Duties

Summary

Organizational Location: This attorney position is located in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA), Field Legal Operations (FLO), Washington, DC.

This is non-bargaining unit position.

NOTE: One or more positions may be filled using this vacancy announcement.

Salary: General Schedule locality pay tables may be found under Salaries & Wages .
Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

This is a senior employment law position at ICE. As a Senior Litigation Counsel, the incumbent renders specialized expert advice to OPLA's Field Legal Operations (FLO) managers, field managers and employment law attorneys with respect to the most complex and challenging employment law matters facing ICE. The issues addressed will include those that are novel or without clear legal precedent, have a significant or national impact, are sensitive in nature, or involve highly skilled or high-profile adversaries. The legal work performed is of the utmost complexity, requires strategic thinking and excellent judgment, and often involves innovative or precedent-setting solutions. The incumbent's responsibilities will primarily involve:

• • providing advice and serving as a subject matter expert to FLO, OPLA field mangers and field employment law attorneys;
  • assisting in providing national/regional training for field employment attorneys and managers;
  • maintaining an active caseload including, but not limited to, the handling of OPLA attorney cases and matters;
  • collaborating with the OPLA Labor and Employment Law Division (LELD) on matters of national significance;
  • reviewing significant written product drafted by the field employment law attorneys;
  • assisting the OPLA field managers in mentoring inexperienced field employment law attorneys; and
  • assisting OPLA managers in assigning work to the field employment law attorneys.

Travel Required

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

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
15

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position
• You must successfully pass a background investigation and drug screen for federal employment
• Males born after 12/31/59 must certify registration with Selective Service.
• Relevant Experience (see Qualifications and Evaluations Tab). Requirements by Closing Date: Unless otherwise noted, you must meet all requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
• Complete Application Package (see How to Apply Tab)

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must have a minimum of seven (7) years federal sector employment law experience. That experience must include litigating cases before both the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), and providing advice and guidance to management officials with respect to all aspects federal sector employment law.

Qualifications by Closing Date: Unless otherwise noted, you must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by 11:59 P.M. Eastern Standard Time on the closing date of the announcement. Please note that qualification claims will be subject to verification.

Education

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.

Additional information

E-Verify: DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

Promotion Potential: This position is at the Full Performance Level (FPL) of the position.

Trial Period: New attorneys to the Federal government will be required to serve a trial period of 2 years .

Direct Deposit: All federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.

Notice to Veterans' Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the Excepted Service; however, the OPLA considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring.

Financial Disclosure: If you are hired, you may be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days after appointment.

Suitability: If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment , and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet these standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully obtain and maintain a background investigation for Public Trust as a condition of placement into this position. This may include a credit check, a review of 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.

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. Veterans , Peace Corps / VISTA volunteers , and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs.

Pursuant to Executive Order 12564, and the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan, ICE is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace. All applicants tentatively selected for employment at ICE are subject to pre-employment drug testing and a final offer of employment is contingent upon a negative drug test result.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

A cover letter, resume, and writing sample are required as part of this application. Your resume and other application materials should reflect the breadth of your experience, expertise, and/or training in the following areas:

• • Subject matter expertise handling federal sector employment law issues;
  • Excellence in legal writing and research as evidenced by briefs, memoranda, and/or advisory position papers;
  • Excellent oral communication skills;
  • Dedication to the job and positive attitude towards work conducted for clients, colleagues, and stakeholders;
  • A superior work ethic as evidenced by strong case and time management skills, strong organizational skills and the capability to handle a large volume of work with very limited supervision.
  • Strong leadership skills, including a demonstrated ability to suggest innovative solutions to solve complex and difficult problems while dealing tactfully and diplomatically with multiple stakeholders;
  • The use of good judgment; and
  • The ability to lead, mentor, and train others.

The cover letter must specifically address the applicant's knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience for each of the relevant duties listed above and must also discuss the candidate's characteristics and competencies for the position.

Your qualification for this position will be evaluated based upon the responses you provide on the job specific questionnaire and other required documents as part of the application process for this position.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work through national Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g. professional; philanthropic, religious, community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that relates directly to gain employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. If such experience is on a part-time basis, you must provide the average number of hours worked per week as well as the beginning and ending dates of the experience to be fully credited.

All the information you provide may be verified by a review of the work experience and/or education as shown on your application forms, by checking references and through other means, including the interview process. This verification could occur at any stage of the application process. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempts to conceal information may be grounds for rating you ineligible, not hiring you, or for firing you after you begin work.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Secret

Drug test required
Yes

Required Documents

ALL required documents must be submitted before the closing date. You must include the documentation below (in addition to specific information requested elsewhere in the vacancy announcement) to receive consideration for this position.

Resume: Must show relevant experience, education and training. Work experience should include: job title, duties, employer's name, employer's telephone number, employer's address, starting and ending dates (MM/YY), hours worked per week, and indicate whether or not we may contact your current supervisor. This documentation must be submitted with your application package.

Transcript: You must submit a copy of your transcript and grade-point average or class ranking, to prove that you possess a Juris Doctor (JD) from an American Bar (ABA)-accredit law school if you graduated within the past five years. If you have five years or more practicing law, your transcript is not required.

Bar Membership: You must submit proof of your current membership (card or other documentary evidence) or certificate of good standing from the bar to which you are licensed. This documentation must be submitted with your application package.

Certificate of Good Standing: If you are selected, before you enter on duty you must submit proof that you are a 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 you do not have a bar card or other documentary evidence as proof of your current membership, you must submit a certificate of good standing. The proof must be dated within the previous six months.

Writing Sample: A writing sample must be submitted as part of your application package. It should not exceed ten (10) double-spaced pages. Please do not submit attachments. This documentation must be submitted with your application package.

Cover Letter: You must submit a cover letter detailing the knowledge, skills, and legal experience that qualify you for the position. This documentation must be submitted with your application package.

It must contain the following information:

• your full name;
• home address;
• home and work e-mail addresses;
• home, work, and cell telephone numbers;
• name of the law school, year of graduation, and year admitted to the bar

Are you a current or former Federal employee? Submit a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action which shows competitive service appointment, tenure group, and salary.

Veterans Preference Documentation (if applicable): If you are a discharged, non-disabled veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD214 (Member 4 copy) or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives at www.archives.gov/veterans.

If you are a veteran within 120-days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1)your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2)under honorable conditions, 3)your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4)dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, and 7) dated within 120 days of your separation.

If you are a disabled veterans, Purple Heart recipient, or mother or spouse of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit a completed SF-15 and all additional proof required by the SF-15, as applicable. If you don't have your Department of Veterans Affairs letter establishing proof of disability, you may request it at http://www.ebenefits.va/gov/ or call 1-800-827-1000.

You must submit all required information by the closing date. Also if you do not provide an email address, you will not be notified of the outcome of your application.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

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. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.