ATTORNEY ADVISER (GENERAL)

Summary

About the Position: This position is located at Watervliet, NY. If you are currently serving in a permanent, competitive service appointment in the Federal service, and are selected for this position, the appointment will remove you from the competitive service while you occupy this position.

Duties

• Handles legal and factual problems with wide latitude for the exercise of independent judgement, for the Arsenal and its tenant activities.
• Provides legal advice and counsel to the Command regarding the laws, regulations, and policies applicable to civilian personnel, labor relations, and equal employment issues.
• Handles matters to prevent litigation and serves as the primary counsel representing the Command in third-party administrative, quasi-judicial, and judicial proceedings on civilian personnel, labor relations, and equal employment matters.
• Advise Commander and key personnel on questions of substantive and remedial law and administrative policy involved in the Arsenal.
• Answer questions on administrative and civil law matters, including the operation of WVA's military installation, environmental law, fiscal law, Congressional matters, ethics, FOIA, and investigations.
• Advise the installation Commander and key personnel regarding Arsenal and tenant activity operations, including relationships with private associations and the general public.
• Advises the Arsenal Commander, the Civilian Personnel Officer and other management officials on legal aspects of disputes between employees and/or employee union organizations management.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: Current and former Federal employees and US Citizens. Applicants will be evaluated to determine if they meet the minimum qualification requirements and on the extent to which their application shows possession of the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) associated with the position. KSA's: Skill in identifying and researching highly technical and complex legal issues. Skill in providing legal, technical, and policy guidance. Ability to effectively, professionally, and ethically manage a heavy caseload of clients with complex legal needs. Qualification Requirements: The following minimum qualification requirements must be met before applicants are eligible for further consideration: 1) Education: Assignments require the first professional law degree (Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) or Juris Doctorate (J.D.)). Applicants for initial appointment into attorney positions must be graduates of law schools accredited by the American Bar Association at the time of the applicant's graduation. The Army General Counsel may make an exception upon a showing that a candidate possesses superior qualifications and that no well-qualified candidates from accredited law schools are available. 2) Bar Membership: Applicants must be active members in good standing (as defined by the pertinent bar) of the bar of a State, territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. 3) Professional Legal Experience GS-13: Applicants must possess two (2) years of professional legal experience after admission to the bar commensurate with the duties of the position. The Attorney Qualifying Authority may grant an exception to this requirement when an applicant possess special qualifications. GS-14: Applicants must possess more than three (3) years of professional legal experience after admission to the bar commensurate with the duties of the position. 4) Time in Grade (current Federal employees): Candidates selected for advancement will normally have completed at least one year of service that is one grade lower than the position to be filled. The selecting official may request a waiver of the one year requirement in cases where hardship or inequity exists. NOTICE OF VETERAN'S PREFERENCE: There is no formal rating system for applying veteran's preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of the Defense considers veterans' preference eligibility a positive factor for attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., DD Form 214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty") to their submissions. Although the point-preference system is not used, applicants eligible to claim a 10-point preference must submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference", and supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed. The SF 15 will identify the supporting documentation required along with the list of the types of 10-point preference. The SF 15 is available from the OPM at https://www.gsa.gov/portal/forms/type/sf/.

Education

Only degrees from an accredited college or university recognized by the Department of Education are acceptable to meet positive education requirements or to substitute education for experience. For additional information, please go to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and U.S. Department of Education websites at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications and http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html. How You Will Be Evaluated

Your application package (resume and supporting documents) will be evaluated for basic qualification requirements and for the skills needed to perform the duties of the position, as described in this vacancy announcement and identified by the Selecting Official. NOTICE OF INTERNAL CANDIDATE PREFERENCE: Army Materiel Command Internal Candidates will be afforded preference. There is no formal rating system for applying veteran's preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service, however the principles of veteran's preference will be followed to the extent that is administratively feasible. Other Information

To ensure compliance with Army Materiel Command (AMC), we will consider internal candidates to the agency that are qualified by AMC before considering external applicants (all US Citizens). 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. This position requires a 2 year trial period during which the agency evaluates your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In making this determination, the agency may consider your performance and conduct; agency needs and interests; whether your continued employment supports organizational or Government goals; and whether it promotes the efficiency of the Federal service. Continued employment requires written certification that it advances the public interest. Direct Deposit of Pay is required. 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 Legal Career Program position aligned under the CP 56 Career Management Directorate. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. 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.