Closing Date: 29th October, 2024

Description:

Summary:
This position is located in the Division of Litigation and General Law, Office of Chief Counsel, A Government Entity. This position is established to provide advice and representation on a wide range of Federal Environmental law issues. The employee provides planning guidance to the environmental implications of the A Government Entity's various programs.

Duties:
As an Attorney Advisor (Environmental) you will:

Provide legal advice, guidance, and legal services relating to operating units with the A Government Entity on matters involving: the application of international, Federal, state, and local environmental laws affecting the maritime industry, as well as proposals for such laws.
Serve as Agency counsel to the Department of Justice in proceedings before the Federal courts relating to the activities of the A Government Entity, particularly where such litigation involves environmental compliance issues.
Represent the Office of the Chief Counsel and/or the A Government Entity in meetings with other operating units within the Department of Transportation or with other Governmental entities with particular, although not necessarily exclusive, reference to environmental laws.
Perform research on general law issues as assigned relating to the programs and operations of the Maritime Administration; investigate facts and statues, regulations, policies, and case law applicable to claims by or against the Maritime Administration arising under the statutes, regulations and other laws applicable to the Maritime Administration, such as actions brought under the Federal Tort Claims Act, the Suits in Admiralty Act, the Public Vessels Act, or the Jones Act.
Provide legal advice and guidance to operating units within the Maritime Administration to ensure compliance with the applicable laws of the United States and international law, with particular reference to the environmental laws applicable to the Maritime Administration's operations.
Handle litigation as assigned relating to the programs and operations of the Maritime Administration.

The ideal candidate must have solid analytic skills in terms of statutes and regulatory issues and be currently admitted to legal practice in a State or other jurisdiction of the United States.

Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:

This is an Excepted Service position.
Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.
Required documents must be submitted by the closing date.
You must be a U.S. Citizen and eligible for consideration.

Conditions of Employment:

Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
Trial Period: This is an Excepted Service position. This job will be filled by an alternative hiring process and is not in the competitive service. Applicants selected for an excepted service position may be subject to a two-year trial period.
Government travel card: This position involves travel. A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
Background investigation: You will be required to complete a background/security investigation and meet preliminary requirements prior to onboarding.
Ethics/Conflict of Interest Statement: All employees are subject to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch, set out in Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 2635, including restrictions on owning financial interests that may conflict with performance of their duties. Some employees, like those involved in contracting or regulating non-Federal entities, are subject to Executive Branch Financial Disclosure requirements set out in Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 263.
Position Sensitivity and Risk: Varies by position and will be based on the position to which appointed.
Telework: This position may be eligible for occasional and/or regularly scheduled telework. The number of telework days approved will be determined by your immediate supervisor or manager following the agency's telework policy and guidance. If participating in the telework program, you will be required to sign a telework agreement detailing agency telework policy requirements, working conditions, and expectations for the position.

Qualifications:
To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the specialized experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration.

To qualify for the Grade 12, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-11 it must include:
The candidate for the Attorney Advisor (Environmental) position in the Office of Chief Counsel, Division of Litigation and General Law, must have experience researching facts, statutes, regulations, policies, and case law, and composing papers presenting facts, analysis, and conclusions with reference to environmental law and some working knowledge of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

To qualify for the Grade 13, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-12, it must include:
The candidate for the Attorney Advisor (Environmental) position in the Office of Chief Counsel, Division of Litigation and General Law, must have at least one year of full-time legal experience post-graduation, during which time the candidate must have provided advice and representation on a full range of environmental law issues with moderate expertise with regards to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Clean Water Act (CAA), and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).

To qualify for the Grade 14, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-13, it must include:
The candidate for the Attorney Advisor (Environmental) position in the Office of Chief Counsel, Division of Litigation and General Law, must have at least two years of full-time legal experience post-graduation, during which time the candidate must have provided advice and representation on a full range of environmental law issues relating to government programs; worked on a wide range of legal concepts, principles, and practices; developing and presenting written and oral legal analyses and conclusions of law; and interpreting complex statutory framework with significant expertise with regard to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Clean Water Act (CAA), and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). The candidate also must have some experience in environmental litigation.

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:

Knowledge of Maritime - Related operations and the environmental issues associated with the operation of vessels and port facilities.
Strong Interpersonal Skills - Must be able to interact and communicate with others within the Federal Government and with the public.
Written Communication - Ability to write clearly with respect to correspondence and to provide sound and succinct legal analyses.

For all types of 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.

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

Education:
Mandatory Education Requirements:
In order to qualify for this position, candidates must have successfully completed a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and have a professional law degree and must currently be a member in good standing of the bar of a State or Territory of the United States or the District of Columbia.