Summary

About the Position: You will serve as Seattle Principal Assistant District Counsel for Procurement Law, a senior attorney for the Seattle District in direct support of the District Counsel, furnishing expert legal advice, assistance, and services to the District Commander, head of a major operating program of the Corps of Engineers, and who holds unusual delegated authority or responsibility commonly afforded a higher echelon when compared to other DoD and Federal civilian agencies.

This job is open to

• The public
  
  U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Videos

Duties

• Provides legal support to senior Seattle District management officials in the execution of all mission areas.
• Serves as legal practice group leader/subject matter expert in application of contract formation and administration, including claims and appeals, analyzing facts, determining questions of law, and preparing decisions for consideration/adoption.
• Provides legal advice regarding the Corps of Engineers Civil Works program and its authorities, the Regulatory program, and with respect to the application of environmental laws.
• Serves as ethics advisor and labor counselor.
• The nature of legal work required to perform these duties involves very complex issues, necessitating extensive research and analysis.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

An applicant must have successfully completed a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and have the first professional law degree (LL.B or JD). Only a law degree from an accredited college or university recognized by the American Bar Association is acceptable to meet positive education requirements. (Transcripts must be uploaded)

In addition to meeting the education basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:

A. I have three (3) or more years of professional legal experience, acquired after being admitted to the Bar, commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. Examples of this experience include:

1. analyze facts, ascertain law and give opinions, stating facts and legal issues;

2. explain legal principles and identify alternative courses of action;

3. advise Program or Project Manager, Contracting Officer, or other manager or supervisor (a) on all aspects of procurement process to include drafting special agreements or unusual contracting clauses; (b) on NEPA, ESA, CZMA or other aspects of environmental law; (c) on the civilian personnel system and all aspects of handling issues of conduct, performance, and EEO, or labor unions in the federal sector; and (d) on regulation under the Clean Water Act and Rivers and Harbors Act; and

4. prepare litigation reports and draft pleadings and other legal documents required by the Department of Army and Department of Justice in various federal courts or administrative forums. (Experience must be documented in your resume.)

OR

B. In addition to the first law degree (LLB or JD), I have a second professional law degree, such as an LLM, which I may substitute for one year of the required professional legal experience, and I have two (2) years of professional legal experience, acquired after being admitted to the Bar, commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. Examples of this experience include:

1. analyze facts, ascertain law and give opinions, stating facts and legal issues;

2. explain legal principles and identify alternative courses of action;

3. advise Program or Project Manager, Contracting Officer, or other manager or supervisor (a) on all aspects of procurement process to include drafting special agreements or unusual contracting clauses; (b) on NEPA, ESA, CZMA or other aspects of environmental law; (c) on the civilian personnel system and all aspects of handling issues of conduct, performance, and EEO, or labor unions in the federal sector; and (d) on regulation under the Clean Water Act and Rivers and Harbors Act; and

4. prepare litigation reports and draft pleadings and other legal documents required by the Department of Army and Department of Justice in various federal courts or administrative forums. (Experience must be documented in your resume.)

The experience described in your résumé will be evaluated and screened for the Office of Personnel Management's basic qualifications requirements, and the skills needed to perform the duties of this position as described in this vacancy announcement.

BAR MEMBERSHIP: An applicant must currently be an active member in good standing of the Bar of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Time in Grade Restriction: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks MUST have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade (or equivalent).

You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency in the following areas:

• Legal, Government and Jurisprudence

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Official or unofficial college or university transcript may be used for the application process. Official transcripts will be required at time of selection.

Additional information

• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
• You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
• One year trial/probationary period may be required.
• Direct Deposit of Pay is required.
• This position requires you to submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE450) upon entry, and annually thereafter.
• If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
• This is a(n) Professional Services Career Field position.
• Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
• When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable. Visit https://www.dfas.mil/civilianemployees/civrelo/Civilian-Moving-Expenses-Tax-Deduction/ for more information.
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS) allowances may be authorized, subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations and an agency determination that a PCS move is in the Government Interest.
• The Defense National Relocation Program (DNRP) is not authorized.
• Eligible for regular and recurring telework.
• The following incentives MAY BE authorized: Recruitment Incentive, Relocation Incentive, Advanced In-Hire, and/or Advanced Leave Accrual.

• Benefits
  
  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  
  Review our benefits
  
  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Basis for Rating: If eligible and meeting basic qualifications, your application package will be evaluated in conjunction with your résumé and supporting documents for the required knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) to successfully perform the duties of this position:

1. Knowledge and experience with federal laws, regulations, policies, and procedures in research, analysis, and effectively advising regarding Government procurement law, as well as other complex areas of Federal law such as:

a) Civil Works programs and authorities;

b) environmental and natural resources law;

c) litigation;

d) Department of the Army Regulatory program law;

e) administrative law (including employee ethics, information law, and fiscal law);

f) Federal Indian law;

g) Civilian personnel and employment law, and labor-management relations;

h) non-contract claims; and

i) environmental remediation law.

2. Ability, experience, and aptitude in managing, overseeing, and mentoring a diverse staff of attorneys as practice group manager in a designated field of legal practice.

3. Ability to function as a senior counselor and advisor to the Commander and to work effectively as legal subject matter expert and programmatic advisor with other military and senior management officials within the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and with other governmental entities, the public, and private parties.

4. Ability to balance multiple national (external) and agency (internal) program goals and priorities; ability to review program implementation and results; ability to balance customer programs with legal goals and priorities; and ability to develop and utilize innovative approaches in solving problems and issues.

5. Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing. Please provide a writing sample, demonstrating your verbal communication and legal analysis skills through legal briefs, memoranda, or letters. WRITING SAMPLES SHOULD NOT EXCEED 10 PAGES.

NOTICE OF VETERANS' PREFERENCE:

There is no formal rating system for applying veteran's preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Defense considers veterans' preference eligibility a positive factor for attorney hiring. Applicants eligible to claim veterans' preference may include that information in their cover letter or résumé and attach supporting documentation (e.g., DD Form 214) to their submissions. Although the point-preference system is not used, applicants eligible to claim a 10-point preference and desiring to obtain consideration of veteran's status must submit a Standard Form SF-15, "Application for 10-point Veteran Preference," and supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed.

• Benefits
  
  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  
  Review our benefits
  
  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
• Required Documents
  
  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
  
  The documents you are required to submit vary based on whether or not you are eligible for preference in federal employment. A complete description of preference categories and the associated required documents is in the Applicant Checklist for Public Announcements.
  
  As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.
  
  1. Your resume:
  
  • Your resume may be submitted in any format and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement.
  • If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
  • For qualifications determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week and the dates of employment (i.e., HRS per week and month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete and you may not receive consideration for this position.
  • For additional information see: What to include in your resume.
  
  If you are a current U.S. Army Corps of Engineers attorney, you MUST submit the following documents:
  
  
  1. Resume;
  2. Latest two annual performance appraisals;
  3. Your latest non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50); and
  4. A writing sample. WRITING SAMPLES MAY TOTAL NO MORE THAN 10 PAGES IN LENGTH. Extracts of selected sections of larger documents are acceptable. Redacted material is acceptable.
  
  If you are NOT a current U.S. Army Corps of Engineers attorney, you MUST submit the following documents, compliant in each instance with the specified requirements, or you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further:
  
  
  1. Resume;
  2. Copy of law school transcripts (official copies will be required if selected and before placement); AND an official statement of relative standing in your class or official statement demonstrating the unavailability of class standing information;
  3. Certificate showing that you are a member in good standing with the Bar, dated NO MORE THAN 3 months before the opening date of this announcement (a copy is sufficient for the application, but a certified copy may be necessary upon selection);
  4. A sworn statement, certifying that your fitness to practice law or your conduct as an attorney has never been challenged in any jurisdiction. This statement MUST be notarized on a date NO MORE THAN 3 months before the opening date of this announcement. IF YOUR FITNESS TO PRACTICE LAW OR YOUR CONDUCT AS AN ATTORNEY HAS BEEN CHALLENGED IN ANY JURISDICTION, you must provide a notarized statement concerning the facts and circumstances, and any other explanation that you deem appropriate;
  5. One signed letter of professional reference from a member of the Bar of a State or Territory, dated within 12 months of the opening date of this announcement; AS WELL AS the names of two additional professional references who are each members of the Bar of a State or Territory; and
  6. A writing sample. WRITING SAMPLES MAY TOTAL NO MORE THAN 10 PAGES IN LENGTH. Extracts of selected sections of larger documents are acceptable. Redacted material is acceptable.
  
  For more information on transcripts and licenses see: Transcripts and Licenses
  
  NOTE: Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove another person's personal information before you submit your application. You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.
  
  
  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.
• How to Apply
  
  To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
  
  The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 05/28/2024 to receive consideration.
  
  • To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12407739).
  • Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
  • You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
  • It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
  • Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.
  
  
  To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
  
  Agency contact information
  
  
  
  Army Applicant Help Desk
  
  Website
  
  https://portal.chra.army.mil/hr_public?id=app_inq
  
  Address
  
  RH-W2SJ02 US ARMY ENGINEER DISTRICT-SEATTLE
  
  DO NOT MAIL
  
  Seattle, WA 98124
  
  US
  
  Next steps
  
  If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.
• Fair and Transparent
  
  The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
  
  
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Financial suitability
  • Selective Service
  • New employee probationary period
  • Signature and false statements
  • Privacy Act
  • Social security number request

Required Documents

The documents you are required to submit vary based on whether or not you are eligible for preference in federal employment. A complete description of preference categories and the associated required documents is in the Applicant Checklist for Public Announcements.

As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

1. Your resume:

• Your resume may be submitted in any format and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement.
• If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
• For qualifications determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week and the dates of employment (i.e., HRS per week and month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete and you may not receive consideration for this position.
• For additional information see: What to include in your resume.

If you are a current U.S. Army Corps of Engineers attorney, you MUST submit the following documents:

1. Resume;
2. Latest two annual performance appraisals;
3. Your latest non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50); and
4. A writing sample. WRITING SAMPLES MAY TOTAL NO MORE THAN 10 PAGES IN LENGTH. Extracts of selected sections of larger documents are acceptable. Redacted material is acceptable.

If you are NOT a current U.S. Army Corps of Engineers attorney, you MUST submit the following documents, compliant in each instance with the specified requirements, or you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further:

1. Resume;
2. Copy of law school transcripts (official copies will be required if selected and before placement); AND an official statement of relative standing in your class or official statement demonstrating the unavailability of class standing information;
3. Certificate showing that you are a member in good standing with the Bar, dated NO MORE THAN 3 months before the opening date of this announcement (a copy is sufficient for the application, but a certified copy may be necessary upon selection);
4. A sworn statement, certifying that your fitness to practice law or your conduct as an attorney has never been challenged in any jurisdiction. This statement MUST be notarized on a date NO MORE THAN 3 months before the opening date of this announcement. IF YOUR FITNESS TO PRACTICE LAW OR YOUR CONDUCT AS AN ATTORNEY HAS BEEN CHALLENGED IN ANY JURISDICTION, you must provide a notarized statement concerning the facts and circumstances, and any other explanation that you deem appropriate;
5. One signed letter of professional reference from a member of the Bar of a State or Territory, dated within 12 months of the opening date of this announcement; AS WELL AS the names of two additional professional references who are each members of the Bar of a State or Territory; and
6. A writing sample. WRITING SAMPLES MAY TOTAL NO MORE THAN 10 PAGES IN LENGTH. Extracts of selected sections of larger documents are acceptable. Redacted material is acceptable.

For more information on transcripts and licenses see: Transcripts and Licenses

NOTE: Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove another person's personal information before you submit your application. You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.


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.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 05/28/2024 to receive consideration.

• To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12407739).
• Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
• After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
• You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
• It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
• Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

Agency contact information



Army Applicant Help Desk

Website

https://portal.chra.army.mil/hr_public?id=app_inq

Address

RH-W2SJ02 US ARMY ENGINEER DISTRICT-SEATTLE

DO NOT MAIL

Seattle, WA 98124

US

Next steps

If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.

Fair & Transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
• Reasonable accommodation policy
• Financial suitability
• Selective Service
• New employee probationary period
• Signature and false statements
• Privacy Act
• Social security number request