ATTORNEY-ADVISER (GENERAL)

The primary purpose of this position is to serve as an Attorney-Advisor in the Air Combat Command (ACC) Office of the Staff Judge Advocate.

Duties

• Provides legal advice to ACC clients concerning ACC Future Total Force (FTF) basing concepts and operational concepts. Serves as primary legal advisor to ACC clients on questions related to Total Force (TF) planning and implementation of basing and operational concepts with a particular emphasis on preserving unity of command within the confines of the US Constitution and the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).
• Provides full spectrum legal advice to ACC clients on entire breadth of complex legal issues related to TF basing and operational concepts with a special emphasis on preserving unity of command and the UCMJ. Negotiates with representatives of the Air Force Reserve Command, the National Guard Bureau, and state government authorities.
• ACC's primary legal advisor on evaluating the constitutionality of basing concepts and ensuring operational concepts comply with federal law, to include the UCMJ. Collaborates with legislative liaisons to draft new or change existing legislation that enables implementation of the Air force TF integration policy.
• Drafts and negotiates TF association plans (APlans), memorandums of agreement (MOAs), memorandums of understanding (MOUs), in support of component integration using understanding of the potential impact of relevant legal authorities on Air Force global missions, ACC installations, ACC operations, state and national guard operations, and all related legal implications.

Salary

• $123,914 - $161,090/year

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship is required
• If authorized, PCS will be paid IAW JTR and AF Regulations. If receiving an authorized PCS, you may be subject to completing/signing a CONUS agreement. More information on PCS requirements, may be found at: https://afciviliancareers.com/regulatory/
• Males must be registered for Selective Service, see www.sss.gov.
• Attorney appointments are subject to serve a one-year probationary period.
• Candidates are not required to have active duty service or veterans’ preference to be referred and considered. All qualified candidates who meet the recruitment assessment criteria will be referred to the selecting official.
• Work may occasionally require travel away from the normal duty station on military or commercial aircraft/vehicle to conferences, meetings, or functions away from the duty office/location. Travel may include overnight stays.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI)
• Must have a law degree (J.D. or LL.M) from an ABA accredited law school and be an active (or equivalent) member, in good standing, of the bar of the highest court of a state, US commonwealth, US territory, or the District of Columbia
• Five years of relevant experience or an advanced law degree in any subject demonstrating the ability to master difficult and complex areas of specialty with the law is desired
• Advance in hire may be authorized if there is demonstrable proof on your resume

Qualifications GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:

• You MUST have successfully completed a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and have the first professional law degree (LLB or JD).
• In addition, at the time of application, you must provide proof, dated within four months of application, of "active" status with a bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. commonwealth, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia. On-line information is allowed as long as it shows that you are in "active" status.

Specialized Experience: In addition to the basic requirement: you must have professional legal experience in excess of three (3) years that commensurate with the position's duties and responsibilities.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:

1. Thorough knowledge of federal civil procedure, the Uniform Code of Military Justice, constitutional law analysis, labor law, military justice to include a strong background in the practical administration of the UCMJ, fiscal law, labor law, general civil law, Reserve (components) and National Guard force structure, mission, and operations; DoD and Air Force policies and procedures as they relate to Future Total Force integration and Air Force policy on Future Total Force basing and operational concepts.

2. Knowledge of the U.S. Constitution; federal case law with a particular focus on the UCMJ and the practical administration of Air Force military justice; Air Force doctrine, policies, and practices associated with Future Total Force integration concepts; the United States Code (including Title 5, Title 10, and Title 32); the National Guard Bureau and Air Force Reserve components operations and personnel classification systems; Department of Defense and Air Force legal authorities related to force deployment and the warfighting mission (including those authorities related to manning, personnel classifications and fiscal law impact of personnel classifications related to the Air Force mission and National Defense Strategy).

3. Professional knowledge of labor relations law and institutions, including but not limited to military and civilian personnel law and regulations, Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA), the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

4. Highly skilled in written and oral advocacy, possessing superior negotiation skills, and capable of rational, logical thinking sufficient to prepare and present written briefs and oral arguments on behalf of the USAF, to protect the interests of ACC, to recognize, analyze, and segregate various legal aspects of complex factual situations, to write concise legal opinions, and to explain complex legal principles and recommend appropriate actions. Ability to plan, organize work, and meet deadlines with minimal required supervision.

5. Skill in analyzing and applying the law and relevant international standards to specific military situations. Producing legal reviews which are supported by statute, case law, and appropriate policy and regulations. Skill in devising negotiating strategies and then implementing those strategies with senior attorneys, federal, state, and local authorities and foreign officials. Ability to communicate effectively with a diverse group of individuals, in and outside the legal profession, both orally and in writing, in both formal and informal settings.

6. Professional knowledge of ethics law (to include the Joint Ethics Regulation (JER)), the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act (PA) sufficient to competently advise senior decision makers at Command level.

At the time of application, you must provide proof, dated within four months of application, of "active" status and in good standing with a bar of the highest court of a State, US commonwealth, US territory, or the District of Columbia. On-line information is allowed as long as it shows that you are in "active" status and dated within four months of application.

PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

VOLUNTEER WORK EXPERIENCE: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Education Must be a graduate of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association, and be currently licensed as an attorney, in active (or equivalent) status and in good standing, with the bar of a U.S. state, territory, or commonwealth. The attorney must maintain such bar membership in at least one jurisdiction during the entire course of employment with the Air Force. Other Information

Employed Annuitants (Reemployed Annuitants): Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. Click here for more information.

Writing Example: Prior to receiving an offer, you will be asked to provide a writing sample demonstrating your legal analytical skills.

120-Day Register: This announcement may result in a 120-day register that may be used to fill like vacancies for 120 days after the closing date. Applicants may be referred for consideration as vacancies occur.

Direct Deposit: All federal employees are required to have direct deposit.

Incentives: Recruitment and/or retention incentives may or may not be used.

Disabled veteran leave is available to a Federal employee hired on/after 5 Nov 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more. For more information, click here.

If you have questions regarding this announcement and have hearing or speech difficulties click here.

Tax Law Impact for PCS: On 22-Dec-2017, Public Law 115-97 - the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017" suspended qualified moving expense deductions along with the exclusion for employer reimbursements and payments of moving expenses effective 01-Jan-2018 for tax years 2018 through 2025. When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable. Visit GSA Bulletin FTR 20-04 here for additional information.

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be provided with your application. Applicants who do not submit required documentation to determine eligibility and qualifications will be eliminated from consideration. Other documents may be required based on the eligibility/eligibilities you are claiming. Click here to view the AF Civilian Employment Eligibility Guide and the required documents you must submit to substantiate the eligibilities you are claiming.

1. Online Application: Questionnaire
2. Resume: For qualification determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week (if part-time) and dates of employment (i.e., month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as insufficient and you will not receive consideration for this position. If you are a current Federal employee or previous Federal employee, provide your pay plan, series and grade, i.e. GS-0301-09. Current Federal Civilian Employees should list any relevant performance related rating (given within the last three years) and/or incentive awards in your resume. Do NOT include photographs (or links to social media such as LinkedIn), inappropriate material, inappropriate content, nor personal information such as age, gender, religion, social security number, etc., on your resume.
3. License: At the time of application, you must provide proof, dated within four months of application, of "active" status with a bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. commonwealth, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia. On-line information is allowed as long as it shows that you are in "active" status.

ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: The VOW Act requires federal agencies to treat an eligible active duty service member as a veteran, disabled veteran, and preference eligible (as applicable) when applying for civil service positions before the effective release or discharge date. Appointment of military members before the release or discharge date is permissible if the member is on terminal leave. At the time the active duty member applies for a civil position, he or she must submit a "certification" memo in lieu of a DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. The certification memo must originate from the member's military service branch on official letterhead and contain the following:

• Name/Rank/Grade of Service Member
• Branch of Armed Forces
• Dates of Active Service (Start and End Date(s)
• Expected Date of Discharge/Release from Active Duty
• Terminal leave start date (if applicable)
• Expected character of service/discharge (honorable/general) and type of separation (i.e. separation or retirement)
• Must be certified within 120 days of anticipated discharge
• Signature by, or by direction of the adjutant, personnel office, unit commander, or higher headquarters commander

NOTE: The VOW Act provides tentative preference. If appointed, a DD Form 214 must be submitted upon receipt.

NOTICE OF VETERANS' PREFERENCE:
There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Defense considers veterans' preference eligibility a positive factor for attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation to their submissions.

Although the point-preference system is not used, applicants eligible to claim Veterans Preference must submit VOW certification memo or copy of the official DD Form 214, which must include the character of service, and a Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference," and supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed. (SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preference and the required supporting documents, is available from the Office of Personnel Management Website at www.opm.gov.)

NOTE: Applicants for attorney appointments do not require veterans' preference in order to be eligible for consideration.

How to Apply

The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 11/20/2024

To preview the Application Questionnaire, please click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12602167

To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the application questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Application button at the end of the process.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

1. Your Resume (your latest resume will be used to determine your qualifications). If you submit more than one copy of your resume, only the most recent (latest) version will be reviewed. The latest timestamp will be used to determine which version of your resume is "most recent."

• It is your responsibility to check the status and timestamp of all documents you submit as part of your application.
• If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, you will not be considered for this vacancy.
• For qualification determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week (if part-time) and dates of employment (i.e., hours per week and month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as insufficient and you will not receive consideration for this position.
• Ensure your resume contains your full name.

2. A complete Application Questionnaire

3. Additional Required Documents (see Required Documents section). Ensure all submitted documents contain your full name.

4. Optional Documents: Performance Appraisals for Current Federal Civilian Employees - Most recent performance appraisals (dated within last 3 years) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable.

PLEASE NOTE: It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and/or uploaded, (i.e., resume) is received, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. You may verify your documents have been processed with your application package successfully. You can access your USAJOBS account to do so by clicking here. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.

Human Resources WILL NOT modify or change any answers submitted by an applicant.

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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