The Director in the Constitutional and Specialized Tort Litigation Section of the Torts Branch is a Senior Executive Service (SES) position in the Civil Division, U.S. Department of Justice. For more information on the Torts Branch - CSTL Section, visit https://www.justice.gov/civil/constitutional-specialized-tort-litigation-section.
Duties
CSTL consists of three groups: Constitutional Torts; the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP); and the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) Program. The Constitutional Torts Staff defends federal employees at all levels of government in cases seeking money damages against them personally for actions taken as part of their official duties. The RECA Program is an administrative law platform that adjudicates claims from individuals who suffered from radiation exposure during the early days of the Atomic Age. The VICP establishes a no-fault compensation system which provides a safety net for persons injured by routine pediatric vaccines in the event of rare adverse events and litigates petitions for compensation. The Director of CSTL supervises subordinate staff, which includes Assistant Directors and SES Deputy Directors. Analyzes proposed legislation and Executive Orders which may affect the work of the Torts Branch. In managing Constitutional Torts, the Director: personally reviews difficult and precedent-setting cases of unusual complexity; applies the facts in each situation to regulatory criteria in deciding requests for representation; handles legal issues arising out of the provision of individual capacity representation by DOJ to federal employees, as well as issues arising out of the implementation of the Federal Employees Liability Reform and Tort Compensation Act of 1988. consults with leadership on litigation strategy, settlement, and appellate prospects in high-profile and sensitive policy-driven cases; approves the hiring of consultants and experts and approves litigation expenses; and oversees the Civil Division's Private Counsel Program. In managing the RECA Program, the Director: has executive level oversight for the outcome in every claim, either to approve or deny compensation in accordance with statutory criteria; presents to the designated RECA Appeals Officer cases on appeal from the denial of monetary compensation under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act; approves referral to Office of the Inspector General when there is suspicion of fraud on behalf of a claimant. In managing VICP litigation, the Director: has executive level oversight of the staff; reviews sensitive, medically and legally complex moving papers and brief at the trial and appellate level; approves settlements; advises Department leadership on policy-based issues; and plans for additional staff funding and resource allocation to accommodate expanding litigation demands.
Salary
Qualifications
The application process used to recruit for this position is RESUME-ONLY. Applicants must show clear evidence of their demonstrated leadership ability by addressing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) embedded within their resume. The resume-based application should not exceed 2 pages (1-sheet double-sided or 2 sheets one-sided) **Note: Applicants who have completed the SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) and have had their ECQs certified by OPM must provide a copy of their certificate as part of their application. Candidates must still satisfy the MTQs of the position. We recommend that your resume emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of the programs managed, and your program accomplishments, including the results of your actions. You will be evaluated to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications required of the position and to the extent your application demonstrates that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of the Director. Please be sure to give concrete examples of your experience and demonstrate the complexity of the knowledge you possess. ECQ1 - COMMITMENT TO THE RULE OF LAW AND THE PRINCIPLES OF THE AMERICAN FOUNDING. Demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the Rule of Law, and commitment to serve the American people. ECQ2 - DRIVING EFFICIENCY. Demonstrated ability to strategically and sufficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades. ECQ3 - MERIT AND COMPETENCE. Demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality. ECQ4 - LEADING PEOPLE. Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals; To drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture. ECQ5 - ACHIEVING RESULTS. Demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors. For this position, the following Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) have been established and should be addressed within the resume application. MTQ1 - Demonstrated legal experience and expertise that includes defending government employees personally in federal court from constitutional, common-law tort, and state or federal statutory damage claims, as well as the activities involved in assigned programs. MTQ2 - Demonstrated experience in planning and oversight of the activities of a legal organization, including developing legal strategies in U.S. courts and providing sound and timely legal counsel.
Education
Applicants must possess a J.D. degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association, have at least 5 years of relevant post-J.D. experience, and be an active member of the bar in good standing a state, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. IMPORTANT: Applicants are responsible for citing J.D. and bar membership information (institution name, state(s) for bar, and dates) on their respective resumes.
Required Documents
To a apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: Complete Resume that addresses the MTQs and ECQs. Your resume must not exceed 2 pages. Recent SF-50 that shows Official Title, Salary, Grade Level Recent Performance Appraisal (for current or former federal employees) Proof of active bar membership Provide certification of OPM QRB approval (for graduates of SES Candidate Development Programs) Other supporting documentation as required.
How to Apply
1. Click "Apply Online" to get started. 2. If you're not logged in to your USAJOBS account, you will need to login. If you don't have an account, please create one. 3. You will be prompted to select one of your stored (or uploaded) resumes, and any supporting documents you have uploaded to USAJOBS. If you have not uploaded these documents, you can do so later before submitting your application. 4. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, you will be asked to submit your demographic information (if you have provided this in your profile). Submission is optional and anonymous. 5. You'll be asked to confirm your choices and certify the accuracy of your information before you're able to continue to the Application Manager system. Until you see the blue border and DOJ logo, you are still on USAJOBS. You'll see a folder animation just before you leave USAJOBS. 6. Once you reach DOJ's Application Manager system, you'll be asked to verify the information you transmitted from USAJOBS. You will then respond to the application assessment questionnaires and indicate your eligibility options. 7. After responding to the questionnaires, you will have the opportunity to attach the documents you brought over from USAJOBS *OR* upload documents directly from your computer or device. 8. If you opt to upload a document directly, click the "Upload" button and select the document on your device, then wait for the upload to finish. Repeat as needed. Documents must be less than 3 MB each and should be in a compatible file format. 9. Once all your documents are uploaded, you must assign the uploads to the appropriate document category. You may attach more than one document to each category. Click the drop-down menu for a document category, and select one of the available options in the menu. The document will be listed under this category. You can click the drop-down again to add other documents, as needed. You can have up to 15 document assignments. 10. Once you've uploaded and assigned all your documents to an appropriate document type, you can proceed to the final verification step, and click Submit. 11. If you have correctly submitted your application, you will receive an automated e-mail notification within 30-60 minutes. Be sure to review the announcement fully to make sure that your application contains everything that is required. If you need help with the application process, please see the USAJOBS Help Site (for everything on the USAJOBS-side), or the Application Manager Help Site (for everything on the DOJ-side). Regrettably, the Department of Justice cannot assist you with USAJOBS account issues. If you contact us for assistance and the problem is related to your USAJOBS account, we will have to direct you to USAJOBS to remedy the issue.
Benefits
https//help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Pay_and_Benefits
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