Attorney Advisor (General)

Duties

The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) seeks attorneys to join its dynamic, high-performing team. We are seeking to fill multiple vacancies and, in particular, are looking to hire attorneys to work in one or more of the following areas:

• Representing the Agency in important and sensitive litigation, including in administrative proceedings before the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and supporting the Department of Justice in Federal district court. For these positions, litigation experience is strongly desired.
• Providing legal counsel on matters related to Government-wide suitability, fitness, and personnel vetting policy.
• Providing legal counsel on matters related to Government-wide merit-based and inclusive hiring policy;
• Providing legal counsel on one or more of a wide array of Federal employee insurance, compensation, retirement, and other programs that serve more than 8 million Federal employees, retirees, and family members across the country.
• Providing legal counsel on fiscal, appropriations, and contract matters, including representing the Agency in bid protests at the General Accountability Office.

Attorneys at OPM have a diverse and interesting portfolio of work, providing legal advice and counsel to OPM leaders responsible for governmentwide leadership and direction in the strategic management of the Federal workforce. In addition, attorneys provide legal advice and representation in support and defense of a diverse array of internal OPM operations, including on sensitive and complex personnel, EEO, and procurement matters. Attorneys also work closely with the Department of Justice on litigation affecting OPM; and review and comment on a wide variety of existing and proposed legislative and regulatory proposals.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
• Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
• May be required to successfully complete a trial period
• This position is not eligible for inclusion in a bargaining unit
• Appointments made from this announcement are exempt from the competitive service.
• Must be a member in good standing of the Bar of a State, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications
At the GS-12 level and above: Applicants with one or more years of post J.D. legal work experience as a practicing attorney, such as a judicial clerkship or in general law practice, must have:

• A J.D. from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association;
• Active membership, in good standing, of the Bar of a State, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia; and
• At least one year of experience to qualify at the GS-12 level; at least two years of progressively responsible experience to qualify at the GS-13 level; and at least three years of progressively responsible experience to qualify at the GS-14 level.

At the GS-11 level: Applicants with less than one year of post J.D. legal work experience as a practicing attorney, such as a judicial clerkship or in general law practice, must have:

• A J.D. from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association;
• Active membership, in good standing, of the Bar of a State, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia;
• Academic standing in the upper third of the attorney's law school graduating class (to the extent an applicant's law school has class rank); and
• Advanced educational attainment that indicates the ability to independently perform legal work, such as work or achievement of significance on a law school's official law review or journals; special high-level honors for academic excellence in law school (e.g., membership in the Order of the Coif or winning a moot court competition); full-time or continuous participation in a legal clinic program as opposed to one-time, intermittent, or casual participation; significant summer clerk experience; or other evidence of clearly superior accomplishment or achievement.

Preferred Qualifications

• For some of the multiple vacancies, experience "first chairing" EEO and/or MSPB litigation is strongly desired.
• For other vacancies, experience in any of the following areas is strongly desired: suitability, fitness, and personnel vetting; merit-based and inclusive hiring; Federal employee insurance, compensation, or retirement programs; or fiscal, appropriations, and contract law.
• For all vacancies, the following are preferred:
  • The ability to provide excellent customer service and to exercise sound judgment and decision making in challenging situations;
  • Strong oral and written communication skills;
  • High competence in legal research and analysis, including the ability to effectively integrate and synthesize facts and law to make legally sound decisions, including in compressed timeframes;
  • The ability to work both independently and as a team member in a demanding environment;
  • Willingness to consider diverse perspectives and ability to navigate changing circumstances;
  • Ability to effectively manage multiple work assignments and competing priorities concurrently;
  • Ability to develop and maintain collaborative working relationships, both within and outside OGC.

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

Education

If you are applying at the GS-11 level, you MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated, official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable. All materials must be submitted before your application will be considered complete.

Additional information

Reloation expenses will not be paid.
Incentive payments may be considered.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document that you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application. Click the following link for more information, https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Alternate_Application_Information .

Veterans' Preference: If you claim veterans' preference, you should indicate the type of veterans' preference (5 or 10 points) you are claiming in your cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation.If you are claiming 5-point veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form. For more information on veterans' preference click here . There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Office of Personnel Management considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring.
Selective Service: Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/Home/Registration ).