Attorney - Advisor (Labor) chez Department of Homeland Security

Secret

Duties

As an Attorney - Advisor (Labor), GS-0905-13/14, your typical work assignments may include: Advising clients at the Assistant Director (AD) level and responding directly to the ADs/Deputy Assistant Directors (DADs) and their staffs with immediate assistance. Recognizing issues with national and/or international importance and providing relevant information directly to the Chief Counsel, Deputy Chief Counsel, the ADs and/or other senior staff. Providing written and oral counsel, legal reviews, opinions, regulations or decisions in the application of the U.S. Constitution, federal laws, legislation, or policies to programs conducted or assisted by DHS components, and to DHS policies. Serving as an attorney on the staff of the Deputy Chief Counsel to provide legal advice concerning labor and employment law. Developing legally sound approaches regarding sensitive matters, such as privacy and civil rights and liberties of the staff, and delicate personnel and other matters. Serves as an attorney on the staff of the Deputy Chief Counsel in order to provide legal advice concerning all aspects of the labor management relations program; representing the agency in arbitrations and hearings in administrative appeals before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA), and the Federal Service Impasses Panel (FSIP). Providing assistance to Department of Justice attorneys representing the agency in employment and labor law actions. Providing legal review and advice about employee and student conduct standards, investigations of misconduct, proposed disciplinary actions, and investigations of equal employment discrimination complaints. Providing advice and training in the legal aspects of personnel, employment and labor law, postemployment conflicts of interest, third party administrative proceedings, equal employment opportunity law, and federal sector labor management relations law. Providing assistance to Department of Justice attorneys representing the agency in tort, environmental, and real property legal actions. Providing legal review and advice concerning employee compliance with federal standards of conduct (5 C.F.R. part 2635). Responsible for the administration of the agency's training of federal employees on the federal standards of conduct, and providing such training to agency employees. Serving as legal consultant to the highest levels of FLETC management, including the Chief Counsel, recommending approaches to legal issues where precedents and prior interpretations must be innovatively adapted. Developing, or overseeing the development of, legal positions, legislative proposals, regulatory documents, policies and operations that involve significantly broadening or restricting agency activities affecting the agency's security posture and the public interest, and recommending legal approaches regarding novel issues for which the importance of the legal action/position as precedent is highly significant. View common definitions of terms found in this announcement: Common Definitions.

Qualifications

All qualifications and eligibility requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. Selective placement factor (screen-out): To be considered for this position, you must be an active member of a state bar in good standing in a state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and in good standing in every jurisdiction in which you are licensed. Provide a copy of your Bar memberships. Basic Educational Requirements: All applicants must possess one of the following law degrees. Please provide a copy of your transcripts. The first professional law degree (LL.B. or JD); OR the second professional law degree (LL.M) In addition to the selective placement factors and educational requirements listed above, to qualify at the GS-14 level, applicants must possess specialized professional legal experience of at least three years (one year of which must be equivalent to the GS-13 or higher) demonstrated by substantial legal writing and communication skills; conducting original legal research and legal analysis; and experience representing an agency in complex labor and employment law matters including collective bargaining, negotiating agreements with union leadership, and advising on employee litigation including removals and suspensions. Time-in-Grade: Current and former GS federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the GS-13 grade level in the federal service. The time-in-grade requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement. In addition to the selective placement factors and educational requirements listed above, to qualify at the GS-13 level, applicants must possess: A: Specialized professional legal experience of at least two years (one year of which must be equivalent to the GS-12 or higher) demonstrated by substantial legal writing and communication skills; conducting original legal research and legal analysis; and experience representing an agency in complex labor and employment law matters including collective bargaining, negotiating agreements with union leadership, and advising on employee litigation including removals and suspensions. OR B: Two years of judicial clerkship. Time-in-Grade: Current and former GS federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12 grade level in the federal service. The time-in-grade requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement. This position may be filled at the GS-13 or GS-14 level. If selection is made at the GS-13 level, promotion to the GS-14 level may occur without further competition. 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. 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, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Education

Applicants must be a graduate of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association. You must submit a copy of both your law school and college transcript with your application. 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: https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home. 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 on the Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.

Other Information

A recruitment or relocation incentive may be authorized. 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. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement. If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration of 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 those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation for a Secret clearance as a condition of placement in this non-critical sensitive position. This review may include 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. 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, unless already completed. Upon successful completion of the required trial period, this position will be permanent. 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.