This position is in the Spectrum Policy Branch, Policy and Rules Division (Division), Office of Engineering and Technology (OET or Office), Federal Communications Commission (FCC) located in Washington, DC. RELOCATION EXPENSES WILL NOT BE PAID. THIS VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT MAY BE USED TO FILL ADDITIONAL POSITIONS WITHIN 90 DAYS.
Duties
The incumbent serves as an Attorney Advisor and will provide policy and legal expertise both in the structure and implementation of FCC regulations necessary to keep unsecure equipment from entering the U.S. market. This work includes, but is not limited to, modernization of FCC rules to address component parts and white labeling of equipment that is prohibited from authorization by the FCC's covered list; modernization of rules to ensure that Telecommunication Certification Bodies (TCBs) and Test Labs are structured properly to maintain impartiality and trustworthiness; and issuance of guidance to ensure that stakeholders are appropriately prohibited from allowing unsecure equipment to be processed for approval by TCBs. Incumbent will also provide policy and legal expertise on issues regarding intergovernmental coordination and review of matters affecting the security of the RF equipment supply chain. Incumbent is responsible for advising and consulting with the Assistant Division Chief, Chief and Deputy(s) on all legal phases of these activities. The incumbent reports directly to the Assistant Division Chief, but contingent upon case/assignment may take broad policy direction from other OET leadership.
Salary
Qualifications
Interested candidates should be passionate about the ideals of our American republic, committed to upholding the rule of law and the U.S. Constitution, and committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government. Hiring decisions will not be based on race, sex, color, religion, or national origin. Applicants must meet eligibility and qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Current Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Professional law experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. In order to be deemed as "BEST QUALIFIED" candidates must meet both the educational requirements AND the Specialized Experience. A. Education You must meet the minimum basic educational requirements for Attorney positions. Education requirements include: a professional law degree JD, LL.B., and/or LL.M. NOTE-If you do not provide a transcript at the time of application, a transcript will be required to be provided at the time of selection. AND B. Specialized Experience For the GS-14 position: Applicant must possess at least three years of professional law experience and at least one year of that experience must be specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service performing the following: 1. Experience conducting complex legal research and analysis involving statutes, regulations, judicial or administrative decisions, legal precedent, and other legal authorities. 2. Experience interpreting and applying laws, regulations, policies, and legal precedent to complex or novel regulatory, technical or policy issues. 3. Experience providing legal advice or recommendations to management or senior officials concerning significant regulatory, policy, compliance, enforcement, national-security or technology related matters. 4. Experience evaluating legal issues involving telecommunications technologies, communications equipment, spectrum use, equipment certification or authorization, cybersecurity, supply-chain security, or comparable technically complex regulated activities. For the GS-15 position: Applicant must possess at least four years of professional law experience and at least one year of that experience must be specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-14 grade level in the Federal service performing the following: 1. Experience serving as a senior legal advisor or subject matter expert on highly complex, novel, sensitive, or precedent-setting regulatory or policy matters. 2. Experience independently conducting and directing complex legal analyses involving statutes, regulations, judicial and administrative decisions, agency precedent, legislative authorities, and other legal or regulatory requirements. 3. Experience developing legal interpretations, regulatory approaches, or policy recommendations for matters where established precedent is limited, evolving, conflicting, or nonexistent. 4. Experience providing authoritative legal advice and recommendations to senior management or other senior decision-makers concerning significant regulatory, technology, national-security, cybersecurity, supply-chain security or public-policy matters. 5. Experience leading or performing a substantial role in the development of significant rulemakings, regulations, orders, policy statements, legal opinions, regulatory guidance, legislative proposals, or other major legal or policy initiatives. 6. Experience representing an organization in high level meetings, negotiations, working groups, regulatory proceedings, or other forums involving senior private sector or government officials, industry representatives, legal or technical experts or other stakeholders with competing interests. PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: 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. SME REVIEW Subject matter experts will review your application to determine if you meet the following required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA's): GS-14 COMPETENCIES Ability to research, interpret, and apply statutes, regulations, judicial and administrative decisions, agency precedent, and other legal authorities to complex telecommunications and regulatory matters, and to prepare clear, legally sound memoranda, rulemaking documents, recommendations, and other substantive legal products. Ability to analyze complex legal and policy issues involving telecommunications, spectrum management, equipment authorization, emerging communications technologies, cybersecurity, supply-chain security, and national-security considerations and develop well-supported regulatory recommendations. Ability to communicate and explain complex legal and regulatory issues and work effectively with attorneys, engineers, technical specialists, government officials, industry representatives, and other stakeholders to address difficult regulatory and policy matters. GS-15 COMPETENCIES Ability to independently analyze exceptionally complex, novel, sensitive, or precedent-setting legal matters; interpret statutes, regulations, judicial and administrative precedent, and other legal authorities; and develop authoritative legal analyses, regulatory documents, and recommendations. Ability to evaluate and develop legal and regulatory approaches involving complex telecommunications matters, including spectrum management, equipment authorization, emerging communications technologies, cybersecurity, communications supply-chain security, and national-security considerations. Ability to exercise a high degree of independent professional judgment in developing legal interpretations, regulatory strategies, and policy recommendations for matters where precedent is limited, evolving, conflicting, or nonexistent and which may have significant governmental, industry, or public-policy implications. Ability to provide authoritative legal advice to senior officials and effectively represent organizational positions in high-level meetings, negotiations, working groups, regulatory proceedings, and other forums involving government officials, industry representatives, legal and technical experts, and stakeholders with diverse or competing interests. If you are deemed to be qualified by the Subject Matter Experts, your application will be referred to the hiring manager for hiring consideration. Alternatively, if your application is not deemed as qualified by the Subject Matter Experts, your application will not be referred to the hiring manager for hiring consideration.
Education
Refer to Educational requirements outlined within the "Qualifications" section.
Required Documents
Merit Hiring Plan Resume Requirements In compliance with Executive Order 14170, Reforming the Federal Hiring Process and Restoring Merit to Government Service resumes must not be longer than two pages in length. The resume must address minimum qualifications and other requirements listed in the job announcement. Resumes must include all of the following information outlined below: Contact Information Name and how best to contact you, including email address and phone number. Relevant Work Experience Job Title and Employer (including series and grade for any Federal positions) Start and end dates with month/year (e.g., 05/2019 –08/2022) The number of hours you worked per week Ensure work experience descriptions are aligned with the job announcement and address all required qualifications. Brief descriptions should demonstrate your ability to perform the tasks at the required level as stated in the job announcement. Resumes must be formatted as outlined above. If the two page resume criteria and/or the resume formatting requirement is not met candidates will be rated as ineligible and will not be referred for hiring consideration. The FCC is providing the following applicant resume resources: Applicant Guidance on the Two-Page Resume Limit USAjobs-How to Write a Federal Resume Your application MUST be received by midnight U.S. Eastern Time of the closing date of the announcement. You must submit a resume at the time of application. Your resume must clearly document how you meet the specialized experience in order to meet the minimum qualification requirements for the vacancy. Current Federal employees must also submit a copy of an SF-50 documenting one year of time in grade. If an SF-50 is not submitted to verify time in grade, the applicant will be rated as ineligible. This position may require the submission of supplemental documents before selection. Law academic transcripts (unofficial is acceptable). Proof of current, active bar membership. Writing sample demonstrating the ability to analyze complex legal and/or policy issues. Professional references. Once you apply to this vacancy you will be prompted by the system to upload supporting application documentation. If you are unable to upload the required documentation, contact the HR Specialist listed on the vacancy announcement prior to 5:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on the closing date of the announcement. Supplemental Documents Required: Current Federal employees should submit a copy of an SF-50 documenting one year of time in grade. If an SF-50 is not submitted to verify time in grade, the application will be rated as ineligible. Transcripts Bar Membership If transcripts and proof of bar membership are not provided at the time of application, this documentation must be provided at the time of selection. Veterans must submit a legible Member 4 copy of the DD-214 which reflects the manner of discharge. Please refer to OPM's VetGuide for further information about veterans' preference via the following link: VetGuide
How to Apply
To apply to this announcement go to the website: https://www.usajobs.gov/Search/Results?a=FC00&k=Federal%20Communications%20Commission As outlined in the "Required Documents Details" section of the announcement, resumes must meet be no longer than two pages in length and must meet the resume formatting requirements. Your application, including resume, all supplemental documents, registration information and answers to job specific questions must be received no later than midnight U.S. Eastern time of the closing date. For more information on applying federal jobs, please check this webpage: https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/process If applying online poses a hardship, you may contact either the HR Specialist listed on the vacancy announcement or you may contact the Apply Government Solutions help desk (prior to the closing date of the vacancy announcement) via e-mail at fedhirehelp@applygovernment.com or you may reach them directly at 866-656-6831. The Apply Government Solutions Help Desk is available Monday-Friday 7:00 am to 7:00 pm EST. NOTE: To be considered for an announced vacancy in the area of consideration within which the employee is eligible to compete, the employee must apply online using the Commission's automated recruitment system. Employees must submit all necessary application materials identified in the announcement by the specified closing date. NOTE: To be considered for an announced vacancy in the area of consideration within which the employee is eligible to compete, the employee must apply online using the Commission's automated recruitment system. Employees must submit all necessary application materials identified in the announcement by the specified closing date.
Benefits
The FCC offers a wide range of employee benefits, including: Health Insurance Life Insurance Dental & Vision Insurance Flexible Spending Accounts Long-Term Care Insurance Holidays and Leave Retirement Thrift Savings Plan Transit Benefit Alternative Work Schedule Telecommuting
