Public Notice for Attorney Advisor (Direct Hire)

About the role

Chief Counsel Litigation Division: This Attorney Advisor position is in the Chief Counsel, Litigation Division and is responsible for researching and analyzing legal issues, interpreting laws and regulations, preparing legal documents, advising leadership and program offices, and representing the agency in administrative or judicial proceedings, as appropriate

What you will do

• This Public Notice for Attorney Advisor (Direct Hire) position is located in Chief Counsel, Litigation Division.
• Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
• Duties include but are not limited to: Represents TSA as primary or secondary counsel in litigation before the Merit Systems Protection Board, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, federal courts, and labor arbitration proceedings.
• Provides expert legal guidance to TSA personnel and external stakeholders on complex legal issues affecting TSA operations and workforce matters.
• Advises policymakers and managers on legal strategy, precedents, and arguments that support the agency's position.
• Conducts all phases of administrative and judicial litigation from initial case assessment through discovery, motion practice, settlement negotiations, hearings, and post-hearing actions.
• Develop litigation strategies; prepare pleadings, briefs, motions, discovery requests and responses, and witness examinations.
• Communicates legal advice and advocacy positions clearly and tailors messaging to the audience and circumstances.
• Adjudicates and resolves tort claims under the Federal Tort Claims Act Reviews claims and supports evidence, conducts legal and factual analyses, and evaluates issues of liability, damages, and potential settlement.
• Prepares written determinations and coordinates with program offices, claimants, and other appropriate stakeholders to ensure timely, legally sufficient claim resolution.
• Partners with the Department of Justice to protect TSA interests and unique equities in federal district and appellate court litigation nationwide.
• Supports cases involving constitutional, statutory, and regulatory issues by providing agency expertise, developing legal positions, coordinating factual support, and assisting with litigation strategy and case management.
• Please note: The major duties described reflect the full performance level of this position.
• Typically, the lower pay bands perform the same duties but will receive more guidance and training; and/or projects/work assignments may be less complex.

Requirements

• You must possess U.S. Citizenship or be a U.S. National.
• You must have reached the minimum age (18) at the time of application.
• You must complete a favorable Background Investigation (BI).
• Selective Service registration is required.
• You must obtain and maintain a Secret clearance level.
• Financial Disclosure Required: OGE-450 required for K Band only Must be an active member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. Commonwealth, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia.
• Must be a graduate of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association You must submit a copy of your law school transcript.
• (Submission of an unofficial copy is sufficient, but official copy must be submitted prior to appointment).
• You must submit a certificate of bar membership and proof of good standing.
• If you fail to meet the conditions of employment or any other pre-employment requirements, such as missing any of the scheduled appointments, the hiring agency may rescind their tentative offer of employment.
• Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for TSA to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
• Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring.
• These authorities are subject to change.

Education

This position has a basic education requirement listed under the Qualifications section of this announcement.

For positions requiring positive education requirements, or if you are using education to meet all or part of the qualification requirements, you MUST submit a copy of your transcripts or an itemized list of college courses from an accredited college or university, which includes equivalent information from the transcript (course title, semester/quarter hours, and grade/degree earned) in your resume.

The information must be provided with the application by the closing date of the announcement. If selected, the applicant must supply a transcript or certification of degree.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications 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 to all assessments required for this position.

Direct Hire Authority: This announcement is issued under the direct-hire authority to recruit for positions for which there is a critical need. Veteran's preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply to this public notice.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Influencing/Negotiating Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork **The specific competencies assessed may vary by band level.

The USA Hire Assessments include a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies.

You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered.

You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Documents you must provide

• The following documents are required and must be provided with your application.
• Applicants who do not submit required documentation to determine eligibility and qualifications will be eliminated from consideration.
• Documentation is needed to verify the eligibilities you are claiming.
• NOTE: Your resume must clearly demonstrate how you meet this requirement or you will be deemed ineligible.
• Additionally, copying and pasting information from the announcement into your resume will not adequately convey your qualifications.
• All applicants are required to submit a resume limited to two (2) pages.
• The USAJOBS database will not allow an applicant to submit an application that includes a resume over two pages.
• Narrative description of duties with start and end dates (including month and year) for work experience.
• Number of hours worked in a position (i.e., full-time or part-time).
• If part-time, (i.e., less than 40 hours per week) state the total number of hours worked per week.
• If you are a current Federal employee or previous Federal employee, provide your performance level for federal civilian positions (i.e., band or grade).
• If your resume does not contain this information, your application will be marked as insufficient, and you will not receive consideration for this position.
• Do NOT include photographs (or links to social media such as LinkedIn), inappropriate content, classified information, nor personal information such as age, gender, religion, social security number, etc. on your resume.
• Utilizing the USAJOBS Resume Builder and completing all available fields is strongly encouraged.
• Detail Documentation: Eligible applicants who wish to qualify for this position based upon experience obtained while serving on a detail with TSA must submit signed copies of the corresponding TSA form 1160, Terms And Conditions For Temporary Internal Assignment -Detail, or an SF-52, Request for Personnel Action, as supporting documentation along with their application otherwise the experience cannot be credited.
• Transcripts: If you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed under the Qualifications and Evaluations section, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript(s) with your application.
• If selected, an official/sealed college transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment.
• Veterans: If claiming VEOA or Veterans Preference- submit a copy of the official DD-214, which must include the character of service (i.e., with an Honorable or General discharge).
• If no DD-214 is available, please submit a memo/certification of military service as outlined in the VOW Act.
• This will be annotated in block 24 on member copy 2,4, or 7 of the DD-214.
• If claiming veterans' consideration which involves considering your disability rating, you must submit a VA Letter or a disability determination from a branch of the Armed Forces.
• Note: All veterans claiming 10-point preference must also submit a SF-15.
• TSA Employees: Current TSA employees are strongly encouraged to submit the most recent non-Award SF-50, at the time of application, to support eligibility for Status consideration.
• TSA employees who do not submit the SF-50 with the application must document their current TSA position in their resume and may be required to provide the SF-50 document during the selection process.
• TSA employees may obtain a copy of their most recent non-Award SF-50 at ***
• Current or Former Federal Civilian employees (Non-TSA): You must submit a legible copy of a SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action.
• The SF-50 block 24 must contain a "1" or "2" AND block 34 must contain a "1" or "2." Individuals with Disabilities: Documentation of eligibility for employment under this hiring authority can be obtained from a licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional certified by a state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory to practice medicine); a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e., state or private); or any Federal agency, state agency, or agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits.
• Documentation is used to verify that the individual being hired is indeed a person with an intellectual disability, severe physical disability, or psychiatric disability.
• Military Spouse Preference: If you are eligible based on one of the below, please submit the following: (1) spouse of an active-duty member of the armed forces: DD214 of spouse, marriage license, and PCS orders showing dependency (if applicable) (2) a spouse of a service member who is 100% disabled due to a service-connected injury: DD214 of spouse, marriage license, and VA Letter or disability determination showing 100% (3) spouse of a service member killed while on active duty: DD214 of spouse, marriage license, documentation from the Armed Forces casualty office

Benefits

DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays.

Other benefits may include flexible work schedules; situational telework may be permitted in accordance with departmental policy telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities.

For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select "Benefits." Disabled veteran leave will be available to any Federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.

Employees who transfer to TSA from an agency that allows employees to maintain an annual leave balance higher than the maximum accumulation for the appointed position will have their leave ceiling set to the maximum accumulation for the appointed position (e.g., United States duty location - 240 hours, foreign duty location - 360 hours, or TSES position - 720 hours).

TSA will not make a monetary payment for any leave forfeited under these circumstances.

What to expect next

If needed, applicants may request a religious accommodation as part of the hiring process from the designated contact noted in the vacancy announcement (for contact information please see 'Agency Contact Information' listed within the 'How to Apply' section of this job announcement).

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (***), 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: ***

Additional information

Eligibility to apply for other Federal positions: TSA is an Excepted Service agency exempt from most of Title 5 United States Code, including regulations which apply to displaced Federal employees (CTAP/ICTAP) of other agencies, and employment with TSA does not confer "Competitive Status" that generally results from selection and service in Competitive Service agencies.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has established an Interchange Agreement, which allows most permanent TSA employees to apply and be considered for vacancies in Competitive Service agencies.

Information from OPM on this or other Interchange Agreements is available at: *** 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 as a condition of placement into this position.

DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for 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. TSA employees who are absent for the purpose of performing military duty may apply for any vacancies announced in their absence. More than one position may be filled from this announcement.

If you are entering TSA employment on an appointment without time limitations, you must serve a basic trial period unless you have already met the requirement.