Attorney Advisor (General)

This is a Public Notice. Please read this Public Notice in its entirety prior to submitting your application for consideration. This position is located within the Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), The Office of the Under Secretary (UNSEC), Office of the General Counsel (OGC), Enforcement Section with one (1) vacancy located in Gloucester, MA.

Duties

As an Attorney-Advisor in the NOAA Office of the General Counsel, Enforcement Section:

The Attorney Advisor will join a national team of civil enforcement attorneys who are charged with protecting ocean ecosystems, living marine resources, and marine sanctuaries. The work of the Attorney Advisor will be diverse and complex. The Attorney Advisor will work with federal and state law enforcement agencies to investigate violations of marine resource conservations laws such as the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Lacey Act. The Attorney Advisor will be responsible for all phases of civil administrative litigation including charging decisions, discovery, motions practice, and trial practice.

In addition, the Attorney Advisor will provide guidance on legislative and regulatory issues; work with the Department of Justice on criminal cases; and provide training to federal and state law enforcement partners. The Attorney Advisor may also serve as a legal advisor to U.S. delegation to various international fisheries management meetings, working with the NOAA Fisheries Office of International Affairs, Trade and Commerce and the Department of State to develop effective enforcement positions in the international arena to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. Finally, the Attorney Advisor may contribute to capacity building efforts internationally on issues related to fisheries enforcement and prosecution. For additional information about the General Counsel Enforcement Section, see https://www.noaa.gov/general-counsel/gc-enforcement-section.

The attorney(s) will be hired at the GS-12 through GS-15 grade levels, depending on experience. The promotion potential for this position is GS-15 level.

Salary

• $98,240 - $191,900/year

Conditions of Employment

Conditions of employment:

• The incumbent is required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450), within 30 days after entrance-on-duty date, and annually thereafter.
• This position is designated as Position Sensitivity 5, Moderate Risk, and is subject to all requirements applicable to that designation.

Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Key Requirements:

• Position is in excepted service.
• Payment of relocation/recruitment expenses or incentives is not authorized.
• Applicants must successfully complete a background security investigation.
• Applicants must be suitable for Federal employment.
• Applicant must be a US citizen or National to apply for this position.
• Applicants must complete a 2 year trial period.
• Applicants must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
• This position is in the bargaining unit.
• 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.

Qualifications

This position has positive education requirements. Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement:

• Applicants must be law school graduates with LL.B. or J.D. degrees. (Copy of Transcripts MUST be provided with your application package to receive further consideration.) 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. (Certificate of bar membership and proof of good standing is required prior to receiving a job offer. Failure to provide your certificate of bar membership and proof of good standing will result in lost consideration.)

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.

Specialized Experience for all grades:

• NOAA seeks attorneys with a comprehensive knowledge of Federal environmental statutes and conservation laws, as well as laws and regulations related to the implementation and oversight of large-scale natural resource restoration projects.
• Applicants must have a demonstrated ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing and to identify and resolve complex legal issues.
• Applicants also must demonstrate the ability to manage large projects independently, assimilate large amounts of materials quickly, balance a large and diverse workload, and work effectively in a team with other attorneys and support staff.
• Significant academic achievement in law school (such as top 20% class ranking, graduation with honors, judicial clerking experience, or participation in moot court or law review) or experience practicing environmental law will be favorably considered.

The career ladder for attorney positions in OGC is generally GS-12 to GS-15. Applicants may be hired at any of the grades shown in this announcement, commensurate with the candidate's experience and qualifications. You are encouraged to identify the grade level(s) or salary for which you wish to be considered. The minimum qualifications for hiring at each grade level (or equivalent) are as follows:

To qualify at the GS-12 level:

Holds a professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) from an accredited law school; and

Must be an active member in good standing of a State bar, the bar of the District of Columbia, the bar of a U.S. territory, or the bar of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

To qualify at the GS-13 level:

Holds a professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) from an accredited law school;

Must be an active member in good standing of a State bar, the bar of the District of Columbia, the bar of a U.S. territory, or the bar of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and possess a minimum of twenty four months of relevant legal experience.

To qualify at the GS-14 level:

Holds a professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) from an accredited law school;

Must be an active member in good standing of a State bar, the bar of the District of Columbia, the bar of a U.S. territory, or the bar of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and possess a minimum of three years relevant legal experience.

To qualify at the GS-15 level:

Holds a professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) from an accredited law school;

Must be an active member in good standing of a State bar, the bar of the District of Columbia, the bar of a U.S. territory, or the bar of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and possess a minimum of four years relevant legal experience.

Education Applicants must possess a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree or equivalent from an accredited law school. Official or unofficial law school transcripts must be submitted with your application package. Note: Your law school transcript is used to verify successful completion of a degree, or college course work. An official law school transcript will be required before you can report to duty. Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website. You MUST provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation by the closing date of the announcement will result in lost consideration. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated visit: OPM Foreign Education Evaluation. Other Information

Salary Ranges:
GS-12: $98,240-$127,707
GS-13: $116,820-$151,870
GS-14: $138,046-$179,462
GS-15: $162,377-$191,900

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.

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.

NOAA participates in e-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that enables participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.

NOAA places a high value on diversity of experience and cultural perspectives and encourages applications from all interested eligible candidates. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are fundamental principles that guide the Department and allow us to successfully achieve our mission.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.

Required Documents

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. A complete application consists of the following:

• Cover letter. Address demonstrated interests and qualifications as it relates to the position.

• Resume showing relevant experience. Your resume should list your educational and work experience, including the dates (mm/dd/yyyy) and provide the hours per week, if less than 40. For work in the Federal Service, please include the pay plan and grade level for the position(s).

• Copy of law school transcript. (Unofficial copy is sufficient, but official copy must be submitted before appointment). You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient.

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)

Failure to provide documents, if selected, may result in lost consideration.

Please DO NOT put your SSN on pages within your application package. Privacy Act - Privacy Act Notice (PL 93-579): The information requested here is used to determine qualifications for employment and is authorized under Title 5 U.S.C. 3302 and 3361.

How to Apply

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING RESUMES AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION: Your complete application, including required documents, must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.

Please send the following documents to gc.attorney.vacancy@noaa.gov with Subject Line: "Attorney-Advisor - Enforcement Section"

1. Cover letter
2. Resume
3. Official or unofficial transcripts

For instructions on submitting your application in an alternate format, please contact the Agency Contact listed in this vacancy announcement.

Contact Address: NOAA, Office of the General Counsel, 14th & Constitution Avenue NW Washington DC 20230

Benefits

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. Learn more about federal benefits.

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