Attorney-Adviser (General)

Duties

As an Attorney-Adviser with the Department of the Interior, Office of the Solicitor, Division of Park and Wildlife, Branch of National Parks, located in Washington DC your specific duties will include:

• Analyzing and interpreting federal statutes, rules and regulations, caselaw and other authorities, relating to constitutional and law enforcement principles
• Providing on-the-spot legal guidance in the resolution of law enforcement matters, and coordinating with state and local law enforcement officers and agencies
• Advising US Park Police and law enforcement rangers on policies and guidance and regulatory tools related to all aspects of law enforcement
• Advising on permitting and law enforcement issues related to First Amendment demonstrations, special events and regulatory events including Presidential Inaugurations and other activities in and around the National Mall and White House
• Conducting legal research and producing opinions and memoranda requiring a high degree of creative legal effort, judgment, and discretion, often harmonizing conflicting positions in areas with little or no precedent, while promoting goals of uniformity, simplicity, and efficiency.
• Providing general legal counsel and services to the NPS's National Capital Region, which oversees the National Mall and other parks in the nation's capital as well as units of the national park system located in nearby surrounding areas, and to NPS regional offices and units of the national park system located around the country. In this capacity you will advise the NPS on the appropriate interpretation and implementation of the NPS Organic Act, park-specific enabling acts, NPS regulations, and written NPS policies, and on compliance with various federal and state laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the
• Advising and assisting regional and field offices of the Office of the Solicitor with respect to matters in your subject-matter area of expertise.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Key Requirements:

• Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
• Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
• Must be an active member of the bar.
• Selectee may be subject to serving a 2-year trial period.
• More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.

Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position?

• If selected you may be asked to provide information regarding your COVID-19 vaccination status for the purposes of implementing workplace safety protocols, such as those related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.
• A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
• If selected for this position, you may be required to file one or more financial statements and/or a procurement integrity certification of compliance upon reporting and annually, some of which may be subject to public disclosure.
• Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore, it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change, please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.
• Because this position requires travel for official business, the selectee will be required to apply for a charge card within 30 calendar days of appointment. Individuals who have delinquent account balances from a previous Government charge card will be required to satisfy their existing obligation before a new card can be issued.

Qualifications

Basic Qualification Requirements
Applicants must be law school graduates with LL.B. or J.D. degrees AND must be an active member in good standing of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico bar.

• To qualify for a GS-12 applicants must possess at least 2-years of professional legal experience following law school graduation;
• To qualify for a GS-13 applicants must possess at least 3-years of professional legal experience following law school graduation;
• To qualify for a GS-14 applicants must possess at least 4.5-years of professional legal experience following law school graduation;

For any of the grades indicated above you can substitute one year of experience with any of the following:

• have a second professional law degree; OR
• meet any of the criteria indicated below:
  • academic standing in top one-third of law school graduating class;
  • graduation with academic honors;
  • other equivalent evidence of clearly superior achievement.
  • significant summer law office clerk experience; or
  • significant participation in a clinical legal aid program;
  • significant participation in the law school's moot court competition;
  • significant participation on the law school's law review;

Candidates should have excellent oral communication, writing, research and analysis skills, and the ability to work effectively with other people, and exercise sound judgment.

You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the position by the closing date of the announcement.

Education

• 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 completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the above requirements. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: https://www.usgs.gov/about/organization/science-support/human-capital/how-foreign-education-evaluated-federal-jobs .

Additional information

Other Information:

• Identification of promotion potential in this announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. Promotion will depend upon administrative approval and the continuing need for and performance of higher-level duties.
• The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361.
• DOI uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify .
• The Department of the Interior (DOI) places a high value on diversity of experience and cultural perspectives and encourages applications from all interested eligible candidates. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are fundamental principles that guide the Department and allow us to successfully achieve our mission.
• THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.

Agency Benefits:

• Working for the DOI, Office of the Solicitor offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes paid vacation, sick leave , and holidays ; health, life, dental, vision, and long term care insurance, flexible spending accounts , and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System .
• SOL has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework in accordance with the DOI Telework policy and with supervisor approval. The official worksite for the selectee is the duty station identified in this vacancy announcement. The selectee will typically report to this duty location on a regular and recurring weekly basis.
  
• For additional information on telework you may access the Department of Interior's Telework Handbook at https://www.doi.gov/telework/policies .