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This position is in Region 6, Office of Regional Counsel. About Region 6: Region 6 Website
This is an office-centered position*--you must physically report to the duty station stated in this announcement on a regular basis.
*Work-from-home flexibilities may be authorized as described in the Benefits section.
11/09/2023 to 11/23/2023
$74,961 - $116,803 per year
Salary will be based on the grade level for which you are selected.
GS 11 - 12
No
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Occasional travel - You may be required to travel up to 25% of each month.
No
Permanent
Full-time
Excepted
14
No
No
EPA-V6-OAE-2024-0001
759787000
At the entry level of this position, you will:
When entering a Federal job at a grade level lower than the highest promotion potential level, you may be promoted to more complex duties and work more independently, as your career progresses. NOTE: Career ladder promotions are not automatic, and all eligibility and qualifications requirements must be met in order to progress to the next grade level.
One or more positions may be filled (in the organization advertised and/or in other organizations), if appropriate to the position.
If you have not yet passed the bar exam, offer of employment will be contingent upon admission to the bar.
You must self-certify annually and in writing that you hold an active bar membership.
#LI-Onsite
If you are selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure form within 30 days of your first day of employment and annually thereafter.
This position is designated as High Risk and requires a background investigation. Unless an appropriate background investigation is already on record with the Office of Personnel Management, you must undergo a background investigation. All conditions of the pre-employment security process must be met before an official letter of employment can be issued with a report for duty date.
If you are selected, you may be required to complete a one-year trial period.
In addition to the educational requirements, you must meet the minimum grade-specific qualifications as described below:
To qualify for the GS-09 level, you must meet the requirements described in the Education section (there are no additional grade-specific requirements).
To qualify for the GS-11 level, you must have either:
-an LL.M. degree
OR
-at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level defined as lawyer or a judicial law clerk at the state or federal level with environmental law or public service as shown through academic courses, internships or other experience; excellent academic credentials, superior research and writing skills, excellent oral and written communication skills, the ability to work collaboratively, and a strong interest in public service.
OR
-completed superior law student activities while earning a J.D. degree. Superior law student activities include:
(A) Academic standing in upper third of law school graduating class;
(B) Work or achievement of significance on law school’s law review;
(C) Special high-level honors for academic excellence, such as election to Order of the Coif;
(D) Winning of a moot court competition or membership on the moot court team representing the law school in competition with other law schools;
(E) Full-time or continuous participation in a legal aid program or significant summer law office clerk experience; or
(F) Other equivalent evidence of clearly superior achievement, as determined by the hiring office and documented in writing for the case file.
To qualify for the GS-12 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level defined as experience giving legal advice to address difficult situations and problems arising from the administration or enforcement of environmental programs or experience providing legal advice and policy recommendations on matters under either the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), the Clean Air Act (CAA), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), or the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
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, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
If you have part-time work experience, read this: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.
You must:
(1) possess a J.D. or LL.M. degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university or equivalent apprentice experience as allowed per state law; and
(2) be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any state, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia; and
(3) be an active member of the bar of any U.S. jurisdiction in good standing. (NOTE: Bar membership is not required at the time of application, but you must be admitted to the bar before entry on duty.)
For information about accreditation requirements, visit EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values at EPA. Our excellence can only be fully realized by staff who share our commitment to these values. Successful candidates are committed to advancing equity and inclusion in the Agency’s workplace and mission. We encourage applications from candidates with a variety of personal experiences, values, and worldviews that arise from differences of culture and circumstance. At EPA, diversity is a vital element in bringing a balance of perspectives to bear on every challenge we face. We are committed to creating a diverse workforce because we know that the individual strengths and abilities of our employees make us a stronger organization. The more inclusive our employee base is, the greater the variety of ideas that are generated, and the more representative we are of the nation we serve. To learn more about how EPA values and supports our diverse workforce, visit Equal Opportunity Employment at EPA. You can also hear a diverse group of attorneys talk about their careers at EPA on the Legal Careers at EPA Webinar.
About the Office of Regional Counsel, Region 6. The Office of Regional Counsel, Region 6 is a fast paced, high profile practice in environmental law. There are approximately 70 attorneys from diverse backgrounds employed in the Region who provide legal advice and support to the Region on environmental matters arising out of Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, New Mexico, 66 Tribal Nations, and numerous environmental justice communities. The efforts of the attorneys in Region 6 significantly contribute towards EPA’s overall mission of protecting human health and the environment. This position will provide enforcement and counseling of federal environmental statutes in the Superfund Branch, Air Enforcement Branch, or RCRA and Toxics Enforcement Branch.
If you have questions about this position, contact Clarissa Mills at mills.clarissa@epa.gov.
This position is in the bargaining unit.
EPA participates in E-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that enables participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees. For additional information: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.
This position is excluded from provisions of the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP).
Selection under this appointment authority does not confer civil service competitive status.
If you are selected, travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid by EPA. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expenses associated with reporting to work in this position will be your responsibility.
Except in special circumstances, those new to the federal government will be hired at the starting salary (step 1) of the applicable grade range listed in the Overview section.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Traditional rating and ranking of applications does not apply to this vacancy. Applications will be evaluated against the basic qualifications, and then may be subject to additional assessments (e.g., technical writing sample or other work sample, job knowledge test, case scenario analysis, scientific data assessment, structured interview, etc.).
EPA considers veterans’ preference as a positive factor. Applicants who have veterans’ preference are encouraged to include their information in their cover letters or resumes and attach supporting documentation to substantiate their preference.
Excepted service positions are not covered by regular civil service hiring procedures.
Documents to be submitted online:
--Cover letter expressing your interest in the position and explaining how your qualifications meet the requirements of the position.
--Resume clearly stating your experience related to this position as described in the Duties section and Qualifications and Education sections. In describing your experience, you need to be clear and specific. We may not make assumptions regarding your experience.
--Copy of active bar membership/license (not required at the time of application, but you will be required to provide this documentation before entry on duty).
--Law school transcripts - if qualifying for this position based on education, you are required to submit either unofficial transcripts or a list of courses that includes school(s) attended, school address, course title, grades earned, completion dates, department, and quarter or semester hours earned. NOTE: Official educational transcripts are not required at the time of application; however, if you are selected, you must provide official transcripts before you start work with EPA. IF EDUCATION WAS COMPLETED AT A FOREIGN INSTITUTION: You must submit an equivalency evaluation with your application as described here: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.
--(NOTE TO HR SPECIALIST: Use only for GS-11 positions) Superior law student activities - if qualifying for this position based on superior law student activities, you must submit the applicable information/documentation.
--Veterans' Preference Documents:
--Name, address, and telephone number of three references, including a current or former employer.
To learn more about submitting documentation, visit Uploading Documents to USAJOBS.
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
You are strongly encouraged to read the entire announcement before you submit your application for this position.
To begin the application process, click the Apply button to the top right on this screen, follow the prompts to log-in/register, submit all required documents, and complete the assessment questionnaire. To be considered, you must submit a complete application package by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the day the announcement closes.
All required supporting documents will be collected electronically via the USAJOBS document portfolio feature.
If you cannot apply online, you must contact the Human Resources Office listed below for assistance no later than two business days prior to the closing date of this announcement. You must provide complete application materials by the day the announcement closes.
For detailed instructions to assist you in ensuring your application package is received, go to EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION
EPA welcomes applications from persons with disabilities. Through the reasonable accommodation process, we provide persons with disabilities an equal opportunity to enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment that persons without disabilities enjoy. A reasonable accommodation is any change in the work environment or in the way things are customarily done. An accommodation removes workplace barriers and enables an applicant with a disability to have an equal opportunity to participate in the application process, be considered for a position, and, if hired, perform the essential functions of their job.
The EPA National Reasonable Accommodation Coordinators will provide assistance to you, the Human Resources Office, and/or the hiring official as needed. For more information, refer to EPA’s Reasonable Accommodation website. Below is more detailed information about how to request a reasonable accommodation during the application, selection, and hiring process:
Please note: Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
You can track the progress of your application via your USAJOBS account by clicking the Track This Application link. Through your USAJOBS account, you will be notified of the status of your application at four touch-points (some of these notifications may be combined): (1) when your application is received; (2) when we conduct an eligibility and qualification review of your application package; (3) when applications are referred (or not) to the hiring manager; (4) when a selection is made (or not) for the position or the job is canceled. It is your responsibility to check your USAJOBS account for this application status information. In addition, you will be contacted if further evaluation or interviews are required. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the human resources office posting this announcement.
NOTE: We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses through reference and/or background check, and/or verification of your education. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/759787000. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
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