Attorney-Advisor

Closing Date: 1st April, 2024

Description:

Summary:
The Office of Inspector General is an independent office within the EPA that helps the agency protect the environment in a more efficient & cost effective manner. We perform audits, evaluations, & investigations of the EPA to promote economy, efficiency, and to prevent and detect fraud, waste and abuse. We strive to provide solutions to problems that ultimately result in making America a cleaner and healthier place.

Duties:
This position is located in the EPA Office of Inspector General's Office of Special Review and Evaluation, Administrative Investigations Directorate.

AID conducts administrative investigations of allegations of misconduct by senior agency employees and complaints of whistleblower reprisal by agency employees, or employees of agency contractors, subcontractors, grantees, subgrantees or personal services contractors. The office also performs special reviews of significant events and emergent issues of concern that involve a suspected or alleged violation of law, regulation, or policy, or allegations of serious mismanagement.

As an Investigative Counsel, you will be responsible for:

• Conducting administrative investigations into allegations of misconduct, gross mismanagement, gross waste of funds, and abuses of authority by senior agency officials, as well as allegations of whistleblower reprisal against agency employees, contractors and grantees. This includes developing investigative plans, conducting interviews of witnesses and subjects, and analyzing documentary evidence;
• Drafting legal documents and other materials in connection with ongoing investigations, including subpoenas, document requests, and analytical memoranda;
• Conducting legal research on substantive legal matters encountered during investigations, including determining applicable legal precedent, applying civil, and administrative laws to specific fact patterns, and assessing sufficiency of evidence following investigative activities; and
• Engaging with a wide range of sources, including whistleblowers, regarding potential or ongoing administrative investigations.

Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:

• You must be a U.S. citizen.
• Background Investigation Required.
• Position has education requirements--see Qualifications/Education section.
• Position has education requirements--see Qualifications/Education section.
• EPA and non-EPA applicants must submit transcripts/course listings.
• Pre-employment drug testing is required and random testing thereafter.
• You must submit a resume and required documents--see How to Apply section.
• Submit a current resume and a writing sample (5-10 pages in length).

If you are a male born after December 31, 1959 you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law.

Selectees will be required to complete a "Declaration of Federal Employment", (OF-306), prior to appointment and the appropriate background investigation forms to determine suitability for Federal employment. False statements or responses on these forms can jeopardize your employment opportunity and subject you to disciplinary action, including removal from Federal service.

The selectee will be required to complete a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the I-9 Form. We will compare information provided on the I-9 Form to records available from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The system confirms employee's identity and eligibility to work in the United States. Learn more about e-verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

Upon appointment, you may be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-450. You will need to provide the information annually.

Depending on your status, this position may require serving a 1-year trial period.

Selectee must submit to a drug test and receive negative test results before being appointed. After appointment, you will be subject to random testing for illegal drug use.

Qualifications:
In addition to the mandatory education requirement, all applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal Service.

Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the candidate with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:
Qualifications Information
Applicants must possess a J.D., LL.M or LL.B. degree and be an active member of the bar in good standing (any jurisdiction) and must have at least two or more years of post J.D./LL.B. experience, including knowledge of Federal statutes and regulations, experience in working collaboratively with DOJ or USAO that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge and ability to successfully perform the duties of the position.

To qualify at the GS-14 level, applicants must have three or more years of post-J.D. legal experience, one of which was specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-13 grade level, and an active bar status in good standing.

To qualify at the GS-15 level, applicants must have four or more years of post-J.D. legal experience, one of which was specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-14 grade level, and an active bar status in good standing.

Examples of specialized experience include:
Legal work performed is characterized by one or more of the following features:

• Extremely complex and difficult legal questions or factual issues which are involved in the drafting, interpretation, or application of legislation, regulations, contracts, orders, decisions, opinions, or other legal instruments and require for their solution a high order of original and creative legal endeavor in order to obtain a reasonable balance of conflicting interests; or complex factual or policy issues are involved requiring extensive research, analysis, and obtaining and evaluating of expert testimony or information in controversial areas of scientific, financial, corporate, medical, engineering, or other highly technical areas.
• Cases or problems which have the effect of substantially broadening or restricting the activities of an agency; or have an important impact on a major industry whose economic position affects the health and stability of the general economy. Cases or problems have an important impact on major private or public interests. Also included are problems of unusual delicacy, such as fraud cases, because of the serious consequence of error and the great burden of proof assumed by the Government.
• Cases or problems frequently involving, directly or indirectly, senior Agency officials are frequently vigorously contested by extremely capable legal talent. Interest in these investigations is generally nationwide.

Evidence of the above specialized experience must be supported by detailed documentation of duties performed in positions held. Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your skills, knowledge, and abilities as they relate to this position. Therefore, we encourage you to be clear and specific when describing your experience. We will not make assumptions regarding your experience or based on job titles alone. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

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.

Applicants must meet the qualifications for this position within thirty (30) days of the closing date of this announcement.

Education:
Mandatory Education Requirement.
This is an attorney position. Applicants must have a Juris Doctorate degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and must be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia. Active bar membership (of any jurisdiction) is required.

You Must provide transcripts to support your educational claims. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable during the application process. Official transcripts will be required upon appointment.

All materials must be submitted by the closing date of this announcement.

All education claimed by applicants will be verified.

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