Attorney-Advisor (General)

About the role

You will serve as a Attorney-Advisor (General) with the Department of the Interior, Office of the Solicitor, Northeast Region, Twin Cities Regional Office located in Bloomington, MN.

In particular, you will provide quality legal research, analysis, advice, and representation to various Department bureaus, including the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, and other officials of the Deparment.

What you will do

• Providing legal research, analysis, advice, representation, and other legal services, including drafting legal opinions, to the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) and other bureaus and officials of the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) on issues that arise with respect to the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA).
• OSMRE's primary objectives include ensuring that coal mines are operated in a manner that protects citizens and the environment during mining and ensures that the land is restored to beneficial use following mining, and to mitigate the effects of past coal mining.
• Handling administrative litigation in the DOI Office of Hearings and Appeals and assisting the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) with judicial litigation (e.g., conducting research, analysis, and interpretation of legal theory, laws, regulations, judicial and administrative court decisions, and other legal documents in the preparation and presentation of assigned litigation, hearings, appeals, and negotiations).
• This position may require drafting of litigation reports, motions and briefs, responding to discovery, reviewing administrative records, collecting evidence, developing legal theories, and other associated responsibilities.
• Advising, analyzing, and assisting OSMRE on rulemakings, enforcement actions, State program and reclamation plan amendments, policy initiatives, guidance documents, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) matters, or other agency decisions.
• This will require providing oral and written advice, including legal memoranda.
• Cooperating with officials and staff of OSMRE in its headquarters, regional, field, and area offices; officials and staff of other bureaus of DOI; other attorneys within the Office of the Solicitor, attorneys in DOJ, including attorneys in the offices of the U.S. Attorneys; officials and to in other Federal agencies; and State, local, or tribal officials.
• There may also be interactions with attorneys and others representing non-governmental interests, such as the coal industry or citizens' groups.
• Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Direct Deposit participation required.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check.
• To learn more, visit ***
• A financial disclosure report will be required within 30 days of appointment.
• You are required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority.
• Active bar membership is required for all attorneys engaged in the practice of law in Federal government.
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 2-year trial period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.
• This trial period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service.
• In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
• Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized.
• In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the trial period, such appointments are terminated.
• Upon completion of your trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Education

Education: If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide transcripts as proof of meeting the requirements.

Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs.

Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education. ***

How you will be evaluated

Your resume must not exceed 2 pages. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed.

Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire will be made.

Please note applicants must meet the all qualifications requirement and submit all required documentation by closing date of the announcement for consideration for this position.

Failure to meet all qualifications requirement and/or submit all required documents will result in an ineligible for consideration rating.

Applicants who are found to be qualified and referred to the selecting official for consideration may be asked to provide a writing sample. Instructions will be included in the email communication sent to qualified candidates. Basis of Rating: Applicants will not be rated or ranked.

All applicants that meet the basic eligibility and qualification requirements of the position will be referred to the selecting official for consideration. The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a).

The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361. Providing false or misleading information on your resume or supporting documentation may result in removal from consideration or other action consistent with applicable federal hiring regulations.

Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position. To preview the announcement questionnaire, click here: ***

Documents you must provide

• Your resume must contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements as stated in this vacancy announcement and OPM qualification standards for each grade level(s) for which you are applying.
• It is strongly recommended that you use the USAJobs Resume Builder as it was designed to ensure that your resume includes the standard information needed.
• The Resume Builder is available at: ***
• All college transcript(s), unofficial transcripts will be accepted at the time of application, but official transcripts will be required before entry on duty.
• You must submit proof that you are licensed and authorized to practice law.
• Such proof can include a current active bar card, a screen print from a bar website that reflects you are an active member of the bar or a letter/certificate from the bar certifying you are licensed and authorized to practice law.
• Documents (bar card, screen print, letter/certificate) must be dated within 3 months of the closing date of the announcement.
• If using a screen print, make sure it is clear when the screen print was taken.
• For bar cards that do not have a date on them, please also submit a screen print or letter/certificate certifying you are licensed and authorized to practice law dated within 3 months of the announcement closing date.
• Cover letter: A 1-2 page cover letter is required expressing your interest and qualifications for this position.
• Current & Former Federal Employees If you are a current or former Federal employee, please submit the following by the closing date of this announcement: a copy of a recent SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" documenting tenure, position title, occupational series, grade level, step and salary; and your most recent performance appraisal (if you do not have your most recent performance appraisal, please submit an explanation as to why it is unavailable) If you are claiming veterans' preference you must submit a copy of your DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, by the closing date of this announcement.
• If you are currently on active military duty, you must provide documentation (e.g., campaign document, award citation, etc.), that verifies entitlement to veterans preference and that your character of military service is honorable.
• If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, in addition to the DD-214, you must submit documentation that supports your claim (e.g., an official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs or from a branch of the Armed Forces certifying the existence of a service-connected disability; or receipt of a Purple Heart).
• If you fail to submit any of the required documentation, you will not be granted veterans preference.
• Additional information on veterans' preference can be found in the VetGuide.

What to expect next

You can track the progress of your application package via your USAJobs account. You will receive an acknowledgment from USAJobs that your submission was successful, once we have received your on-line assessment questionnaire, resume and any supporting documentation.

You will be notified of the status of your application via your USAJobs account after we conduct a qualification review of your complete application package. You will be contacted if further evaluation or interviews are required. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration.

We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses, through reference and/or background checks, and/or verification of your education. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the Human Resources Office posting this announcement.

Additional information

This position is in the excepted service and not subject to competitive service procedures. Merit promotion procedures do not apply. Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.

Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor.

All Department of Interior (DOI) employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here, ***

The duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.