Attorney-Advisor

Duties

This position is in the excepted service and not subject to competitive service procedures.
Merit promotion procedures do not apply.
This vacancy may be used to fill additional positions as vacancies become available.

This position is located within the Office of the Secretary of the Interior, Pacific Southwest Region, Sacramento Field Office, located in Sacramento, CA. Your specific duties will include:

• Serve as a legal adviser to the Secretary through representation of the Bureau of Reclamation - California Great Basin region on matters primarily (though not exclusively) related to the Central Valley Project operations in the San Joaquin River watershed and related matters in the legal Delta.
• Provide advice and counsel to Reclamation's California Great Basin facilities located in the San Joaquin River watershed as a specialist in water law. Provides counseling to resolve complex and often novel legal problems and questions concerning the interplay of federal and state sovereignty, federal Reclamation law, federal contracting and funding authorities, state Water Codes, environmental laws on project facilities and operations (e.g., Endangered Species Act, National Environmental Policy Act, state water quality planning, etc.), and the Administrative Procedures Act; more generally, the selected attorney will provide legal advice on matters associated with owning and operating federal water storage and conveyance facilities. Due to the challenging and diverse array of issues within the selected attorney's watershed of responsibility, the selected attorney will be provided with extensive mentoring and the tasks will remain commiserate with expertise.
• While water law will be the primary area of practice, the selected attorney must also be or become versant with the full breadth of issues ordinarily attended to by an in-house attorney to a water or utility company, to include but not be limited to the laws cited above as well as the Freedom of Information Act, Department of the Interior policies and procedures, Reclamation policies and procedures, the preparation of defensible administrative records, real property entitlements, and federal contracting.
• Responsibilities will include research and drafting of legal memoranda and briefs, presentation and communication of analysis and conclusions to clients and other attorneys, review and revision of proposed actions and draft materials for legal considerations, legal support to the U.S. Department of Justice in litigation matters, and preparation of written and verbal advice on legal issues of interest and concern to the region, including questions of jurisdiction, authority, and statutory or regulatory interpretation.
• The selected attorney serves as counsel in litigation and administrative proceedings involving disputes related to water rights (including state law-based and federally reserved rights), including serving as lead counsel in state administrative proceedings when appropriate, and supporting the Department of Justice in Federal judicial proceedings in which Reclamation or the Department is an interested party.
• The selected attorney will be joining a small team of water law practitioners located in Sacramento that share best practices and collaboratively strategize each member's respective work assignments to coordinate the region's legal work in a strategic and effective manner. In that spirit of collaboration, the selected attorney may also be called upon at times to support the legal work of their teammates or other Solicitors, as needed and appropriate.

Salary Information: First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the lower salary range of the grade level.
(GS-12) (Step 1 $91,220 - Step 10 $118,586) per annum.
(GS-13) (Step 1 $108,473 - Step 10 $141,012) per annum.
(GS-14) (Step 1 $128,182 - Step 10 $166,633) per annum.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Key Requirements:

• Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
• Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
• Must be an active member of the bar.
• Selectee may be subject to serving a 2-year trial period.
• You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit.
• Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service system, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See http://www.sss.gov/.

• A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
• If selected for this position, you may be required to file one or more financial statements and/or a procurement integrity certification of compliance upon reporting and annually, some of which may be subject to public disclosure.
• Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore, it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change, please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.
• Because this position requires travel for official business, the selectee will be required to apply for a charge card within 30 calendar days of appointment. Individuals who have delinquent account balances from a previous Government charge card will be required to satisfy their existing obligation before a new card can be issued.
• Identification of promotion potential in this announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. Promotion will depend upon administrative approval and the continuing need for and performance of higher-level duties.

How You Will Be Evaluated

• 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.

  To apply for this position, you must submit a complete application package by the closing date of this announcement. Failure to submit documentation may result in not receiving consideration for this position.
  
  Your resume must contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements as stated in this vacancy announcement and OPM qualification standards for each grade level(s) for which you are applying. It is strongly recommended that you use the USAJobs Resume Builder as it was designed to ensure that your resume includes the standard information needed. The Resume Builder is available at: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/How_to_create_your_resume
  
  Current & Former Federal Employees
  If you are a current or former Federal employee, please submit the following by the closing date of this announcement:

  • a copy of a recent SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" documenting tenure, position title, occupational series, grade level, step and salary; and
  • your most recent performance appraisal (if you do not have your most recent performance appraisal, please submit an explanation as to why it is unavailable)

  All Applicants
  You must meet the qualifications and submit all required documents by closing date of the announcement. NOTE: Documents will not be accepted after the closing date and you will be marked ineligible for consideration.
  
  You must submit active Bar membership in the state in which your Bar membership is held.
  Documentation: You must submit proof that you are licensed and authorized to practice law. Such proof can include a current active bar card, a screen print from a bar website that reflects you are an active member of the bar or a letter/certificate from the bar certifying you are licensed and authorized to practice law. Documents (bar card, screen print, letter/certificate) must be dated within 3 months of the closing date of the announcement. If using a screen print, make sure it is clear when the screen print was taken. For bar cards that do not have a date on them, please also submit a screen print or letter/certificate certifying you are licensed and authorized to practice law dated within 3 months of the announcement closing date.
  
  You must submit transcripts. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted at the time of application, but official transcripts will be required before entry on duty.
  
  A 1-2 page cover letter is desired expressing your interest and qualifications for this position.
  
  If you are claiming veterans' preference you must submit a copy of your DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, by the closing date of this announcement. If you are currently on active military duty, you must provide documentation (e.g., campaign document, award citation, etc.), that verifies entitlement to veterans preference and that your character of military service is honorable. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, in addition to the DD-214, you must submit documentation that supports your claim (e.g., an official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs or from a branch of the Armed Forces certifying the existence of a service-connected disability; or receipt of a Purple Heart). If you fail to submit any of the required documentation, you will not be granted veterans preference. Additional information on veterans' preference can be found in the VetGuide.

  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

  Applications (resume and application questions) for this vacancy must be received on-line via USAJOBS BEFORE midnight Eastern Time (Washington, D.C. time) on the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to submit a complete online resume, you will not be considered for this position. Requests for extensions will not be granted.
  
  Instructions for Applying Online for this Vacancy Announcement:1) Click the blue "Apply Online" button.2) If you are not a registered USAJOBS user, please create a new account and follow the instructions to complete your application process. If you are a registered user, login to access your existing USAJOBS profile.3) As a registered user, select a stored resume and select one or more of your stored documents to attach to your application.4) Check the "Certification" box and click the "Apply for this position now!" button located at the bottom of the screen.5) Address the eligibility questions as well as the questionnaire containing questions and/or task statements that address the knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies for this vacancy.6) Submit required documents using one of the available methods listed below.7) If you experience technical difficulties during the online application process, please contact the USAJOBS helpdesk.
  
  To ensure compliance with an applicable preliminary nationwide injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. Therefore, to the extent a Federal job announcement includes the requirement that applicants must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 pursuant to E.O. 14043, that requirement does not currently apply. Federal agencies may request information regarding the vaccination status of selected applicants for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as protocols related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.

  Agency contact information

  Veronica Nunez

  Email

  veronica.guerreronunez@bsee.gov

  Address

  Office of the Solicitor
  2800 Cottage Way
  Room E-17121
  Sacramento, CA 95825-1846
  US

  Next steps

  You can track the progress of your application package via your USAJobs account. You will receive an acknowledgment from USAJobs that your submission was successful, once we have received your on-line assessment questionnaire, resume and any supporting documentation. You will be notified of the status of your application via your USAJobs account after we conduct a qualification review of your complete application package. You will be contacted if further evaluation or interviews are required. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration. We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses, through reference and/or background checks, and/or verification of your education. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the Human Resources Office posting this announcement.

• Fair and Transparent

  The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Financial suitability
  • Selective Service
  • New employee probationary period
  • Signature and false statements
  • Privacy Act
  • Social security number request

Required Documents

Clarification from the agency

Excepted Service