Attorney Advisor (General)

Summary

MSPB is a quasi-judicial agency that serves as the guardian of the Federal merit systems. MSPB is seeking one or more attorneys to serve in the Office of the Clerk of the Board and perform a range of duties related to the Board's petition for review and adjudication processes. The incumbent reports directly to the Deputy Clerk and works with other attorneys and professionals to provide legal information, support, and review to internal and external stakeholders.

Duties

The duties described are for the full-performance level. At developmental grade levels, assignments will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity. The duties may include, but are not limited to: Performs a final review of orders and decisions of the Board before they are released to the parties and the public. Provides legal advice to the Clerk of the Board regarding important procedural and operational initiatives with sensitivity and skill. Assists with sensitive and special projects related to outreach, and other matters that require sophisticated judgment and an ability to carry out assignments independently. Assists in reviewing and acting on various pleadings filed by parties on petition for review. Handles complex inquiries from the public and case parties about specific cases or MSPB generally received by email, telephone, or in person. May assist with a range of initiatives and processes related to the Board's adjudicatory mission, such as reviewing Federal Register notices, troubleshooting e-Appeal issues, and responding to adjudication data inquiries. Responds to various inquiries from MSPB's headquarters and regional offices about case-specific or general issues related to the Board's policies and procedures. Performs additional duties, as assigned at the direction of the Clerk or the Deputy Clerk of the Board in support of other programmatic responsibilities of the Office of the Clerk of the Board. May assist with providing legal advice or review in connection with the Office of the Clerk of the Board's administration of the MSPB's Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Programs. Is this the job for me? This Attorney-Advisor position may be the job for you if you: are very detail- and process-oriented; enjoy editing and have an appreciation for plain language; enjoy solving problems and making recommended solutions; are comfortable reviewing the work product of others and spotting issues and diplomatically raising questions, as appropriate; can work both independently and collaboratively with colleagues to complete assignments and improve processes; are comfortable speaking to and answering questions from case parties, members of the public, or representatives from courts or other agencies; are willing to work on a range of assignments; and are comfortable shifting focus as office needs and agency priorities dictate. This may not be the job for you if you: prefer to mostly research and write your own work product; or do not like to review or edit written work drafted by others. Although experience in employment law applicable to federal employees and agencies is highly preferred, it is not required.

Qualifications

To qualify, you must be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of a state, Territory, or the District of Columbia and meet the following requirements by the closing date of the announcement. GS-905-12: The first professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) plus one of the following: a. One year of professional legal experience at the level of difficulty comparable to the GS-905-11; or two years of professional legal experience, one of which must be at the level of difficulty comparable to the GS-905-11; or b. Second professional law degree (LL.M.) plus one year of professional legal experience at the level of difficulty comparable to the GS-905-11; or c. One year of professional experience; plus superior law student work (i.e, academic standing in the upper 1/3 of an accredited law school graduating class; work or achievement of significance on the law school's official law review or moot court board; special high-level honors for academic excellence in law school-such as, election to Order of the Coif; winning of a moot court team which represents the law school in competition with other law schools, full-time or continuous participation in a legal aid program-as opposed to intermittent or prior to "casual participation"; significant summer law clerk experience; or other evidence of clearly superior achievement). GS-905-13: The first professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) plus one of the following: a. Superior law student work plus two years of professional legal experience in employment law applicable to federal employees and agencies, one of which must be at a level of difficulty comparable to the GS-905-12; or b. Three years of professional legal experience in employment law applicable to federal employees and agencies, one of which must be at a level of difficulty comparable to the GS-905-12; or c. Second professional law degree (LL.M.) plus two years of professional legal experience in employment law applicable to federal employees and agencies, one of which must be at the level of difficulty comparable to the GS-905-12. GS-905-14: The first professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) plus one of the following: a. Superior law student work plus three years of professional legal experience in employment law applicable to federal employees and agencies, one of which must be at a level of difficulty comparable to the GS-905-13; or b. Four years of professional legal experience in employment law applicable to federal employees and agencies, one of which must be at level of difficulty comparable to the GS-905-13; or c. Second professional law degree (LL.M.) plus three years of professional legal experience in employment law applicable to federal employees and agencies, one of which must be at the level of difficulty comparable to the GS-905-13. Preferred Qualifications: Experience in employment or labor law applicable to federal employees and agencies or other experience writing or editing the work of a multi-member board/commission. ***If you are found qualified for this position, you will ONLY be considered at the grade level(s) for which you apply.***

Education

Please see educational qualification requirement information above. Transcripts are required.

How You Will Be Evaluated

Applications will be reviewed and eligibility determined based on the qualifications listed above as well as the applicants' quality of experience and the extent they possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities (or competencies): Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Influencing/Negotiating Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Your resume must support the following: You are proficient in the areas described in the Major Duties section above. Your resume must include dates of employment and a detailed description of each position you held. Failure to do so may impact your eligibility and may remove you from consideration. Applicants who fail to provide the required information will be determined ineligible. All eligible applications will be referred for further evaluation by subject-matter experts. The selecting official may select any eligible applicant with consideration of an individual's veteran's preference status as a positive factor. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility. Deliberate attempts to falsify information may be grounds for not selecting you. USA Hire Online Assessment: All eligible applicants are required to complete the online USA Hire assessment to be considered for the position for this vacancy. Applicants will not be given the opportunity to complete the online USA Hire assessment outside of the assigned assessment window for this vacancy. The assessment window closes 48 hours after the posted closing date and time of the announcement. To preview the application questionnaire, please visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13008349

Required Documents

The following documents are required for your application to be complete. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, illegible fax transmissions, delays in mail service, your system failure or downtime, etc. Encrypted and digitally signed documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration. Resume that includes: 1) job information for which you are applying; 2) personal information; 3) education; 4) work experience including the work schedule and hours worked per week as well as dates of employment; and title, series and grade if applicable; 5) supervisors phone number and e-mail address for each work period listed and whether or not we may contact them for reference checks; and, 6) other qualifications. Resume cannot exceed two pages. Only one resume will be reviewed. Law School Transcripts or List of Coursework: An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application; however, if selected, an official law school transcript will be required prior to entering on duty. All education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university. Foreign education must be evaluated by an approved organization. For additional information, refer to the U.S. Department of Education web site at http://www.ed.gov. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation. Writing Sample: A legal writing sample no more than 10 pages long, such as all or a portion(s) of a brief, memorandum of law, decision letter, or other material demonstrating proficiency in written legal analysis. Please indicate the extent to which the sample represents your unedited work product. Cover Letter: A cover letter explaining your interest and qualifications is preferred - but not required. DD-214 (Member 4 Copy): If you are an honorably discharged veteran who wishes to claim veteran's preference as a positive factor in your application. Please also submit an SF-15 with any other documentation required on the form, if applicable. Current/Former Career/Career-Conditional: MUST submit a copy of an SF-50, non-award Notification of Personnel Action, which preferably shows your current grade/position. If your current grade is not your highest permanent grade, submit a copy of an additional SF-50 showing your highest grade. AND current Federal employees must also submit your most recently completed annual performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) which identifies the employee's official rating of record, signed by the supervisor, or a statement advising why the performance appraisal is unavailable (e.g., length of time in current position, personnel system outage, etc.). Other required documents may include: CTAP/ICTAP: Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, or appropriate OPM/Agency certification; AND most recent performance evaluation; AND SF-50 demonstrating your separation or the position from which you will be separated.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments, and required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. Resume cannot exceed two pages. The application process is as follows: 1: Create a USAJOBS account (if you do not already have one) at www.usajobs.gov. It is recommended that as part of your profile you set up automatic email notification to be informed when the status of your application changes. If you choose not to set up this automatic notification, then you will have to log into your USAJOBS account to check on the status of your application. 2: Create a Resume with USAJOBS or upload a Resume into your USAJOBS account. You may want to customize your resume to ensure it documents duties and accomplishments you have gained that are directly related to this position in order to verify that qualifications are met. In addition, your resume must support your responses to the online questionnaire (you may preview the online questionnaire by clicking on the link at the end of the How You Will Be Evaluated section of the job announcement). 3: Click "Apply Online" and follow the prompts to complete the Occupational Questionnaire and attach any additional documents that may be required. You can update your application or documents anytime while the announcement is open. Simply log into your USAJOBS account and click on "Application Status." Click on the position title, and then select "Update Application" to continue. 4: If you are required to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. 5: Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. 6: Set aside at least 2 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link. 7: Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us. To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status: Click on this: http...

The duties described are for the full-performance level. At developmental grade levels, assignments will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity. The duties may include, but are not limited to: Performs a final review of orders and decisions of the Board before they are released to the parties and the public. Provides legal advice to the Clerk of the Board regarding important procedural and operational initiatives with sensitivity and skill. Assists with sensitive and special projects related to outreach, and other matters that require sophisticated judgment and an ability to carry out assignments independently. Assists the Legal Counsel to the Clerk of the Board in reviewing and acting on various pleadings filed by parties on petition for review. Handles complex inquiries from the public and case parties about specific cases or MSPB generally received by email, telephone, or in person. May assist with a range of initiatives and processes related to the Board's adjudicatory mission, such as reviewing Federal Register notices, troubleshooting e-Appeal issues, and responding to adjudication data inquiries. Responds to various inquiries from MSPB's headquarters and regional offices about case-specific or general issues related to the Board's policies and procedures. Performs additional duties, as assigned at the direction of the Clerk or the Deputy Clerk of the Board in support of other programmatic responsibilities of the Office of the Clerk of the Board. May assist with providing legal advice or review in connection with the Office of the Clerk of the Board's administration of the MSPB's Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Programs. Is this the job for me? This Attorney-Advisor position may be the job for you if you: are very detail- and process-oriented; enjoy editing and have an appreciation for plain language; enjoy solving problems and making recommended solutions; are comfortable reviewing the work product of others and spotting issues and diplomatically raising questions, as appropriate; can work both independently and collaboratively with colleagues to complete assignments and improve processes; are comfortable speaking to and answering questions from case parties, members of the public, or representatives from courts or other agencies; are willing to work on a range of assignments; and are comfortable shifting focus as office needs and agency priorities dictate. This may not be the job for you if you: prefer to mostly research and write your own work product; or do not like to review or edit written work drafted by others. Although experience in employment law applicable to federal employees and agencies is highly preferred, it is not required.

To qualify, you must be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of a state, Territory, or the District of Columbia and meet the following requirements by the closing date of the announcement. GS-905-12: The first professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) plus one of the following: a. One year of professional legal experience at the level of difficulty comparable to the GS-905-11; or two years of professional legal experience, one of which must be at the level of difficulty comparable to the GS-905-11; or b. Second professional law degree (LL.M.) plus one year of professional legal experience at the level of difficulty comparable to the GS-905-11; or c. One year of professional experience; plus superior law student work (i.e, academic standing in the upper 1/3 of an accredited law school graduating class; work or achievement of significance on the law school's official law review or moot court board; special high-level honors for academic excellence in law school-such as, election to Order of the Coif; winning of a moot court team which represents the law school in competition with other law schools, full-time or continuous participation in a legal aid program-as opposed to intermittent or prior to "casual participation"; significant summer law clerk experience; or other evidence of clearly superior achievement). GS-905-13: The first professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) plus one of the following: a. Superior law student work plus two years of professional legal experience in employment law applicable to federal employees and agencies, one of which must be at a level of difficulty comparable to the GS-905-12; or b. Three years of professional legal experience in employment law applicable to federal employees and agencies, one of which must be at a level of difficulty comparable to the GS-905-12; or c. Second professional law degree (LL.M.) plus two years of professional legal experience in employment law applicable to federal employees and agencies, one of which must be at the level of difficulty comparable to the GS-905-12. GS-905-14: The first professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) plus one of the following: a. Superior law student work plus three years of professional legal experience in employment law applicable to federal employees and agencies, one of which must be at a level of difficulty comparable to the GS-905-13; or b. Four years of professional legal experience in employment law applicable to federal employees and agencies, one of which must be at level of difficulty comparable to the GS-905-13; or c. Second professional law degree (LL.M.) plus three years of professional legal experience in employment law applicable to federal employees and agencies, one of which must be at the level of difficulty comparable to the GS-905-13. Preferred Qualifications: Experience in employment or labor law applicable to federal employees and agencies or other experience writing or editing the work of an independent multi-member board/commission or a neutral. ***If you are found qualified for this position, you will ONLY be considered at the grade level(s) for which you apply.***