TRAVEL REQUIRED:

Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

RELOCATION AUTHORIZED:
Relocation expenses reimbursed No

KEY REQUIREMENTS:
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U. S. Citizenship Required

Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service

You must successfully pass a background investigation

You must be able to obtain a Secret Security Clearance

You must submit to a pre-employment drug test

You must submit a Financial Disclosure Form

Basic Requirements:
GS-14 or GS-15:
1. The first professional law degree (LL.B. or JD); or
2. The second professional law degree (LL.M.) AND
3. Specialized professional legal experience in excess of three (3) years that is commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. The quality of the individual's background may be evidenced by the relatedness of his or her specialization.

Specialized Experience:
The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) will evaluate eligible candidates based on the following criteria:
OGC will rate qualified applicants by comparing each candidate's qualifications to those pertinent to the position. OGC will consider relevant skills and experience, education and training, performance, and awards. The skills and experience listed immediately below are of particular importance to the position, and applicants should provide specific detailed information in these areas, where applicable, as part of their application.

For this position, specialized experience includes drafting, interpreting, or applying opinions, legislation, regulations, or other legal instruments; performing legal research and analysis; and providing written and oral advice to senior leadership on legal issues regarding regulatory actions and initiatives.

Applicants must have three or more years of relevant post-JD experience.

All qualifications and eligibility requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.


Selectee will be required to complete an OGE 450, Confidential Financial Disclosure Form.
Permanent Change of Duty Station (PCS) Expenses will not be paid.

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 be a graduate of a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association and an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. If qualifying based on your education, you must submit a copy of your college transcript OR a list of college courses with credit hours, dates completed, and grades received to verify education. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted. Official transcripts will be required if you are selected for the position.

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications; applicant's resumes and supporting documentation should only reflect education received from schools accredited by such institutions. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following Website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html .

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency (a U.S. private organization's interpretation that such education has been deemed at least equivalent to conventional U.S. education programs) with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For more information regarding evaluation of foreign education for federal employment, please visit the U.S. Department of Education webpage.

DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include: flexible work schedules; telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select "Employee Benefits."

This position may be filled at the GS-14 level. If selection is made at the GS-14 level, promotion to the GS-15 level may occur without further competition.

This is a permanent appointment in the excepted service and will be filled on a full-time permanent basis. Employees hired under an Excepted Service appointment are required to serve a two (2) year trial period. Upon successful completion of the required trial period, this position will be permanent.

Selectee will be required to complete an OGE 450, Confidential Financial Disclosure Form.
Permanent Change of Duty Station (PCS) Expenses will not be paid.

Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of its mission, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requires each and every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully complete a background investigation for SECRET clearance as a condition of placement in this NONCRITICAL SENSITIVE position. This review includes financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.

Pursuant to Executive Order 12654 and DHS policy, DHS is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and, therefore, conducts random and other drug testing of its employees in order to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. Headquarters personnel in safety- or security-sensitive positions are subject to random drug testing and all applicants tentatively selected for employment at DHS Headquarters are subject to drug testing resulting in a negative test result.

Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.

This position does not confer non-competitive conversion to the competitive service. Acceptance of an excepted service appointment from applicants in the competitive service will require a written statement of understanding when voluntarily leaving the competitive service.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies within 90 calendar days of the initial issue date of the referral list. Multiple selections may be made from this announcement.

You may be required to submit to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and is subject to random drug testing for the duration of service with DHS.

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You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education and training will be rated using a job questionnaire based on the following competencies or knowledge, skills and abilities needed to perform this job:

• • Applicants must be able to complete important work on regulations involving complex and/or technical details, often under time pressure.
  • Applicants must have a strong ability to produce excellent written work in a number of formats, including legal memoranda and briefing papers.
  • Applicants must demonstrate superior initiative and critical thinking skills, because the nature of the work is such that it rarely lends itself to detailed instructions or reference to manuals or other procedural guidelines.
  • Applicants must be able to work cooperatively with others, develop partnerships and rapport with those who can provide information and assistance, and effectively assist in negotiating among varying views of interested parties in a manner that fosters the professional efficient development of regulatory policies.
  • Applicants must have excellent legal analysis skills and strong communication skills.
  • Applicants must have the ability to work with legal and policy professionals to clarify agency policy objectives, program goals, and to prepare regulatory actions and materials that reflect such objectives and goals.

If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.

Read more Security clearance Secret

Drug test required Yes