Closing Date: 3rd March, 2026
Description:
Summary:Join the team! This position is located in the Headquarters Office of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the Division of General Law (GCGL), in the office of General Counsel. GCGL is responsible for providing legal advice and recommendations regarding many areas of law including: ethics (Standards of Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch), fiscal law, procurement, labor & employment, intellectual property and numerous other areas.
Duties:
While required to work effectively in all areas as listed above, it is highly desirable for the incumbent of this position to have substantive experience with procurement law. Experience in grants law is also highly desirable.
The primary responsibilities of this position include:
- Preparing legal opinions, interpretations, and recommendations with respect to statutes, executive orders, and regulations.
- Providing legal advice and recommendations to the Commission and other organizational components of the Commission.
- Reviewing certain documents prepared by operating staff for legal sufficiency, e.g. contracts, procurement solicitations, interagency agreements, proposed Commission regulations and directives, etc.
- Drafting and preparing certain Commission policies and regulations (e.g., government ethics).
- Representing the Commission before administrative law judges and administrative boards.
- Participating in discussions, meetings, and conferences with Commission staff and officials in proposing policy and implementation of statutes and regulations.
- Coordinating and consulting with the Department of Justice, Office of Government Ethics, the Comptroller General, the office of Management and Budget, the General Services Administration, and other federal agencies.
Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:
- Must be a U.S. Citizen.
- Must meet education requirements.
- A background investigation is required.
Must be a U.S. Citizen.
This is a Public Trust Position. Employment in this position requires a background investigation. If you are selected and cannot meet the criteria requirement for the pre-employment waiver and/or a favorable suitability determination within a reasonable period of time due to disclosed or undisclosed background issues, the employment offer may be withdrawn.
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. Please see http://www.sss.gov for more information.
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 (https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/i-9.pdf). 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 (https://www.e-verify.gov/employees/employee-rights-and-responsibilities), including your rights and responsibilities.
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, if converted, you will be required to serve a two (2) year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
- your performance and conduct;
- the needs and interests of the CPSC;
- whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the CPSC or the Government; and
- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Qualifications:
In addition to the mandatory education requirement, all applicants must have 52 weeks 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:
GS-12: Assisting with research, analysis and persuasive writing (which may include opinions, briefs, pleadings, or motions) relating to difficult legal questions involving two or more of the following legal areas of expertise: ethics, procurement, fiscal law, intellectual property, or negotiating settlement agreements.
GS-13: Completing research, analysis and persuasive writing (which may include opinions, briefs, pleadings, or motions) relating to difficult legal questions involving the following legal areas of expertise: 1) labor and employment law (including human resources matters); and 2) ethics, procurement, fiscal law, intellectual property, and negotiating settlement agreements.
GS-14: Independently completing research, analysis and persuasive writing (which may include opinions, briefs, pleadings, or motions) relating to difficult legal questions involving 1) labor and employment law (including human resources matters and representing clients before EEOC and MSPB); and 2) ethics, procurement, fiscal law, intellectual property, and negotiating settlement agreements.
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 by the closing date of this announcement.
Education:
Basic Requirement: All applicants must possess a J.D. or LL.B. degree and be an active member of the bar in good standing in any state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the commonwealth of Puerto Rico. All applicants are required to provide proof of current, active bar membership/good standing.
GS-12: In addition to the basic requirement and qualifying specialized experience, applicants must have either: (1) two years of experience as a practicing attorney); OR (2) one year of experience as a practicing attorney and a second professional law degree (LL.M).
GS-13: In addition to basic requirement and qualifying specialized experience, applicants must have three years of experience as a practicing attorney.
GS-14: In addition to basic requirement and qualifying specialized experience, applicants must have four years of experience as a practicing attorney.
ALL applicants must also submit proof of successful completion of education requirements. This proof may consist of a law school transcript or other documentation which provides clear and specific proof of education, such as a diploma. A copy of an SF-50 only is not adequate proof of meeting the education requirements. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. You MUST provide transcripts to support your educational claims. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.
All materials must be submitted by the closing date of this announcement.
All education claimed by applicants will be verified.
Additional Information:
CPSC provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact the Human Resources Specialist listed in this vacancy announcement.
Payment of relocation expenses is NOT authorized.
This appointment requires completion of a two year trial period unless you have previously successfully completed a trial period that meets the following: 1) in the same agency, 2) in the same line of work (as determined by the employee's actual duties and responsibilities) and 3) contains or is followed by no more than a single bre
