General Attorney

This vacancy is for a GS-0905-13, General Attorney located in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard, D7 LEGAL STAFF -DL in MIAMI, Florida.

Duties

You will serve as a General Attorney and be responsible for providing legal advice to qualifying individuals located within the geographic boundaries of the Southeast Coast Guard District which includes the States of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgini Islands.

Being a Coast Guard civilian makes you a valuable member of the Coast Guard team. Typical work assignments include:

• Provide legal services withing the policy bounds established by Chief Counsel, state law, and bar ethical restrictions.
• Provide assistance in matters dealing with legal assistance to include competency with SCRA, USERRA, landlord/tenant, estate planning, family law, power of attorney, naturalization, citizenship and other matters deemed appropriate.
• Coordinate legal assistance services by attorneys assigned to the Southeast Coast Guard District and assist other attorneys, military and civilian within the area.

Salary

• $112,234 - $145,906/year

Conditions of Employment

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Do NOT include the following types of information in your resume:

• Social Security Number (SSN)
• Date of Birth (DOB)
• Photos of yourself (if included on your resume you will not be considered for this position)
• Personal information: such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.

Key Requirements:

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Must be registered or exempt from the Selective Service. See www.sss.gov
• A one-year probationary period may be required.
• Financial Disclosure Required.
• To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation.
• This is not a Bargaining Unit position.
• Selectee must be able to obtain/maintain a valid state driver's license.
• All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit.
• Must have bar membership in one of the 50 states, Washington DC, Puerto Rico, kor the US Virgin Islands.

The Office of Personnel management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule, C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Qualifications

To qualify at the GS-13 grade level, your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level in the federal or private sector. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work. Examples of specialized experience include performing the following types of tasks on a regular and recurring basis.

NOTE: All experience statements (i.e., duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire) copied from this announcement and pasted into your resume will not be considered as a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

Specialized experience may include the following:

• Proving personal legal assistance and representation to eligible personnel;
• Coordinating efforts of other Coast Guard attorneys providing legal assistance within geographic limits of the Seventh Coast Guard District;
• Providing advice to personnel concerning applicable federal, state, and local laws for complaints of discrimination arising in the civilian community and works with local civil rights;
• Assisting in matters dealing with power of attorney, naturalization, citizenship and other matters deemed appropriate.

NOTE: Education cannot be substituted for experience at this grade level.

National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer 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.

Education This position does have a positive education requirement. If you are including education on your resume, report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See Required Documents section for detail. Are you qualifying based on education? Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) from an accredited institution. Once selected & prior to appointment, applicants must provide an official college transcript. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the U.S. (see FOREIGN EDUCATION below). College Transcript: If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide all unofficial transcripts (undergraduate, graduate, etc.) by the closing date of this announcement or you will be disqualified from further consideration. Transcripts should be legible and detailed, showing course number and department (i.e., bio 101, math 210, etc.), course title, number of credit hours, and grade earned. If course content cannot be easily identified from the title of the course as listed on your transcript, you must submit an official course description from the college/university that reflects the content at the time the course was taken. FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications click here Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered. Student Loan - Selectee(s) for this position who are newly appointed to a permanent or term position may be eligible for student loan repayment up to $10,000 (pre-tax) for one calendar year. More than one loan may be repaid if the combined repayments do not exceed $10,000. Receipt of this incentive will require a three-year service agreement. Other Information E-Verify DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities. Fair Chance Act The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Homeland Security and its Components from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to raquelle.m.ferguson@uscg.mil. Suitability Statement If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment. Shared Certificates Statement Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions. Special Employment Consideration The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement. Moving expenses will be paid in accordance with appropriate regulations. If you need a reasonable accommodation for the application and hiring process, please contact raquelle.m.ferguson@uscg.mil. Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Visit Reasonable Accommodation More than 1 selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade, and unit occur within 45 days from the date the certificate was issued. Required Documents

Limit your resume to no more than two pages. The USAJOBS database will not allow an applicant to submit an application that includes a resume over two pages.

Resume showing relevant work/volunteer experience, education, and training. Include the start and end dates (mm/dd/yy to mm/dd/yy) AND the number of hours per week worked/volunteered.

Your responses to any applicable assessments.

Are you a current or former federal employee? Submit a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action that demonstrates your eligibility for consideration, e.g., length of time you have been in your current grade; your highest grade held; your current promotion potential and proof of permanent appointment if applying based on an interchange agreement. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, within-grade increases and accessions.
Are you qualifying based on education? Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) from an accredited institution. Once selected and prior to appointment, applicants must provide an official college transcript. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. In order to receive this credit, you must submit evidence of equivalency as provided by a credentialling evaluation service. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications

Political Appointees: OPM must authorize employment offers for former or current Political Appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information. Submit proof of your former or current status, such as your SF-50.

CTAP & ICTAP applicants MUST submit documentation verifying your eligibility. This includes a copy of your agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, most recent SF-50-Notification of Personnel Action noting your current position, grade level and duty location, and documentation from your agency showing your current promotion potential. View information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website.

Any other supporting documentation required for verification as described in the announcement.

NOTE: Failure to provide required documents could result in elimination of consideration.

How to Apply

Only resumes up to a total of two pages will be accepted. Applicants with resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration.

To begin your online application, click "Apply Online" to create a USAJOBS account and follow the prompts or log in to your existing account. Your application packet must include a resume and any applicable and or required supporting documentation. Please see the "Required Documents" section below for additional information. We encourage you to apply online.

Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. The address below is for inquiries only. You may apply more than once, but the most recent application is the only one that will be used. You must submit your resume, any applicable assessments, and any supporting documents by 11:59 PM eastern standard time on 12/17/2025.

It is your responsibility to verify that any information entered or uploaded is received and is accurate. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. Determining your eligibility and qualifications is dependent on the supporting documentation and information provided, which may impact your referral for further consideration. If a document is not legible, you will not be able to view it in your application.

If claiming eligibility under the VOW Act: The VOW Act requires Federal agencies to treat active duty service member as veterans, disabled veterans, and preference eligibles, when they submit, at the time they apply for a Federal job, a "certification" of active service in lieu of a DD214. In order to be considered under the VOW Act, the certification must specify that the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted with your application package for this job announcement. The certification must be on letterhead from the appropriate military branch and include the following information: military dates of service and expected discharge or release date, character of service, military rank, type of discharge, and date when terminal leave will begin. Certifications must be signed by, or by direction of military members' military personnel offices, unit commanders or higher headquarters. Agencies are required to verify a qualifying separation from military service prior to appointment, through the DD214 or other appropriate documentation. Your preference and/or appointment eligibility will be verified prior to appointment.

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact Raquelle Ferguson at raquelle.m.ferguson@uscg.mil to obtain an alternative application.

Benefits DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include flexible work schedules; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select "Benefits." Disabled veteran leave will be available to any federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service- connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.