Duties

Summary

Serves as an attorney-adviser responsible for providing legal advice and litigation support in the areas of airman certification and commercial space.

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Responsibilities

Applies basic professional legal knowledge to assignments. Performs progressively more difficult assignments consisting of specific tasks designed for orientation purposes to enhance the attorney's knowledge of FAA's programs, policies, and related legal issues and relieve higher level attorneys of routine detailed work. Receives direction from a manager or higher level attorney regarding use of time and resources. The degree of guidance supplied varies with the attorney's familiarity with assignments and experience. Laws and regulations applicable to assignments are clear and specific. Work is reviewed frequently while in progress and at completion for quality and timeliness. Typical assignments include:

Conducts legal review of critical safety rules as a part of rule-making projects pertaining to pilot training and certification, medical certification, drug and alcohol testing of safety sensitive personnel, and commercial space licensing. Also conducts legal review of agency guidance, advisory materials, technical evaluations for commercial space licenses, and requests for license modifications.

Supports program offices through legal review of exemptions from aviation regulations and waivers from commercial space regulations, to either grant or deny the requests. Provides technical assistance and responds to requests from the regulated community for interpretation of FAA regulations.

Conducts thorough legal research by appropriately identifying and analyzing relevant legal and factual issues and arguments. Assesses legal strengths and weaknesses of available arguments to provide accurate, complete, and practical legal advice and conclusions. Identifies and learns emerging issues, principles, and practices relevant to the legal practice area.

Produces communications that are well-organized, clear, and persuasive. Provides advice tailored to the client and requirements of the agency. Adjusts communications to meet the audience expectations and level of understanding.

Demonstrates interpersonal skills needed to develop and maintain strong client relationships. Actively participates with clients to identify and meet client goals and objectives. Seeks consensus with client as to the timing and scope of work. Proactively identifies and appropriately pursues solutions to effectively represent the agency's interests in responding to high priority issues. Puts forth effort to meet established proficiency level goals and objectives. Keeps clients informed of developments, to include why and when an extension may be necessary.

Demonstrates knowledge and a full understanding of key client business processes, priorities, and objectives relevant to the practice area. Accurately identifies client business objectives and issues when providing legal advice. Provides appropriate alternative solutions as needed to meet client's strategic business objectives. Provides legal risk/reward analysis in support of business decisions.

Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of when and the willingness to go to more senior-level of client based on risk-levels. Demonstrates skill in representing the agency. Consistently puts forth effort needed to accomplish tasks and produce work that is timely and of professional quality.

(Summary of duties continued below.)

Travel Required

Occasional travel - The job may require travel from time- to-time, but not on a regular basis. The travel may be for training or other work-related duties.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
NA

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• US Citizenship is required.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• This position has a positive education requirement. Transcript(s) required.
• **Veterans preference does not apply to Attorney positions. PLEASE do not submit any documentation related to veterans preference.**

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, ALL applicants MUST meet the following criteria:

(1) have a JD Degree from an accredited law school;

(2) be admitted to practice before the bar of any U.S. jurisdiction or within the District of Columbia;

(3) be an active member of that bar; AND

(4) demonstrate at least one year (52 weeks) of SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE equivalent to the next lower grade/pay band (FG or GS-11) that is typically related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of the position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been at least equivalent to the next lower level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE is defined as:

• experience conducting legal research and analysis; and
• experience drafting, reviewing, and analyzing various kinds of legal documents.

You should include relevant examples of the specialized experience in your work history. Errors or omissions may impact your rating or may result in you not being considered.

Answer all questions to the best of your ability. DO NOT ASSUME THAT BECAUSE YOU HOLD, OR HAVE HELD THIS POSITION, YOU WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE FOUND ELIGIBLE. You may be asked to provide evidence or documentation that you have this type of experience later in the selection process. Your responses are subject to verification through job interviews, or any other information obtained during the application process. Any exaggeration of your experience or any attempt to conceal information can result in disqualification.

*Applicants who fail to demonstrate possession of any of the above criteria AND who do not provide the required documentation will receive no further consideration for this position.*

Eligible applicants meeting the minimum qualification requirements and/or selective placement factor(s) (SPF) may be further evaluated on the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA) and/or Quality Ranking Factor (QRF) listed in the announcement. Based on this evaluation, applicants will be placed in one of the following categories: (1) score order; (2) category grouping; or (3) alphabetical, and referred to the selecting official for selection consideration.

Applicants may be asked to verify information on your application for employment with the FAA.

**All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement.**

Summary of duties cont'd :

Keeps practice area and AGC management informed of client issues and activities that may or should be discussed at a higher management level. Keeps supervisor timely informed of developments on the legal matters. Educates clients about efficient and effective use of legal resources. Effectively prioritizes work such that priorities are achieved and deadlines are met. Uses available staff resources and technology to manage work flow and product. Seeks feedback from clients regarding quality and timeliness of service. Pursues new ideas or approaches to strengthen professional effectiveness. Follows established office administrative policies and procedures. Effectively participates in appropriate training and/or learning activities.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Education

This position has a positive education requirement: Applicants must submit a copy of their college or university transcripts(s) and certificates by the closing date of announcement to verify qualifications. If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to appointment. You may upload these documents with your application in USAJOBS or fax it to fax number provided in the announcement (please include announcement number on each page).

Failure to do so will result in loss of consideration.

Schools must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation may be verified at the following website: www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html .

Foreign education must be evaluated by a private professional organization specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials or an accredited U.S. educational institution in terms of equivalence to a degree acquired at an American college or university. A copy of the evaluation results must be included, otherwise your foreign education will not be considered.

This position has a positive education requirement.

All applicants must provide proof of a completed JD degree from an accredited law school.

College Transcripts: Applicants MUST provide a copy(ies) of their unofficial or official transcripts(s). If selected, you will be required to submit an official transcript prior to appointment. Schools must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation may be verified at the following website: www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html

Foreign Education: Education completed in foreign colleges/universities may be used to meet the qualification requirements if the applicant can provide documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide such evidence at the time of application. For additional information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Applicants who are not currently in the 905 occupational series (Attorney) in the Federal Government, and fail to provide a copy of an unofficial or official transcript will not receive further consideration for this vacancy. Upon selection, if not currently employed in the 905 occupational series (Attorney), you will be required to submit an official transcript prior to appointment. If you do not have an official transcript (original, with the raised seal), you should contact your school immediately to request it.

Preview Job Questionnaire
Make sure your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications and answers to the job questionnaire.

Additional information

We may use this vacancy to fill other similar vacant positions.
Position may be subject to a background investigation.
A one-year probationary period may be required.
The person selected for this position may be required to file a financial disclosure statement within 30 days of entry on duty. FAA policy limits certain outside employment and financial investments in aviation-related companies.

NOTES:

1) As a part of the Federal-Wide Hiring Reform Initiative (streamlining the hiring process), the FAA is committed to eliminating the use of the Knowledge, Skills and Ability (KSA) narratives from the initial application in the hiring process for all announcements. Therefore, as an applicant for this announcement, you are NOT required to provide a narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA.

In lieu of providing a KSA narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA section, in your work history, please include information that provides specific examples of how you meet the response level or answer you chose for each KSA. Your work history examples should be specific and clearly reflect the highest level of ability. Your KSA answers will be evaluated further to validate whether the level that you selected is appropriate based on the work history and experience you provided. Your answers may be adjusted by a human resource specialist as appropriate.

2) This position is covered by the FAA Core Compensation plan. Additional information about core compensation is available on the following website: http://jobs.faa.gov/FAACoreCompensation.htm.

3) This Level 1 (Low Risk) position requires favorable adjudication of a National Agency Check and Inquiries (NACI) background investigation prior to appointment.

4) Some, all, or none of the referred candidates may be interviewed.

5) This is a time-limited appointment NTE 2-5 years (up to a maximum of 5 years); but, may be terminated at any time, at management discretion. It does not afford the employee eligibility for noncompetitive conversion to a permanent excepted service appointment. Selection does not provide the employee eligibility to apply and compete for permanent internal assignments. This appointment may not be made permanent at any time in the future.

6) This announcement is limited for the receipt of applications. Once at least 100 applications are received, it will close at 11:59p EST on that date, or on the initial closing date, whichever occurs first.

7) Due to the pandemic, and individual states with varying phases of reopening, the selectee's reporting date to the official duty station/facility may be delayed until such time as the employee is allowed to report to the workplace. The selectee may telework up to the maximum extent possible, up to and including full-time, until it is safe to relocate.

This is a bargaining unit position.

Links to Important Information: Locality Pay , COLA

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

IMPORTANT: Applicants may be rated on the extent and quality of experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of the position(s). All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated. Ensure that your application package/resume supports your responses.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

ALL applicants MUST submit the following:

(1) resume with complete work history;
(2) proof of active membership to the bar of any U.S. jurisdiction or within the District of Columbia. (Please provide bar association number(s) and verification of active status.);
(3) writing sample (not to exceed 10 pages in length); and
(4) copy of unofficial or official transcript from an accredited law school verifying JD degree.

Applicants who are or have been employed by the Federal Government SHOULD also upload a copy of the most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action).

For guidance on how to create a Federal resume, visit http://www.archives.gov/careers/jobs/forms/resume-guide.pdf.

Only the documents listed above will be accepted in combination with your on-line application. These documents MUST be uploaded or before the closing date of this announcement. Failure to submit all required documents by the closing date will result in a finding of ineligible. We are not responsible for incomplete, missing or illegible documents.

Please DO NOT email application documents. Documents received via email will NOT receive consideration.

This position has a positive education requirement; college transcripts are required for ALL candidates newly appointed to the FAA in the 905 series.

College transcripts must be submitted from current FAA employees applying for internal vacancies if they have never held a position in the, 905 series with the FAA.

College transcripts are not required from current FAA employees who are currently occupying a 905 series.

If selected, official transcripts are required prior to employment.

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.