Attorney-Adviser

at  US Federal Aviation Administration

QUALIFICATIONS

To qualify for this position, ALL applicants MUST meet the following criteria:
(1) have a JD Degree from an accredited law school;
(2) be admitted to practice before the bar of any U.S. jurisdiction or within the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico;
(3) be an active member of that bar; and
(4) demonstrate at least one year (52 weeks) of SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE equivalent to the next lower grade/pay band (FG/GS-13/FV-I) that is typically related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of the position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been at least equivalent to the next lower level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE is defined as:

• Experience developing and interpreting statutes, regulations, agency policy, legislative proposals, or program guidance to provide legal advice, litigation support, and counsel to senior-level officials on environmental law matters.

You should include relevant examples of the specialized experience in your work history. Errors or omissions may impact your rating or may result in you not being considered.
Answer all questions to the best of your ability. DO NOT ASSUME THAT BECAUSE YOU HOLD, OR HAVE HELD THIS POSITION, YOU WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE FOUND ELIGIBLE. You may be asked to provide evidence or documentation that you have this type of experience later in the selection process. Your responses are subject to verification through job interviews, or any other information obtained during the application process. Any exaggeration of your experience or any attempt to conceal information can result in disqualification.
Applicants who fail to demonstrate possession of any of the above criteria AND who do not provide the required documentation will receive no further consideration for this position.
Eligible applicants meeting the minimum qualification requirements and/or selective placement factor(s) (SPF) may be further evaluated on the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA) and/or Quality Ranking Factor (QRF) listed in the announcement. Based on this evaluation, applicants will be placed in one of the following categories: (1) score order; (2) category grouping; or (3) alphabetical, and referred to the selecting official for selection consideration.

EDUCATION

This position has a positive education requirement: Applicants must submit a copy of their college or university transcripts(s) and certificates by the closing date of announcement to verify qualifications. If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to appointment. You may upload these documents with your application in USAJOBS or fax it to fax number provided in the announcement (please include announcement number on each page).

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

If you are requesting consideration for the Persons With Disabilities/Persons with Targeted Disabilities (PWD/PWTD) special hiring authority, you must submit the following documentation:
Schedule A Letter (This may be a letter or other documentation on official stationary/letterhead with an official signature. It must clearly state that you are eligible for appointment under the PWD/PWTD hiring authority or a Schedule A appointment authority as outlined in 5 CFR Section 213.3102(u). This document need NOT identify the specific disability, medical history, or need for accommodation.)
Veterans’ Preference: Federal Aviation Administration attorney positions are in the excepted service. There is no formal rating system for applying veterans’ preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Federal Aviation Administration considers veterans’ preference eligibility as a positive factor in the attorney hiring process. If you are eligible for veterans’ preference in hiring, you are encouraged to include this information in your application along with the supporting documentation, e.g., SF-15, DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, or other supporting documents.
You must apply online to receive consideration. Your application must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the Close Date for it to be accepted. If you are applying for positions associated with FAA registers, your application must be submitted at the time a referral list is created in order to receive consideration for positions associated with a register.

DETERMINING LENGTH OF GENERAL OR SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE IS DEPENDENT ON THE ABOVE INFORMATION AND FAILURE TO PROVIDE ALL OF THIS INFORMATION MAY RESULT IN A FINDING OF INELIGIBLE.

You may upload completed documents to your USAJOBS Account. This will provide you the opportunity to utilize the uploaded information again when applying for future vacancies. Please see this guide, Document Upload Guide, for more information on uploading and re-using the documents in your applications.

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.
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DUTIES

FAA’s environmental portfolio includes issues that arise from cutting- edge projects that include integration of new entrants into the National Airspace System (e.g., drones), the regulation and permitting of commercial spaceflights, implementation of “once in a generation” infrastructure development projects funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and modernization of the National Airspace System.
The incumbent will have a significant role in advancing FAA’s environmental legal obligations, in an exciting and dynamic environment, as FAA strives to maintain the safest, most efficient aerospace system in the World.
Serves as legal counsel to FAA lines of business and staff offices advising senior officials on decision-making, providing legal interpretations, responding to questions from non-legal staff and preparing written documentation to support the agency’s position in areas of environmental law.
Provides legal counsel and expertise on cases brought by or against the FAA in the areas of environmental law. This may include: compiling the administrative record; performing legal research/reviewing/editing litigation papers; and working with attorneys from the Department of Transportation and the Department of Justice and other Federal agencies on case strategy and legal positions.
Provides content expertise with regard to updates and amendments to or the promulgation of regulations that apply to the full range of environmental issues arising under all Federal environmental statutes including the National Environmental Policy Act, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, National Historic Preservation Act, Endangered Species Act, Department of Transportation Act, Section 4(f), etc.
Produces presentations and communications that are well-organized, clear, and persuasive. Provides advice tailored to the client and requirements that may be internal and external to the agency. Independently adjusts presentations, communications and advice to meet audience expectations and level of understanding.
Proactively identifies and appropriately pursues solutions to effectively represent the agency’s interests in responding to high priority issues. Takes initiative to meet established proficiency level goals and objectives. Keeps clients informed of developments, to include why and when an extension of time may be necessary.
Identifies and analyzes emerging issues, principles, and practices relevant to environmental law matters to achieve strategic objectives. Demonstrates strong working knowledge of legal concepts and processes and proficiency in applying these concepts.
Receives minimal supervision from a manager or higher level attorney on complex cases, including those for which there are no clear precedents, and limited supervision on progressively advanced cases. Routine work is performed independently. Knows when to seek guidance from management or higher level attorney.
Performs other duties as assigned.