a GS-14 applicants must possess at least 4.5-years of professional legal experience following law school graduation;
For any of the grades indicated above you can also substitute one year of experience with any of the following:
have a second professional law degree; OR
meet any of the criteria indicated below;
academic standing in top one-third of law school graduating class;
graduation with academic honors;
significant participation on the law school's law review;
significant participation in the law school's moot court competition;
significant participation in a clinical legal aid program;
significant summer law office clerk experience; or
other equivalent evidence of clearly superior achievement.
Candidates should have excellent oral communication, writing, research and analysis skills, and the ability to work effectively with other people, and exercise sound judgment.
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.
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
Additional information
Other Information:
The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361.
Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position. The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361.
NOTICE: This employer participates in E-Verify and will utilize your Form I-9 information to confirm you are authorized to work in the U.S.
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period (as applicable) during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
- your performance and conduct;
- the needs and interests of the agency;
- whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.
SOL has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework in accordance with the DOI Telework policy and with supervisor approval. The official worksite for the selectee is the duty station identified in this vacancy announcement. The selectee will typically report to this duty location on a regular and recurring weekly basis.
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.
Please limit your resume to no more than 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.
Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire will be made.
Please note applicants must meet the all qualifications requirement and submit all required documentation by closing date of the announcement for consideration for this position. Failure to meet all qualifications requirement and/or submit all required documents will result in an ineligible for consideration rating.
Applicants who are found to be qualified and referred to the selecting official for consideration may be asked to provide a writing sample. Instructions will be included in the email communication sent to qualified candidates
Basis of Rating: Applicants will not be rated or ranked. All applicants that meet the basic eligibility and qualification requirements of the position will be referred to the selecting official for consideration
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 must submit a complete application package by the closing date of this announcement. Failure to submit documentation may result in not receiving consideration for this position. Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.
Your resume must contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements as stated in this vacancy announcement and OPM qualification standards for each grade level(s) for which you are applying. It is strongly recommended that you use the USAJobs Resume Builder as it was designed to ensure that your resume includes the standard information needed. The Resume Builder is available at: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/account/documents/resume/build.
Current & Former Federal Employees
If you are a current or former Federal employee, please submit the following by the closing date of this announcement:
a copy of a recent SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" documenting tenure, position title, occupational series, grade level, step and salary; and
your most recent performance appraisal (if you do not have your most recent performance appraisal, please submit an explanation as to why it is unavailable)
All Applicants
You must meet the qualifications and submit all required documents by closing date of the announcement. NOTE: Documents will not be accepted after the closing date and you will be marked ineligible for consideration.
You must submit proof that you are licensed and authorized to practice law. Such proof can include a current active bar card, a screen print from a bar website that reflects you are an active member of the bar or a letter/certificate from the bar certifying you are licensed and authorized to practice law. Documents (bar card, screen print, letter/certificate) must be dated within 3 months of the closing date of the announcement. If using a screen print, make sure it is clear when the screen print was taken. For bar cards that do not have a date on them, please also submit a screen print or letter/certificate certifying you are licensed and authorized to practice law dated within 3 months of the announcement closing date.
You must submit transcripts. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted at the time of application, but official transcripts will be required before entry on duty.
A 1-2 page cover letter is desired expressing your interest and qualifications for this position.
If you are claiming veterans' preference you must submit a copy of your DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, by the closing date of this announcement. If you are currently on active military duty, you must provide documentation (e.g., campaign document, award citation, etc.), that verifies entitlement to veterans preference and that your character of military service is honorable. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, in addition to the DD-214, you must submit documentation that supports your claim (e.g., an official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs or from a branch of the Armed Forces certifying the existence of a service-connected disability; or receipt of a Purple Heart). If you fail to submit any of the required documentation, you will not be granted veterans preference. Additional information on veterans' preference can be found in the VetGuide.
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.
Applications (resume and application questions) for this vacancy must be received on-line via USAJOBS BEFORE midnight Eastern Time (Washington, D.C. time) on the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to submit a complete online resume, you will not be considered for this position. Requests for extensions will not be granted.
Instructions for Applying Online for this Vacancy Announcement:1) Click the blue "Apply Online" button.2) If you are not a registered USAJOBS user, please create a new account and follow the instructions to complete your application process. If you are a registered user, login to access your existing USAJOBS profile.3) As a registered user, select a stored resume and select one or more of your stored documents to attach to your application.4) Check the "Certification" box and click the "Apply for this position now!" button located at the bottom of the screen.5) Address the eligibility questions as well as the questionnaire containing questions and/or task statements that address the knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies for this vacancy.6) Submit required documents using one of the available methods listed below.7) If you experience technical difficulties during the online application process, please contact the USAJOBS helpdesk.
You can track the progress of your application package via your USAJobs account. You will receive an acknowledgment from USAJobs that your submission was successful, once we have received your on-line assessment questionnaire, resume and any supporting documentation. You will be notified of the status of your application via your USAJobs account after we conduct a qualification review of your complete application package. You will be contacted if further evaluation or interviews are required. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration. We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses, through reference and/or background checks, and/or verification of your education. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the Human Resources Office posting this announcement.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete application package by the closing date of this announcement. Failure to submit documentation may result in not receiving consideration for this position. Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.
Your resume must contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements as stated in this vacancy announcement and OPM qualification standards for each grade level(s) for which you are applying. It is strongly recommended that you use the USAJobs Resume Builder as it was designed to ensure that your resume includes the standard information needed. The Resume Builder is available at: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/account/documents/resume/build.
Current & Former Federal Employees
If you are a current or former Federal employee, please submit the following by the closing date of this announcement:
a copy of a recent SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" documenting tenure, position title, occupational series, grade level, step and salary; and
your most recent performance appraisal (if you do not have your most recent performance appraisal, please submit an explanation as to why it is unavailable)
All Applicants
You must meet the qualifications and submit all required documents by closing date of the announcement. NOTE: Documents will not be accepted after the closing date and you will be marked ineligible for consideration.
You must submit proof that you are licensed and authorized to practice law. Such proof can include a current active bar card, a screen print from a bar website that reflects you are an active member of the bar or a letter/certificate from the bar certifying you are licensed and authorized to practice law. Documents (bar card, screen print, letter/certificate) must be dated within 3 months of the closing date of the announcement. If using a screen print, make sure it is clear when the screen print was taken. For bar cards that do not have a date on them, please also submit a screen print or letter/certificate certifying you are licensed and authorized to practice law dated within 3 months of the announcement closing date.
You must submit transcripts. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted at the time of application, but official transcripts will be required before entry on duty.
A 1-2 page cover letter is desired expressing your interest and qualifications for this position.
If you are claiming veterans' preference you must submit a copy of your DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, by the closing date of this announcement. If you are currently on active military duty, you must provide documentation (e.g., campaign document, award citation, etc.), that verifies entitlement to veterans preference and that your character of military service is honorable. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, in addition to the DD-214, you must submit documentation that supports your claim (e.g., an official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs or from a branch of the Armed Forces certifying the existence of a service-connected disability; or receipt of a Purple Heart). If you fail to submit any of the required documentation, you will not be granted veterans preference. Additional information on veterans' preference can be found in the VetGuide.
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.
Applications (resume and application questions) for this vacancy must be received on-line via USAJOBS BEFORE midnight Eastern Time (Washington, D.C. time) on the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to submit a complete online resume, you will not be considered for this position. Requests for extensions will not be granted.
Instructions for Applying Online for this Vacancy Announcement:1) Click the blue "Apply Online" button.2) If you are not a registered USAJOBS user, please create a new account and follow the instructions to complete your application process. If you are a registered user, login to access your existing USAJOBS profile.3) As a registered user, select a stored resume and select one or more of your stored documents to attach to your application.4) Check the "Certification" box and click the "Apply for this position now!" button located at the bottom of the screen.5) Address the eligibility questions as well as the questionnaire containing questions and/or task statements that address the knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies for this vacancy.6) Submit required documents using one of the available methods listed below.7) If you experience technical difficulties during the online application process, please contact the USAJOBS helpdesk.
You can track the progress of your application package via your USAJobs account. You will receive an acknowledgment from USAJobs that your submission was successful, once we have received your on-line assessment questionnaire, resume and any supporting documentation. You will be notified of the status of your application via your USAJobs account after we conduct a qualification review of your complete application package. You will be contacted if further evaluation or interviews are required. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration. We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses, through reference and/or background checks, and/or verification of your education. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the Human Resources Office posting this announcement.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
