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This is a Public Notice. Please read this Public Notice in its entirety prior to submitting your application for consideration.
This position is located in the Office of the Undersecretary, Office of General Counsel (OGC), with one or more vacancies in Silver Spring, MD.
08/02/2024 to 09/06/2024
$82,764 - $153,354 per year
GS 11 - 13
No
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
No
Permanent
Full-time
Excepted
15 - If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you may be non-competitively promoted if you perform successfully and if recommended by management.
No
No
OGC-24-12490723-ES
802823900
Applicants must be a law student who will receive his/her J.D. degree by June 30, 2025; or a graduate law student with a J.D. who will receive his/her LL.B. by June 30, 2025; or a recent law school graduate with a J.D. who will complete a judicial clerkship or a relevant fellowship by September 2025.
As an Attorney-Advisor with the Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office of General Counsel, your specific duties will include:
As an Attorney-Advisor in the Attorney Honors Program, you will work closely with experienced NOAA scientists and other program specialists on a variety of cutting-edge issues relating to the management and conservation of natural resources. This position requires interaction with other NOAA General Counsel Office attorneys, NOAA scientists, policy makers and technical staff, Department of Commerce officials, other Federal and state agency officials, members of the regulated community, and representatives of public interest organizations. It also involves active participation, in concert with U.S. Department of Justice attorneys, in prosecuting and defending NOAA cases brought under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, Oil Pollution Act, the National Marine Sanctuaries Act and other similar laws. The work involves complex and challenging legal issues on important matters.
The NOAA Office of the General Counsel employs approximately 110 attorneys at headquarters in the Silver Spring, MD/Washington, DC area and six regional offices. The Office provides legal advice to the NOAA Administrator and NOAA program offices on a wide variety of legal issues including U.S. and international fisheries, marine mammals, endangered and threatened marine species, preservation of coastal areas, marine sanctuaries, and licensing of commercial satellites.
NOAA is a premier environmental agency located within the U.S. Department of Commerce and employs over 12,000 individuals nationwide. NOAA is an agency that enriches life through science. Our reach goes from the surface of the sun to the depths of the ocean floor as we work to keep citizens informed of the changing environment around them.
From daily weather forecasts, severe storm warnings and climate monitoring to fisheries management, coastal restoration and supporting marine commerce, NOAA's products and services support economic vitality and affect more than one-third of America's gross domestic product. NOAA's dedicated scientists use cutting-edge research and high-tech instrumentation to provide citizens, planners, emergency managers and other decision makers with reliable information they need when they need it.
NOAA's roots date back to 1807, when the Nation's first scientific agency, the Survey of the Coast, was established. Since then, NOAA has evolved to meet the needs of a changing country. NOAA maintains a presence in every state and has emerged as an international leader on scientific and environmental matters.
NOAA's mission touches the lives of every American and we are proud of our role in protecting life and property and conserving and protecting natural resource.
Note: The duties described are at the full performance level of the GS-15 grade.
Key Requirements:
This position has a positive education requirement: transcripts must be provided, and proof of Bar membership for those seeking an attorney position, MUST be provided with your application package to receive further consideration.
NOTE: Cover Letter requirements: Your cover letter should be no longer than 3000 characters, including spaces, and should address why you are applying to the NOAA GC Honors Program, your interest in public service, the characteristics and qualifications that make you a strong candidate, and what distinguishes you from other candidates.
Eligibility Requirements: Applicants must be a law student who will receive his/her J.D. degree by June 30, 2025; a graduate law student with a J.D. who will receive his/her LL.B. by June 30, 2025; or a recent law school graduate with a J.D. who will complete a judicial clerkship or a relevant fellowship by September 2025.
Significant academic achievement in law school (such as ranking in the top 20% of the class), graduation with honors, judicial clerkship experience, or participation in law review, will be favorably considered.
Basic Requirements:
NOAA seeks attorneys with a comprehensive knowledge of Federal environmental statutes and conservation laws, as well as laws and regulations related to the implementation and oversight of large-scale natural resource restoration projects. Applicants must have a demonstrated ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing and to identify and resolve complex legal issues. Applicants also must demonstrate the ability to manage large projects independently, assimilate large amounts of materials quickly, balance a large and diverse workload, and work effectively in a team with other attorneys and support staff. Significant academic achievement in law school (such as top 20% class ranking, graduation with honors, judicial clerking experience, or participation in moot court or law review) or experience practicing environmental law will be favorably considered.
Attorneys are considered for promotion on each annual anniversary date based on successful performance and management recommendation.
Qualification Requirements:
Law Clerk, GS-0904-11:
Holds a professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) from an accredited law school.
Appointments as a Law Clerk are limited to 14 months during which time appointee must be admitted in good standing to the bar of a court of general jurisdiction of a state, territory or possession of the United States, after which the appointee will be appointed to a permanent appointment as an Attorney.
**This is a developmental position for the 18-month long Honors Program.
Attorney Advisor, GS-0905-12:
Holds a professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) from an accredited law school and must be an active member in good standing of a State bar, the bar of the District of Columbia, the bar of a U.S. territory, or the bar of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
**Individuals appointed as Law Clerks at the GS-11 grade may be promoted to GS-12 Attorney-Advisor positions upon admission to the bar, regardless of time-in-grade.
Attorney Advisor, GS-0905-13:
GS-13: Holds a professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) from an accredited law school, and must be an active member in good standing of a State bar, the bar of the District of Columbia, the bar of a U.S. territory, or the bar of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and possess at least twenty-four months of relevant legal experience.
Conditions of Employment:
Law Clerk, GS-0904-11:
College Transcript: If you are qualifying based on education, submit a copy of your college transcript that lists college courses detailing each course by the number and department (i.e., Bio 101, Math 210, etc.), course title, number of credit hours and grade earned. You must submit evidence that any education completed in a foreign institution is equivalent to U.S. education standards with your resume. You may submit an unofficial copy of the transcript at the initial phase of the application process. If course content cannot be easily identified from the title of the course as listed on your transcript, you must submit an official course description from the college/university that reflects the content at the time the course was taken.
Note: Your college transcript is used to verify successful completion of degree, or college course work. An official college transcript will be required before you can report to duty.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website. You MUST provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation by the closing date of the announcement will result in lost consideration. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated visit: OPM Foreign Education Evaluation.
Salary Ranges:
GS-11: $82,764-$107,590
GS-12: $99,200-$128,956
GS-13: $117,962-$153,354
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Please be advised that NOAA Attorney positions are in the Excepted Service. As such, these positions are not covered by the usual civil service hiring procedures.
You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the position by 11:59pm Eastern Time on the closing date of the announcement.
Applicants will be evaluated based on the Qualifications described above. Please be advised that NOAA Attorney positions are in the Excepted Service. As such, these positions are not covered by the usual civil service hiring procedures. There are no numerical rating systems through which to apply veterans preference; however, the NOAA Office of the General Counsel favorably considers veterans preference eligibility in hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans preference are encouraged to include that information in their cover letter or resume, and to attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD Form-214 or other substantiating documents) to their submissions.
Basis of Rating: Applicants will not be rated or ranked. All applicants that meet the basic eligibility and qualification requirements of the position will be referred to the selecting official for consideration.
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.
Please email the following documents to OGCAttorney.Honors@noaa.gov with Subject Line: "Honors Attorney Program 2024"
1. Cover letter
2. Resume
3. Official or unofficial transcripts
Applications sent by any other method will not be accepted. Emailed applications must be received by 09/06/2024. Applications received after this date will not be considered. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Agency contact information
Jeffrey Geise
Email
OGCAttorney.Honors@noaa.gov
Address
NOAA, Office of the General Counsel
14th & Constitution Avenue NW
Washington DC 20230
Applicants will not be notified that their application has been received. Interviews may be arranged at the discretion of NOAA for those subject to further consideration based upon qualifications.
By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be terminated after you begin work; or, you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/background investigation.
You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans' preference, disability, etc.).
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/802823900. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
Learn more about
An extraordinary opportunity is available to start your legal career in 2024 in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of the General Counsel by gaining a position through its selective Attorney Honors Program. As an Attorney-Advisor in the Attorney Honors Program, you will work closely with experienced NOAA scientists and other program specialists on a variety of cutting-edge issues relating to the management and conservation of natural resources. This position requires interaction with other NOAA General Counsel Office attorneys, NOAA scientists, policy makers and technical staff, Department of Commerce officials, other Federal and state agency officials, members of the regulated community, and representatives of public interest organizations. It also involves active participation, in concert with U.S. Department of Justice attorneys, in prosecuting and defending NOAA cases brought under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, Oil Pollution Act, the National Marine Sanctuaries Act and other similar laws. The work involves complex and challenging legal issues on important matters.
