Attorney Advisor

Summary

This position is located in the ALJ (Administrative Law Judges) Support Division, Office of Administration. The ALJ Support Division is responsible for providing legal, technical, administrative and clerical support to the Office of Judges, which consists of a Chief Administrative Law Judge and several other Administrative Law Judges.

This is an excepted service appointment and does not confer competitive status.

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Duties

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As a Attorney Advisor, GS-0905-14, you will perform the following major duties:

• Conducts complex legal research and analysis of statutes, regulations, judicial and administrative decisions, agency interpretations, and other authorities relevant to proceedings before the NTSB Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ).
• Advises Administrative Law Judges on substantive and procedural issues and assists in preparing complex cases for hearing, including analyzing the factual and legal issues, identifying controlling authority, and anticipating issues that may arise during the proceeding.
• Drafts legally sufficient orders, initial decisions, and other adjudicative documents, including orders resolving motions, orders terminating proceedings, and decisions in air safety enforcement and Equal Access to Justice Act matters.
• Communicates with attorneys, parties, and members of the public regarding case status and procedural requirements and helps clarify pending matters and facilitate resolution of venue, discovery, and other procedural disputes.
• Supports OALJ legal and program operations by performing case-processing functions, drafting proposed regulations and policy memoranda, coordinating with the Office of General Counsel on rulemaking and process improvements, and reviewing work performed by paraprofessionals, law clerks, and legal externs.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship
• Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service
• Resume and supporting documents (see "How to Apply" section.)
• Suitability for Federal employment
• Direct Deposit is required.
• This is an excepted service position that requires a two-year trial period.
• You may be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-450, upon entering the position and annually.
• THIS POSITION IS NOT ELIGIBILE FOR REMOTE TELEWORK.
• Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
• This position is eligible for ad-hoc/situational telework as determined by the agency policy.
• Two-Page Resume Limit: Resumes must not be more than two standard single-sided pages (or one page if submitting a front and back, hard-copy).
• Multiple and subsequent vacancies may be filled from this announcement.
• Moving expenses associated with permanent change of station (PCS) ARE NOT authorized for this position.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must meet ALL of the following requirements:

EDUCATION

Applicants must possess an L.L.B or Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school, licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any State, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia.

You must submit a copy of both your law school and college transcript with your application. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted. Official transcripts will be required if you are selected for the position.

AND

Applicants must be an active member of a bar association of a state, a territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia in good standing. Candidates awaiting bar results may be appointed conditionally and must provide proof of bar admission prior to entry on duty.

Certificate of good standing from the Bar of a state, territory or commonwealth of the United States (e.g., American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands), or the District of Columbia.

Document should be dated within three (3) months of the date the application is submitted. If the document has been ordered, but not arrived, you may provide a screenshot of your certificate (clearly showing a time/date within the last 90 days) which validates your current, active status.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE

To qualify for this position, you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level of professional legal experience following admission to the bar. This experience must include the following: (1) conducting complex legal research and analysis. (2) interpreting and applying statutes, regulations, case law, and administrative authorities. (3) analyzing substantive and procedural issues arising in administrative, regulatory, judicial, or comparable adjudicative proceedings. (4) drafting legally sufficient decisions, orders, motions, memoranda, or other substantive legal documents. (5) conducting legal research, analysis, writing, editing, and oral presentations. (6) developing persuasive recommendations, and effectively manages legal and factual issues, multiple cases, projects, and priorities simultaneously.

NOTE: IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your resume must clearly show the specialized experience and competencies related to this position. Failure to demonstrate how you possess the education, specialized experience and/or competencies will result in an "Ineligible" rating.

Education

There is no education substitution at this grade level.

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; applicant's resumes and supporting documentation should only reflect education received from schools accredited by such institutions.

Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website:

Applications submitted without the required supporting documents will not be accepted. An unofficial transcript; statement from the institution's registrar, dean, or other appropriate official; or equivalent documentation is acceptable at the time of application. Education submitted must be appropriately accredited by an accredited body recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. For additional information, refer to the U.S. Department of Education web site at:

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit:

Applications can be accepted from students who expect to complete qualifying education within 9 months from the date of application. Candidates who have not yet graduated may apply but must provide proof of degree conferral prior to entry on duty.

Additional information

• The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation, sick leave, holidays and various benefits as well as work life amenities such as alternate work schedules, telework, flextime, fitness and transit benefits.
• If you left Federal Employment and received a buy out and you are selected for this position, you may be required to repay the full amount of the payment.
• Career Transition Assistance Programs: These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) meet the basic qualification standards (including minimum educational and experience requirements; (3) be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 80 and above on the rating criteria for this position; and, (4) submit the appropriate documentation ( to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information visit:
• Note: ICTAP eligibles must submit one of the following as proof of eligibility for the special selection priority: a separation notice; a "Notice of Personnel Action" (SF-50) documenting separation; an agency certification that you cannot be placed after injury compensation has been terminated; an OPM notification that your disability annuity has been terminated; OR a Military Department or National Guard Bureau notification that you are retired under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456.
• All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. OPM's web site at
• NTSB uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit
• Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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