Chief Counsel

The U.S. Department of Energy seeks an exceptional executive leader to serve as Chief Counsel. Drive legal excellence across landmark financing initiatives for next-generation American energy and manufacturing. Help anchor U.S. energy independence, fortify grid resilience, and deliver lower energy costs nationwide. Join DOE and build America's energy future.

Duties

Lead at the Intersection of Energy Security, Law, and Transformative Finance

Are you an innovative, seasoned executive ready to direct legal strategy for landmark federal financing initiatives? The U.S. Department of Energy is seeking an exceptional legal leader to serve as Chief Counsel for the Office of Energy Dominance Financing (EDF).

In this Senior Executive Service (SES) leadership role, you will be the final legal authority guiding monumental federal financing, loan guarantee, and direct loan programs-including Title XVII clean energy initiatives and Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing (ATVM) loans. You will lead a high-performing legal team at the forefront of national infrastructure development, protecting U.S. energy security, strengthening grid reliability, and driving down costs for all Americans.

Major Duties & Responsibilities

As Chief Counsel, you will serve as the principal legal advisor to EDF senior leadership and report to the General Counsel of the Department of Energy, exercising full legal and managerial direction over EDF's legal operations.

• Executive Legal Counsel & Strategic Leadership:

  • Serve as the principal legal advisor to EDF senior leadership and the final legal authority on all legal matters arising within EDF.
  • Direct organizational legal activities, set strategic plans, establish internal control standards for efficiency and risk mitigation, and evaluate organizational policy, program, and project viability.
  • Lead, manage, and mentor a team of senior project finance attorneys, contract specialists, and technical experts.

• Project Finance, Loan Guarantees & Transaction Oversight:

  • Provide comprehensive legal counsel on multi-million/billion-dollar loan transactions, loan guarantees, credit facilities, and project financing under Title XVII of EPAct 2005 and Section 136 of EISA 2007 (ATVM).
  • Review all loans issued, direct legal due diligence, and advise on the development and execution of loan agreements and credit policy.
  • Advise key governing bodies and boards, including the Credit Review Board (CRB), on the legal status, risk, and effectiveness of loan portfolios.

• Procurement, Acquisition & Commercial Contracting:

  • Serve as senior legal authority on federal procurement law, fiscal law, and acquisition policies.
  • Review contracts awarded by EDF, guide contracting officers and negotiators through complex legal principles, and oversee the negotiation of specialized commercial and contract terms.
  • Direct EDF's program for the detection, reporting, investigation, and remediation of contract fraud and antitrust violations.

• Litigation, Disputes & Interagency Representation:

  • Supervise EDF's participation in adversarial proceedings, determine settlement positions on pending litigation, and serve as the primary liaison with the Department of Justice (DOJ).
  • Represent EDF before the Comptroller General of the United States (GAO) and the General Services Administration Board of Contract Appeals on pre- and post-award bid protests.
  • Provide counsel on environmental compliance, Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)/Privacy Act matters.

• Legislative & Intergovernmental Affairs:

  • Direct EDF's legislative program, including drafting proposed statutory language, analyzing pending legislation and Executive Orders, and preparing reports to Congress.
  • Represent EDF in high-level consultations and negotiations with congressional committees, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), other federal agencies, and international partners.

Salary

• $199,172 - $228,000/year

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Subject to a 1-year SES probationary period (unless already completed).
• Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
• If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
• May be subject to pre-employment and random drug tests.
• File a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report OGE-278 within 30 days of appointment and annually from then on.
• You may be required to obtain and maintain an interim and/or final security clearance prior to entrance on duty. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal.

There are three key documents that contain important information about your rights and obligations. Please read and retain these documents:

• Noncriminal Justice Applicant's Privacy Rights, for those who undergo an FBI fingerprint-based criminal history record check for personnel vetting, which includes Rap Back,
• FD-258 Privacy Act Statement - FBI (this is the same statement used when your fingerprints are submitted as part of your background investigation), and
• SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov), (applicable to those who hold a sensitive position or have eligibility for access to classified information)

Qualifications

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. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

APPLICANTS MUST MEET ALL OF THE FOLLOWING MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE POSITION.

To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Technical Qualifications (TQ) related to this position within your resume - NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES, and a font size of no less than 10 points. Resumes over the 2-page limit, will not be reviewed beyond page 2 or may be disqualified. Your resume should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualification(s). If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position.

TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): Your resume must clearly demonstrate that you possess the following technical qualifications.

TQ 1: Demonstrated legal expertise in structuring, negotiating, documenting, and advising on complex federal credit transactions, including direct loans, loan guarantees, and project financing for major energy infrastructure and related projects under federal financing authorities.

TQ 2: Demonstrated expertise in federal statutory, fiscal, and administrative law governing or having a nexus with federal credit and financing programs, including the ability to identify, assess, and address legal issues across multiple areas of law, such as federal appropriations and fiscal law, bankruptcy and creditor rights, federal contracts and procurement, Davis- Bacon Act and other federal labor requirements, administrative and regulatory law, environmental law, litigation, and federal oversight requirements. Demonstrated experience advising senior federal leadership, exercising sound and independent legal judgment, coordinating specialized legal expertise, and reconciling programmatic objectives with the broader legal responsibilities and institutional interests of a federal department and program.

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): In addition to the Technical Qualification Requirements listed above, all new entrants into the Senior Executive Service (SES) under a career appointment will be assessed for executive competency against the following five mandatory ECQs. If your 2-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and TQs, you may not receive further consideration for the position. There are five ECQs:

• ECQ 1: Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding - This core qualification requires a 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.
• ECQ 2: Driving Efficiency - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades.
• ECQ 3: Merit and Competence - This core qualification involves the demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality.
• ECQ 4: Leading People - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable.
• ECQ 5: Achieving Results - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors.

Note: If you are a member of the SES or have been certified through successful participation in an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program (SESCDP), or have SES reinstatement eligibility, you do not need to respond to the ECQs. Instead, you should attach proof (e.g., SF-50, Certification by OPM's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB)) of your eligibility for noncompetitive appointment to the SES.

Education Attorney positions require a positive education. ALL Candidates must be a graduate of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association with a: Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree Must be a current member in good standing of the Bar of a state or territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. You must provide a copy in your application. **This position has a positive education requirement. Unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned (semester or quarter hour) and final grade is acceptable. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the educational requirements. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.** A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page. 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. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov) Other Information Veterans Preference: Veterans' preference is not applicable to the SES. Mobility: Organizational and geographical mobility is essential in developing and managing SES leaders. Individuals selected for SES positions members may be subject to reassignment across geographical, organizational, and functional lines, and may be required to sign a Reassignment Rights and Obligation Agreement. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement: http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/index.cfm Employment Information Resources - Resource Center: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to Males born after 12-31-1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx) OPM must authorize any employment offers made to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employees in the executive branch. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Noncareer SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose that to the Human Resources Office. Required Documents

A complete application includes items described below. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).

Please carefully review the following list to determine what documentation you need to submit. Some documents may not apply to all applicants.

1. RESUME: All applicants are required to submit a resume limited to two (2) pages (i.e., 1 page that is double-sided or 2 pages that are one-sided each) showing all relevant experience. A minimum of 10-point font is required. Applicants seeking initial career appointment to the Senior Executive Service (SES) must include evidence of the ECQs and TQs. PLEASE DO NOT USE USAJOBS RESUME BUILDER.

2. VACANCY QUESTION/ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES: Responses are automatically submitted through USA Jobs when you apply to this vacancy.

3. ADDITIONAL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: Applicants are required to submit the following supporting documentation if applicable:

• CURRENT OR FORMER SES MEMBERS: Must provide your SES appointment SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action), and an SF-50 showing current career SES status or career SES reinstatement eligibility.
• SES CANDIDATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (SESCDP) GRADUATES: Verification of successful completion of an OPM-approved SESCDP and OPM SES QRB certification.
• CURRENT OR FORMER FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEE: Must provide a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form reflecting you are a current Federal Civil Service employee.
• Unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned (semester or quarter hour) and final grade is acceptable depicting a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the educational requirements. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.
• Document depicting current member in good standing of the Bar of a state or territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete this application and submit any required documents specified in the Required Documents section and submit by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.

To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.

Follow the prompts to select and upload your résumé and/or other required documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the "Include Personal Information" section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.

You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.It is applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and uploaded, (i.e., resume and other required documents) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application.

Application packages will NOT be accepted via mail. Due to security processes, mail delivery takes approximately 2-3 weeks to process at which time the vacancy announcement will be closed, and no further consideration will be given to additional application packages.