Attorney-Adviser

About the role

This position is in Region 5, Office of Regional Councel. About this organization: Region 5 This is an office-centered position--you must physically report to the duty station stated in this announcement on a regular basis.

What you will do

• Provide legal advice, perform legal research, prepare legal documentation, and make policy recommendations on complex legal matters with greater independence.
• Perform the full range of litigation activities for varied and complex enforcement and defensive matters, including discovery, motions, briefs, oral argument support, and representation in administrative, civil, or judicial proceedings.
• Draft Agency determinations, proposed regulations, and Federal Register notices for final review and issuance by leadership.
• Lead negotiation, informal dispute resolution, and representational work for the Region in complex matters and coordinate with internal and external stakeholders.
• Perform liaison and specialized team work.
• If you are hired at a lower grade level, your duties will be less complex and you will have more supervisory oversight.
• 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 (in the organization advertised and/or in other organizations), if appropriate to the position.

Requirements

• #LI-Onsite You must be a U.S. citizen.
• If you have not yet passed the bar exam, offer of employment will be contingent upon admission to the bar and licensure/authorization to practice as an attorney.
• 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 trial period (two years if you are not a preference eligible; one year if you are a preference eligible).
• This position is designated as High 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.
• REAL ID requirements became effective on 05/07/25.
• If you are selected for this position and plan to use your driver's license or identification card during the onboarding process (i.e., for employment eligibility verification or to obtain your EPA identification card), the document must be a REAL ID-compliant state-issued driver's license or identification card that includes the REAL ID-compliant star marking, or must be an Enhanced Driver's License (EDL).
• You will receive information about alternative acceptable documents (e.g., passport) prior to onboarding.
• For more information about REAL ID, see Dept. of Homeland Security and REAL ID FAQs.
• 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.

Education

You must: (1) possess a J.D. or LL.M. degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university or equivalent apprentice experience as allowed per state law; and (2) be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any state, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia; and (3) be an active member of the bar of any U.S. jurisdiction in good standing.

NOTE: Bar membership and licensure are not required at the time of application, but you must be admitted to the bar and obtain your license before entry on duty. For information about accreditation requirements, visit Accreditation.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualification requirements listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses (if applicable) to all assessments required for this position.

To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: *** If you are eligible for consideration, one or more subject matter experts will systematically review your resume to assess the degree to which your background matches the competencies required for successful performance in this position (see the Qualifications section for a list of the critical competencies being evaluated).

Based on the assessment ratings, a score will be calculated to determine your numerical ranking. NOTE: Cheating (including the use of a consultant or an AI tool to assist you) on any assessment may result in your removal from consideration for this job.

If you are referred for consideration, you may be subject to additional assessments by the selecting official (e.g., technical writing sample or other work sample, job knowledge test, case scenario analysis, scientific data assessment, structured interview, etc.). Veterans' preference is considered as a positive factor in the selection process.

When appropriate documentation is submitted to confirm a claim of preference eligibility (see Required Documents section), the veteran is preferred over other applicants with substantially equal qualifications.

Documents you must provide

• ALL APPLICANTS 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 and Education sections--include specific dates (MM/DD/YY - MM/DD/YY) so we can determine that you have the required amount of experience (if applicable).
• In describing your experience, you need to be clear and specific (we may not make assumptions regarding your experience).
• If your resume includes federal experience, indicate the grade or pay band (e.g., GS-13) for each federal job.
• Resume must not exceed 2 pages.
• If you do not submit a resume that is 2 pages or less, you will be ineligible for further consideration.
• See How to Apply section for more information.
• Copy of active bar membership/license (not required at the time of application, but you will be required to provide this documentation before entry on duty).
• Proof of education (see requirements in the Education section): Law school transcripts - unofficial or official transcripts or a list of courses that includes school(s) attended, school address, course title, grades earned, completion dates, department, and quarter or semester hours earned.
• NOTE: Official educational transcripts are not required at the time of application; however, if you are selected, you must provide official transcripts before you start work with EPA.
• IF EDUCATION WAS COMPLETED AT A FOREIGN INSTITUTION: You must submit an equivalency evaluation with your application as described here: Accreditation. - OR - Documentation of apprentice experience equivalent to possession of a J.D. or LL.M. degree.
• Name, address, and telephone number of three references, including a current or former employer.
• APPLICANTS QUALIFYING BASED ON SUPERIOR LAW STUDENT ACTIVITIES Proof of completion of superior law student activities as described in the Qualifications section APPLICANTS CLAIMING VETERANS' PREFERENCE To be eligible for veterans' preference, you must claim preference in your USAJOBS account; you must also submit proof of eligibility as indicated below.
• Separated veterans claiming 0-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) and that the release or discharge was due to sole survivorship 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 (Statement of Service) 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)

Benefits

Join EPA in protecting human health and the environment and enjoy many work life quality options! Working for the EPA offers you a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, life insurance, health benefits, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. To learn more about us, visit Life and Careers at EPA.

If you are selected for this position, situational telework may be approved by your supervisor if you meet eligibility requirements, as allowable by agency policy and/or applicable collective bargaining agreement. EPA policy only allows telework to be approved situationally.

Situational telework is for work or assignments of specific limited duration on an occasional, emergency, or ad hoc basis. NOTE: If you are an EPA employee who currently works at a remote work location (i.e., full-time telework), your approval for remote work does not transfer to this position, subject to Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act.

What to expect next

You can track the progress of your application via your USAJOBS account by clicking the Track This Application link.

Through your USAJOBS account, you will be notified of the status of your application at four touch-points (some of these notifications may be combined): (1) when your application is received; (2) when we conduct an eligibility and qualification review of your application package; (3) when applications are referred (or not) to the hiring manager; (4) when a selection is made (or not) for the position or the job is canceled.

It is your responsibility to check your USAJOBS account for this application status information. In addition, you will be contacted if further evaluation or interviews are required. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the human resources office posting this announcement.

NOTE: We may verify all information you provide in your application package through reference and/or background check, and/or verification of your education. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration.

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. 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 in the Overview section.

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: E-Verify.

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. This position is not in the bargaining unit.

About the Office of Regional Counsel, Region 5: The Office of Regional Counsel acts as the principal legal adviser to the Regional Administrator and provides legal opinions, legal counsel and litigation support to all regional program and management divisions and offices.

The primary statutes enforced by EPA are the Clean Air Act; Clean Water Act; Safe Drinking Water Act; Toxic Substances Control Act; Resource Conservation and Recovery Act; Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (Superfund); and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.

ORC also provides legal advice on ethics issues arising within the Region. In providing legal counsel, ORC attorneys consult and coordinate with attorneys in EPA's Office of General Counsel and other ORC offices to ensure consistency in the legal positions being taken across the Agency. ORC responsibilities also include the functions of the Regional Hearing Clerk.

If you have questions about this position, contact Erik Olson, Deputy Regional Counsel, at *** or (312)886-6829.