Closing Date: 4th March, 2026

Description:

Summary:
This position is in Region 10, Office of Regional Counsel, General Law and FOIA Branch. About: Region 10.

This is an office-centered position--you must physically report to one of the duty stations stated in this announcement on a regular basis (location TBD after candidate selected).

Duties:
At the entry level of this position, you will:
GS-11:

Provide legal advice, perform legal research, prepare legal documentation, and provide policy recommendations to enforce matters of environmental law.
Participate in litigation activities with senior attorneys for matters arising under environmental statutes.
Draft Agency determinations, proposed regulations, and Federal Register notices to be published in the Federal Register.
Perform negotiation and informal dispute resolution in consent orders and judgements of disputed matters.

When entering a Federal job at a grade level lower than the highest promotion potential level, you may be promoted to more complex duties and work more independently, as your career progresses. NOTE: Career ladder promotions are not automatic, and all eligibility and qualifications requirements must be met in order to progress to the next grade level.

One or more positions may be filled (in the organization advertised and/or in other organizations), if appropriate to the position.

Grow your career for the good of our planet
The environmental challenges we face today are urgent. At the Environmental Protection Agency, we need professionals like you to join our team dedicated to safe, clean, and healthy communities. Our agency is built upon a commitment to protect human health and the environment. The work we do here changes the world. That's why there has never been a more crucial moment to be one of the scientists, engineers, community leaders, IT specialists, communicators, administrative professionals, technicians, problem solvers, and innovators united in our mission to protect our land, air, water, and people. Join us. Be EPA.

Discover how you can apply your skills to make an impact. Explore careers and learn more about EPA at epa.gov/careers.

Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:

You must be a U.S. citizen.
You must submit a resume and required documents--see How to Apply section.

This position is designated as High Risk and requires a background investigation. Unless an appropriate background investigation is already on record with the Office of Personnel Management, you must undergo a background investigation. All conditions of the pre-employment security process must be met before an official letter of employment can be issued with a report for duty date.

You must self-certify annually and in writing that you hold an active bar membership.

If you are selected, you may be required to complete a one-year trial period.

If you have not yet passed the bar exam, offer of employment will be contingent upon admission to the bar and licensure/authorization to practice as an attorney.

REAL ID requirements became effective on 05/07/25. If you are selected for this position and plan to use your driver's license or identification card during the onboarding process (i.e., for employment eligibility verification or to obtain your EPA identification card), the document must be a REAL ID-compliant state-issued driver's license or identification card that includes the REAL ID-compliant star marking, or must be an Enhanced Driver's License (EDL). You will receive information about alternative acceptable documents (e.g., passport) prior to onboarding. For more information about REAL ID, see Dept. of Homeland Security (https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dhs.gov%2Freal-id&data=05%7C02%7CCurtis.Susan%40epa.gov%7C2c7d5b62d9a74c452c4c08dd0a320462%7C88b378b367484867acf976aacbeca6a7%7C0%7C0%7C638677932622165029%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=jC78w3UVEoV4boT8JTVG3%2Fnv6chNlhHQgh78MSJKG0o%3D&reserved=0) and REAL ID FAQs. (https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dhs.gov%2Freal-id%2Freal-id-faqs&data=05%7C02%7CCurtis.Susan%40epa.gov%7C2c7d5b62d9a74c452c4c08dd0a320462%7C88b378b367484867acf976aacbeca6a7%7C0%7C0%7C638677932622177920%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=oCMXJqnb4dsF7f77zTQUdGO8bpIZQksw7T5SoC1%2BgHE%3D&reserved=0

If you are selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure form within 30 days of your first day of employment and annually thereafter.

#LI-Onsite

Qualifications:
Note: You must meet qualification requirements, including any requirements described in the Education section, by the closing date of this announcement.

In addition to the educational requirements, you must meet the minimum grade-specific qualifications as described below:
To qualify for the GS-11 level, you must have either:

an LL.M. degree
Or
at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level defined as experience performing legal research and drafting legal memorandums, briefs, or other documents.
Or
completed superior law student activities while earning a J.D. degree. Superior law student activities include:
Academic standing in upper third of law school graduating class;
Work or achievement of significance on law school's law review;
Special high-level honors for academic excellence, such as election to Order of the Coif;
Winning of a moot court competition or membership on the moot court team representing the law school in competition with other law schools;
Full-time or continuous participation in a legal aid program or significant summer law office clerk experience; or
Other equivalent evidence of clearly superior achievement, as determined by the hiring office and documented in writing for the case file.

To qualify for the GS-12 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level defined as having working knowledge of general law and experience performing legal research and providing legal advice and policy recommendations.

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.
If you have part-time work experience, read this: Part-Time Experience. (https://www.epa.gov/careers/epa-job-vacancy-announcements-policies-and-procedures#parttime)

Education:
You must:

possess a J.D. or LL.M. degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university or equivalent apprentice experience as allowed per state law; and
be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any state, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia; and
be an active member of the bar of any U.S. jurisdiction in good standing.

Note: Bar membership and licensure are not required at the time of application, but you must be admitted to the bar and obtain your license before entry on duty.

For information about accreditation requirements, visit Accreditation. (https://www.epa.gov/careers/epa-job-vacancy-announcements-policies-and-procedures#edu)

Additional Information:
Except in special circumstances, those new to the federal government will be hired at the starting salary (step 1) of the applicable grade range listed in the Overview section.

EPA 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. For additional information: E-Verify. (https://www.epa.gov/careers/epa-job-vacancy-announcements-policies-and-procedures#edu)

This position is excluded from provisions of the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP).

Selection under this appointment authority does not confer civil service competitive status.

About the Office of Regional Counsel, Region 10: Office of Regional Counsel (https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/organization-epas-region-10-office-seattle#orc)

If you have questions about this position, contact Shannon Connery at connery.shannon@epa.gov.

If you are selected, travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid by EPA. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expenses associated with reporting to work in this position will be your responsibility.

This position is not in the bargaining unit.

Additional Information:
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passion