Posted today
ATTORNEY-ADVISER (GENERAL)
U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command - Huntsville, AL
Summary

About the Position: This position is located at Redstone Arsenal, AL.

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.

This job is open to

  • Federal employees - Competitive service
    Current or former competitive service federal employees.
  • Federal employees - Excepted service
    Current excepted service federal employees.
  • The public
    U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.


Duties

  • Serves as primary legal advisor and consultant responsible for providing guidance and counsel on all environmental law issues.
  • Reviews, researches, and provides legal interpretation of a wide range of federal environmental statutes.
  • Determines the requirements for compliance with such statutes.
  • Represents the Command in all matters involving environmental law issues.
  • Ensures appropriate policy and legal direction of negotiations with state and local governments regarding environmental problems.
  • Effects coordination and represents the Command with higher departmental offices on environmental legal matters requiring approval at those levels.
  • Accompanies Command management officials, as their legal representative to meetings and briefings with the Environmental Protection Agency and state environmental regulators.
  • Provide legal advice/support on Ethics.
  • Provide legal advice/support on wide variety of administrative law issues.
  • Provide legal advice/representation on Federal Labor and Employment Law issues.
  • Provide well-researched written and oral advice on matters listed above. Manage own voluminous workload, often with competing deadlines.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.


Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
  • A two year trial/probationary period may be required.
  • This position requires the incumbent be able to obtain and maintain a determination of eligibility for a Secret security clearance for access for the duration of employment.
  • This position may require the incumbent to submit a Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 278e) or a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) upon entry, and annually thereafter in accordance with DoD Directive 5500-7-R.
  • This position requires the incumbent to maintain an active bar membership that permits the representation of the Federal Government in the courts of their jurisdiction to the extent that private practice attorneys are able to for their clients.


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

NH-04- Applicants must possess more than 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.

Additional 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.
  • 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 Professional Services Career Field position.
  • 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 will not be authorized.


  • Benefits
    A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
    Review our benefits
    Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.


How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

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.

  • Benefits
    A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
    Review our benefits
    Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
  • Required Documents
    As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
    The following documents are required at the time of application:
    Your resume:
    • Your resume may be submitted in any format and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. It is recommended that page count for the resume is no more than six (6) pages, and it is recommended that you use twelve (12) point font.
    • Applicants must list the bar(s) of the State(s), territories, or Districts of which they are active members in good standing (as defined by the pertinent bar).
    • If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
    • For qualifications determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week and the dates of employment (i.e., HRS per week and month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete and you may not receive consideration for this position.
    • For additional information see: What to include in your resume.

    Applicants selected for interview must submit the following documents within 14 days of request:
    1. Official transcript of the applicant's law school record.
    2. Official statement of the applicant's standing in law school class. If the applicant's law school does not rank students, and the transcript does not explain that the school does not rank students, the applicant needs to submit an official statement from the school confirming the practice.
    3. Good Standing Certificate: Official certificate showing the applicant is in good standing with a state bar, dated within three months (before or after) of the date the application is submitted. Good standing status must permit the applicant to engage in the active practice of law in at least one State or jurisdiction in which they are licensed. Active status authorizes an attorney who is a member in good standing to immediately practice law before the highest court of the licensing authority.
    4. Fitness to Practice Statement: A sworn (notarized) statement by the candidate that their fitness to practice law or conduct as an attorney has never been challenged in any jurisdiction or; if either has been challenged, a sworn statement giving the facts, circumstances, and any other explanation that the applicant considers appropriate. As an alternative to a sworn statement, a declaration under penalty of perjury may be submitted in the following format: "I declare (or certify, verify, or state) under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States of America that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed on (date) (your signature)." The statement must be dated within 3 months (before or after) of the date the application is submitted.
    5. References: Contact information for three licensed attorneys, preferably prior or current supervisors/employers, who are willing to serve as references for the applicant.
    6. SF-50 (Federal Civilian Attorneys): Submit a copy of your SF-50 showing when you were appointed to your current position.
    7. Judge Advocate Candidates: Submit a copy of your orders, or other suitable documentation with a separation/retirement date from your respective Armed Forces branch. This document must be provided within 14 days of a request, unless you receive a waiver from the AMC Command Counsel.

    NOTE: Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove another person's personal information before you submit your application. You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.
    If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
    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.
  • How to Apply
    To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the R