Duties

Summary

This position is in Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA), Office of Civil Enforcement (OCE), Waste and Chemical Enforcement Division, Pesticides and Tanks Enforcement Branch

If selected, you must work at the location stated in this announcement.

About OECA

If you have questions about this position, contact Royan Teter at Teter.Royan@epa.gov 202-564-094

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

At the entry level of this position, you will:

• As a junior level attorney, will be assigned work on routine matters requiring general knowledge of the program.
• Perform legal research, analysis of general issues to include evolving areas of law, and consideration of factual and legal issues in response to general needs of program clients.
• Provide legal enforcement and compliance counsel to agency officials which involves participation in management meetings, negotiations and other activities.
• Provide recommendations to senior staff concerning the appropriateness of referrals of cases to the DOJ and administrative actions.

When entering a Federal job at a grade level lower than the highest promotion potential level, you may be promoted to more complex duties and work more independently, as your career progresses. NOTE: Career ladder promotions are not automatic, and all eligibility and qualifications requirements must be met in order to progress to the next grade level.

One or more positions may be filled.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be required to travel 25% of each month.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
14

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• If you are selected, a pre-employment background check is required.
• You must submit a resume and required documents--see How to Apply section.
• You must be a U.S. citizen.
• An LL.B. or J.D. is required.

Current Bar membership in good standing/law license is required. You must self-certify annually and in writing that you hold an active bar membership.

If you are selected, you may be required to complete a one-year trial period.

This position is designated as Moderate Risk and requires a background investigation. Unless an appropriate background investigation is already on record with the Office of Personnel Management, you must undergo a background investigation. All conditions of the pre-employment security process must be met before an official letter of employment can be issued with a report for duty date.

If you are selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure form within 30 days of your first day of employment and annually thereafter.

Qualifications

You must be admitted to practice before the highest court of a state, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and must maintain active status as a member of the bar of one of these jurisdictions.

In addition, the following specialized training or experience is desired:

To qualify for the GS-12 level, you need to have at least one year of full-time experience equivalent to the GS-11 level defined as experience researching, analyzing and managing diverse legal issues, or projects; and providing legal counsel at federal, state, local agencies, and/or private practice.

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.

If you have part-time work experience, read this: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures .

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

This position is excluded from provisions of the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). Selection under this appointment authority does not confer civil service competitive status.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values at EPA. Our excellence can only be fully realized by staff who share our commitment to these values. Successful candidates are committed to advancing equity and inclusion in the Agency's workplace and mission. We encourage applications from candidates with a variety of personal experiences, values, and worldviews that arise from differences of culture and circumstance. At EPA, diversity is a vital element in bringing a balance of perspectives to bear on every challenge we face. We are committed to creating a diverse workforce because we know that the individual strengths and abilities of our employees make us a stronger organization. The more inclusive our employee base is, the greater the variety of ideas that are generated, and the more representative we are of the nation we serve. To learn more about how EPA values and supports our diverse workforce, visit Equal Opportunity Employment at EPA . You can also hear a diverse group of attorneys talk about their careers at EPA on the Legal Careers at EPA Webinar .

If you have questions about this position, contact Royan Teter at Teter.Royan@epa.gov 202-564-094

This position is in the bargaining unit.

EPA participates in E-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that enables participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees. For additional information: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures .

Except in special circumstances, those new to the federal government will be hired at the starting salary (step 1) of the applicable grade range listed above.

If you are selected, travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid by EPA. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expenses associated with reporting to work in this position will be your responsibility.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Traditional rating and ranking of applications does not apply to this vacancy. Applications will be evaluated against the basic qualifications and then may be subject to additional assessments.

EPA considers veterans' preference as a positive factor. Applicants who have veterans' preference are encouraged to include their information in their cover letters or resumes and attach supporting documentation to substantiate their preference.

Excepted service positions are not covered by regular civil service hiring procedures.

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

Documents to be submitted online:

NOTE: You should ensure your social security number, date of birth, and any other personal information are redacted.

--Cover letter expressing your interest in the position and explaining how your qualifications meet the requirements of the position.
--Resume clearly stating your experience related to this position as described in the Duties section and Qualifications section. In describing your experience, you need to be clear and specific. We may not make assumptions regarding your experience.
--Responses to the online assessment questionnaire (you must complete this online - it is not a document you need to upload).
--Copy of active bar membership/license.
--Law school transcripts (unofficial) - you are not required to submit transcripts, but it is recommended if you have three years or less of experience.

--Veterans' Preference Documents:
Separated veterans claiming 5-point preference:

• - DD-214 Member 4 copy (or other copy indicating character of service) or other official document/statement from the Armed Forces showing separation, discharge, or release from active duty; document must show separation is under honorable conditions (Honorable or General Discharge)

Separated veterans claiming 10-point preference based on compensable service-connected disability of 10% or more:

• - DD-214 Member 4 copy (or other copy indicating character of service); document must show separation is under honorable conditions (Honorable or General Discharge); and
• - VA letter stating overall/combined disability rating (percentage); and
• - SF-15 (use current version: SF-15 Form ) (see page 2 for documents that can be submitted in lieu of the DD-214 and VA letter)

Other separated veterans claiming 10-point preference OR spouses, widows/widowers, or mothers claiming 10-point derived preference:

• - SF-15 (use current version: SF-15 Form ); and
• - Other required documentation indicated on the SF-15

Active duty service members:

• - Certification from the armed forces documenting active duty dates, expected discharge/release date, campaign medals/badges, and character of service (a certification is any written document from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged/released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions (Honorable or General Discharge) within 120 days after you submit the certification)

--Name, address, and telephone number of three references, including a current or former employer.

To learn more about submitting documentation, visit Uploading Documents to USAJOBS .