Attorney-Advisor (General)

You will serve as a Attorney-Advisor (General) with the Department of the Interior, Office of the Solicitor, Northeast Region, Twin Cities Regional Office located in Bloomington, MN. In particular, you will provide quality legal research, analysis, advice, and representation to various Department bureaus, including the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, and other officials of the Deparment.

Duties

Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following:

• Providing legal research, analysis, advice, representation, and other legal services, including drafting legal opinions, to the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) and other bureaus and officials of the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) on issues that arise with respect to the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA). OSMRE's primary objectives include ensuring that coal mines are operated in a manner that protects citizens and the environment during mining and ensures that the land is restored to beneficial use following mining, and to mitigate the effects of past coal mining.
• Handling administrative litigation in the DOI Office of Hearings and Appeals and assisting the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) with judicial litigation (e.g., conducting research, analysis, and interpretation of legal theory, laws, regulations, judicial and administrative court decisions, and other legal documents in the preparation and presentation of assigned litigation, hearings, appeals, and negotiations). This position may require drafting of litigation reports, motions and briefs, responding to discovery, reviewing administrative records, collecting evidence, developing legal theories, and other associated responsibilities.
• Advising, analyzing, and assisting OSMRE on rulemakings, enforcement actions, State program and reclamation plan amendments, policy initiatives, guidance documents, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) matters, or other agency decisions. This will require providing oral and written advice, including legal memoranda.
• Cooperating with officials and staff of OSMRE in its headquarters, regional, field, and area offices; officials and staff of other bureaus of DOI; other attorneys within the Office of the Solicitor, attorneys in DOJ, including attorneys in the offices of the U.S. Attorneys; officials and to in other Federal agencies; and State, local, or tribal officials. There may also be interactions with attorneys and others representing non-governmental interests, such as the coal industry or citizens' groups.

Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

Salary

• $97,582 - $178,265/year

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Direct Deposit participation required.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit www.dhs.gov/EVerify/.
• A financial disclosure report will be required within 30 days of appointment.
• You are required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority.
• Active bar membership is required for all attorneys engaged in the practice of law in Federal government.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 2-year trial period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.

This trial period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the trial period, such appointments are terminated.

Upon completion of your trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

In order to better assess your qualifications for this position, when preparing your cover letter please address your experience in or familiarity with the following: the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA); Administrative Procedure Act; the National Environmental Policy Act, the Freedom of Information Act, and various Federal laws related to bankruptcies, appropriations, and federal financial assistance, including grants. In addition, please address your experience in or familiarity with the following areas of legal work: research and writing legal memoranda and opinions; providing oral or written legal advice or recommendations to Federal, state, local, or tribal agencies, clients, judges, and/or senior attorneys; drafting
regulations or legislation; and litigating in Federal court or before an administrative law judge or appeals board.

Basic Qualification Requirements
Applicants must be law school graduates with LL.B. or J.D. degrees 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.

• To qualify for a GS-12 applicants must possess at least 2 years of professional legal experience following law school graduation;
• To qualify for a GS-13 applicants must possess at least 3 years of professional legal experience following law school graduation;
• To qualify for a GS-14 applicants must possess at least 4.5 years of professional legal experience following law school graduation;

For any of the grades indicated above you can also substitute one year of experience with any of the following:

• have a second professional law degree; OR
• meet any of the criteria indicated below;
  1. academic standing in top one-third of law school graduating class;
  2. graduation with academic honors;
  3. significant participation on the law school's law review;
  4. significant participation in the law school's moot court competition;
  5. significant participation in a clinical legal aid program;
  6. significant summer law office clerk experience; or
  7. other equivalent evidence of clearly superior achievement.

Candidates should have excellent oral communication, writing, research and analysis skills, and the ability to work effectively with other people, and exercise sound judgment.

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.

Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website:https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp

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

Education Education: 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 transcripts as proof of meeting the requirements. Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education. https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualification Other Information This position is in the excepted service and not subject to competitive service procedures. Merit promotion procedures do not apply. Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement. Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor. All Department of Interior (DOI) employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here, https://www.doi.gov/ethics/ethics-prohibitions. The duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval. Required Documents

All Applicants
The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 11/17/2026 - unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement:

1. Your resume must contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements as stated in this vacancy announcement and OPM qualification standards for each grade level(s) for which you are applying. It is strongly recommended that you use the USAJobs Resume Builder as it was designed to ensure that your resume includes the standard information needed. The Resume Builder is available at: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/account/documents/resume/build.
2. All college transcript(s), unofficial transcripts will be accepted at the time of application, but official transcripts will be required before entry on duty.
3. You must submit proof that you are licensed and authorized to practice law. Such proof can include a current active bar card, a screen print from a bar website that reflects you are an active member of the bar or a letter/certificate from the bar certifying you are licensed and authorized to practice law. Documents (bar card, screen print, letter/certificate) must be dated within 3 months of the closing date of the announcement. If using a screen print, make sure it is clear when the screen print was taken. For bar cards that do not have a date on them, please also submit a screen print or letter/certificate certifying you are licensed and authorized to practice law dated within 3 months of the announcement closing date.
4. Cover letter: A 1-2 page cover letter is required expressing your interest and qualifications for this position.

Current & Former Federal Employees
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)

If you are claiming veterans' preference you must submit a copy of your DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, by the closing date of this announcement. If you are currently on active military duty, you must provide documentation (e.g., campaign document, award citation, etc.), that verifies entitlement to veterans preference and that your character of military service is honorable. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, in addition to the DD-214, you must submit documentation that supports your claim (e.g., an official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs or from a branch of the Armed Forces certifying the existence of a service-connected disability; or receipt of a Purple Heart). If you fail to submit any of the required documentation, you will not be granted veterans preference. Additional information on veterans' preference can be found in the VetGuide.

How to Apply

Applications (resume and application questions) for this vacancy must be received on-line via USAJOBS BEFORE midnight Eastern Time (Washington, D.C. time) on the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to submit a complete online resume, you will not be considered for this position. Requests for extensions will not be granted.

Instructions for Applying Online for this Vacancy Announcement:1) Click the blue "Apply Online" button.2) If you are not a registered USAJOBS user, please create a new account and follow the instructions to complete your application process. If you are a registered user, login to access your existing USAJOBS profile.3) As a registered user, select a stored resume and select one or more of your stored documents to attach to your application.4) Check the "Certification" box and click the "Apply for this position now!" button located at the bottom of the screen.5) Address the eligibility questions as well as the questionnaire containing questions and/or task statements that address the knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies for this vacancy.6) Submit required documents using one of the available methods listed below.7) If you experience technical difficulties during the online application process, please contact the USAJOBS helpdesk.