Attorney Advisor (Senior Counsel)

Summary

This position is located in US Department of Agriculture, Office of the General Counsel. The primary purpose of the position is to provide professional legal services to major components of USDA and its agencies. This is an open-continuous announcement with an initial cut-off date of 12/4/2026 and then every month thereafter. Please see the "How to Apply" section.

Duties

• Provides effective legal services to USDA programs and activities, particularly within the U.S. Forest Service, that are consistent with USDA strategic goals and the priorities of the Secretary of Agriculture.
• Handles assignments that typically involve difficult or complex cases or legal problems related to one or more major Forest Service program area(s), including formulating, determining, or influencing the policies of the agency.
• Represents USDA and the US Forest Service in administrative and judicial adjudications and proceedings in complex cases with minimal assistance and instruction.
• Advises and or assists the US Department of Justice (DOJ), including U.S. Attorneys Offices, in connection with litigation, at both trial and appellate levels, in federal Courts.
• Prepares and reviews complex legal documents, such as: draft legislation or regulations, contracts, grants, agreements, leases, deeds, and other legal documents required in connection with implementation of USDA programs and activities.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.For consideration, all applicants must meet the minimum qualifications for attorney positions: Successful completion of a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the America Bar Association (ABA) and have the first professional law degree (LLB or JD) (Law School transcript required) and Currently be a member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Applicants should have a strong interest in federal natural resources law and an exceptional academic background. Judicial clerkship experience and familiarity with civil litigation is highly desirable, and knowledge of natural resources law, environmental law, and the Administrative Procedure Act is a plus but not a requirement. Applicants must demonstrate superior research, analytical, and writing abilities. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE At the GS-15 level: Qualifying experience for GS-15 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-14 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is possessing: a comprehensive knowledge, understanding or expertise of a particular subject matter area involving natural resources and land management; a mastery in a number of legal subject matter areas involving one or more major Forest Service program area(s) and senior level experience in execution of assignments with no preliminary instruction and minimal supervision; or first-chair litigation skills at a caliber sufficient to represent USDA and the U.S. Forest Service in complex cases with minimal supervision. 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). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

How You Will Be Evaluated

Your resume and supporting documentation will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications, to include any selective placement factor(s), if applicable, for the position. Under the provisions of the Direct Hire Authority (DHA), veteran's preference does not apply. While veterans' preference does not apply to the DHA, veterans are encouraged to submit their documentation. Applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements, to include any selective placement factor(s), if applicable and who are otherwise eligible to apply for the position, will be referred for selection consideration. For more information on OPM's authorization for DHA, please visit https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/direct-hire-authority/ Applicants who are displaced Federal employees within the local commuting who are requesting priority consideration under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) or Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) must be determined Well Qualified using the below evaluation criteria. Well Qualified-Meets the minimum qualifications of the position and is proficient in some, but not all, of the relevant competencies. Qualified-Meets the minimum qualifications of the position but is not proficient in the relative competencies to a substantive degree. Legal Governance and Juris Prudence Problem Solving Oral Communication Written Communication Structured Resume Review: Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. SMEs will review ONLY two (2) pages of your resume, starting at your work experience. SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., links embedded in your resume will not be opened). Applicants passing the resume review will move on to the next phase of the assessment process. Any selections made under this notice will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Current Federal employees would therefore, be given new appointments to the civil service and new probationary period required. Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service.Clicking the link below will present a preview of the application form; i.e. the online questionnaire. The application form link below will only provide a preview and does not initiate the application process. To initiate the online application process, click the "Apply" button to the right. To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13100741 Other Information

The salary ranges vary according to the geographic area locality adjustments; therefore, rates advertised represent base pay only as pay will depend upon the selectee's duty location. Please see the OPM 2026 GS Salary Tables. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100. If selected, you will be required to submit Form OGE-450 within 30 days of your initial appointment date, and annually thereafter. Selectee is subject to financial Disclosure Requirements in accordance with 5 CFR, Part 2635, Sub part E regarding business or personal transactions with applicants, borrowers, or business contacts who have or who are seeking business with this Agency. Selectee must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance. If selected you will be subject to a National Agency Check and Inquiry (NACI) and a credit report. Incentives may be authorized. Direct Hire Authority: This announcement is issued under the direct-hire authority to recruit for positions for which there is acritical need. Selectee(s) will receive a career or career-conditional appointment in the competitive service and may be required to serve a one-year probationary period. Category rating, veteran's preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply to this public notice.