Duties

The FCC is an independent U.S. government agency overseen by Congress, and acts as the primary authority for regulating interstate and international communications, implementing and enforcing America's communications law and regulations, and related technological innovation. Within the FCC, the Enforcement Bureau (EB) is primarily responsible for enforcing the provisions of the Communications Act and the Commission's rules, orders, and various licensing terms and conditions.

The EB the Telecommunications Consumers Division (TCD) investigates many of the Commission's highest profile consumer protection cases, including those focused on combatting illegal robocalls and robotexts. Attorneys on TCD's Robocall Team investigate issues relating to robocalls, robotexts, spoofing, impostor fraud, wire fraud, toll-free traffic-pumping, and similar issues, affecting all consumers in the United States, as well as Canada and other countries. The attorneys work on cases investigating sophisticated enterprises and working with industry experts in the telecommunications and financial services sectors to develop innovative legal and technological methods to combat unwanted and fraudulent calls and messages. TCD Robocall Team cases typically require critical and creative thinking, an ability to learn about both new technology and changes in applicable laws, and involve high levels of coordination with international, federal, state, and local law enforcement entities. The TCD Robocall Team's cases offer attorneys a chance to work on fast-paced, high stakes, and intellectually challenging investigations that attract significant attention from the press, public, and lawmakers at the highest levels. In addition to investigative work, TCD Robocall Team attorneys have the opportunity to advance policies related to consumer protection, leverage cooperation among international, federal, state, and local entities, and continually develop their skills and knowledge. Robocall Team attorneys coordinate with other FCC bureaus and offices to provide relevant expertise for use in rulemakings and other policy proceedings. Both EB and TCD attorneys maintain working relationships with counterparts at other federal agencies (including Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, Department of the Treasury, Postal Inspection Service, Social Security Administration, Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, among others), state attorney general offices, and international law enforcement/regulatory organizations to pursue cases against state, national, and international robocall/robotext violators. The incumbent serves on the front lines of the consumer protection enforcement for the FCC. The incumbent serves as a supervisory attorney with a primary role in developing cases and managing personnel involved in enforcement of the Communications Act, Telecommunications Act, Telephone Consumers Protection Act (TCPA), Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act, and the Wire Fraud Act - specifically provisions related to illegal robocalling, robotexting, and spoofing, among others. The incumbent will also be responsible for coordinating parallel investigations with federal and state law enforcement partners and engaging with industry representatives in the telecommunications and financial services sectors on common issues involving illegal robocalling, robotexting, spoofing, and fraud. The incumbent works on highly complex legal cases involving rapidly changing technology, market forces, and white collar fraud. These cases require thinking outside the box and typically involve complicated factual situations where clear precedents are not readily available or apparent. Cases are often characterized by one or more of the following: (1) extremely complex, difficult issues requiring a high order of legal endeavor - with the incumbent often having to balance conflicting interests; (2) matters that can have an important impact on major industry parties whose economic position affects major private and public interests; and (3) matters of intense public interest and impact. The incumbent applies rigorous critical thinking and analysis skills to solve problems, make recommendations to supervisors, and executes tasks needed to complete investigations and issue enforcement actions. Decisions about legal conclusions based upon the facts and the relevant legal authorities are made in conjunction with the supervisor, with the incumbent playing a critical role in (1) identifying; (2) researching; and (3) communicating accurate, timely, and appropriately detailed information to support well-reasoned legal conclusions and informed decision-making at all levels. Creative problem-solving skills are highly valued in order to meet the challenges of fast-changing technology and need for innovative solutions to address the problem of harmful robocalls, robotexts, spoofing, and fraud.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Bar Membership Documentation Required Upon Selection.
• Education-Transcripts Required Upon Selection.
• US Citizenship.
• Suitable for employment as determined by a background investigation.
• Serve a probationary period of one year, if applicable.
• Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service.
• Financial disclosure statement may be required upon assuming the position.
• Current FCC employees must provide SF-50 verifying grade & status.
• Current/former federal employees must provide SF-50 to verify grade, status

Please note your resume must thoroughly support your responses to the vacancy questions. Your resume is an integral part of the process for determining if you meet the basic qualifications of the position and determining if you are to be among the best qualified.

ALL CURRENT/FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES AND CURRENT FCC EMPLOYEES MUST provide a legible Personnel Action, SF-50, that verifies your status and highest permanently held grade. If an SF-50 is not submitted, the application will be rated as ineligible.

CURRENT FCC EMPLOYEES-To request a copy of your SF-50 please send an email to PersonnelRecordsRequest@fcc.gov

Qualifications

Applicants must meet eligibility and qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Current Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Professional law experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.

In order to be deemed as "BEST QUALIFIED" candidates must meet both the educational requirements AND the Specialized Experience.

A. Education

You must meet the minimum basic educational requirements for Attorney positions. Education requirements include: a professional law degree JD, LL.B., and/or LL.M.

NOTE-If you do not provide a transcript at the time of application, a transcript will be required to be provided at the time of selection.


AND

B. Specialized Experience

Applicants must have a minimum of one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-14 in the Federal service. For this position, specialized experience includes the following:

Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience which is in or directly related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Applicants must have a minimum of one year of specialized experience in or equivalent to the next lower grade level in the Federal service.

For GS-15: Applicants must possess at least four years of professional law experience and at least one year must be equivalent to the GS-14 level in the Federal Service. For this position, examples of specialized experience include:

Providing legal advice and guidance on federal statutes and regulatory rules relating to robocalling, spoofing and related telecommunications issues;

Preparing comprehensive legal documents including reviewing and editing documents drafted by others;

Analyzing, interpreting, and presenting findings and recommendations on complex legal issues;

Making oral presentations, communicating legal research results, and defending legal positions at all levels of authority;

Interacting with individuals at all levels of authority, both within and outside of the agency.

Highly Desired Experience : In addition to the Specialized Experience, above, candidates who possess the following skills/experience are highly desired:

Investigating and pursuing cases involving white collar fraud;

Identifying, analyzing, and assessing business and financial records to determine and recommend next steps.

PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: 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.

Education

Refer to Educational requirements outlined within the "Qualifications" section.

Additional information

EEO Policy Statement

Reasonable Accommodation Policy Statement

Veterans Information

Legal and Regulatory Guidance

Before hiring, an agency will ask you to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. The agency will also ask you to sign and certify the accuracy of all the information in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be fired after you begin work; or you may be fined or jailed. If you are a male over age 18 who was born after December 31, 1959, you must have registered with the Selective Service System (or have an exemption) to be eligible for a Federal job.

Federal agencies may request information regarding the vaccination status of selected applicants for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as protocols related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.