Attorney-Adviser

With an emphasis on high ethical standards, excellence in public service and the delivery of superlative advice and counsel, DOI Solicitor's Office performs the legal work for the United States Department of the Interior and manages the Departmental Ethics Office and Departmental FOIA Office. With more than 500 total employees, more than 400 of which are licensed attorneys, the Office strives to provide sound legal services to fulfill the Department's diverse and wide-ranging mission.

Education: If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide transcripts as proof of meeting the requirements.

Foreign Education: Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the specific educational requirements as stated above. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4

NOTE: This announcement is capped at 100 applicants. It will close on the posted closing date or at 11:59 p.m. (EDT) on the day it reaches 100 applicants, whichever occurs first.

As an Attorney-Adviser with the Department of the Interior, Office of the Solicitor, Division of Indian Affairs, Branch of Tribal Government Services, located in Washington, DC, you will provide legal counsel to the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). Your specific duties will include:

1. Working as part of a team that leads coordination of the practice of Indian education law nationwide;
2. Providing legal advice concerning hiring and contracting for BIE staff and contractors, as well as related human resource issues;
3. Assisting BIE in litigation, both in federal courts and administrative bodies;
4. Advising BIE on funding issues, including under the Tribally Controlled Schools Act, the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, and the Johnson O'Malley Act of 1934;
5. Advising BIE on the applicability of federal civil rights laws to tribally controlled schools and colleges;
6. Assisting BIE with congressional and legislative affairs, including drafting and reviewing response letters to congressional offices and reviewing draft testimony;
7. Drafting, negotiating, and reviewing interagency agreements, cooperative agreements, and other agreements for BIE; and
8. Actively coordinating with the Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services, and Department of Justice and with tribal governments, tribal education departments, tribal school boards, and tribal school officials.

This is a temporary position not to exceed three years.

Salary Range Information:

Washington, DC:
GS-11: $82,764 - $107-590
GS-12: $99,200 - $128,956
GS-13: $117,962 - $153,354
GS-14: $139,395 - $181,216

NOTE: First time hires to the Federal Government are typically hired at the beginning salary in the range for their respective grade level.

Basic Qualification Requirements
Applicants must be law school graduates with LL.B. or J.D. degrees AND applicants must be an active member in good standing of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico bar.

Applicants must also meet the following:
GS-11/12/13/14: In addition to meeting the basic qualification requirements described above, applicants must also have the following additional years of professional legal experience for the grade level indicated:

• • To qualify for a GS-11 applicants must possess at least 1-year of professional legal experience following law school graduation;
  • To qualify for a GS-12 applicants must possess at least 2-years of professional legal experience following law school graduation;
  • To qualify for a GS-13 applicants must possess at least 3-years of professional legal experience following law school graduation.
  • To qualify for a GS-14 applicants must possess at least 4.5-years of professional legal experience following law school graduation;

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.

For any of the grades indicated above you can substitute one year of experience with any of the following:

1. have a second professional law degree; OR
2. meet any of the criteria indicated below:

• academic standing in top one-third of law school graduating class;
• other equivalent evidence of clearly superior achievement.
• significant summer law office clerk experience; or
• significant participation in a clinical legal aid program;
• significant participation in the law school's moot court competition.
• significant participation on the law school's law review;
• graduation with academic honors.

Candidates should have excellent oral communication, writing, research and analysis skills, and the ability to work effectively with other people, and exercise sound judgment.

Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website:https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.