Attorney Advisor

Summary

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Office of the Chief Counsel, is responsible for rendering legal services and furnishing legal advice on all areas of FHWA program responsibility, The Attorney-Advisor will serve as a member of the Office of the Chief Counsel, Field Legal Services-West, Lakewood, CO or Matteson, IL.

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Duties

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As an Attorney-Advisor, the successful candidate for this position will be responsible for rendering legal

services and furnishing legal advice on aspects of all areas of Division responsibility, with an emphasis on

environmental and infrastructure issues. Such legal services and advice significantly affect policy of the

programs of the agency. The legal services are delivered in a highly interactive, fast-paced environment, and

often on short timelines.

The functions of Field Legal Services-West Division include, but are not limited to:

• Planning, Environment, and Realty: Provides legal services as to matters related to statewide and regional transportation planning. Provides legal services in connection with environmental, social, and economic aspects of FHWA's programs, and the application of environmental laws to those programs. Provides legal services relative to highway beautification, land acquisition, land use, condemnation, control of rights of way, airspace utilization, and relocation assistance.
• Environmental and Other Litigation: Provides legal services in connection with litigation involving planning, environment, real estate, infrastructure, DBE, civil rights, and other external matters. Assists field counsel, Department of Justice, DOT Office of General Counsel, and State attorneys when appropriate.
• Infrastructure: Provides legal services in connection with contract matters. Provides legal services in connection with toll roads, bridges, tunnels, and ferries. Provides legal advice and services related to current and innovative financing of highway projects, and public/private partnerships (PPPs). Provides legal services associated with Federal-aid suspensions and debarments, and infrastructure related Federal tort matters (including assistance to counsel located in the field). Provides legal services in connection with the Emergency Relief Program.
• Fiscal Services: Provides legal assistance regarding determinations of eligibility for Federal funding, authorizations, Federal-aid apportionments, limitations, and related external budgetary and fiscal matters.
• Safety and Operations: Provides legal advice and services related to Federal aid highway safety programs, such as the Hazard Elimination Program, the Highway/Rail Safety Crossing Program, and those safety programs jointly administered with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, including the review of State compliance with Federal requirements. Provides legal advice and services related to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), and truck size and weight limits.

The ideal candidate for this position is an individual with excellent legal research and writing skills, who can handle and

prioritize multiple competing tasks and a diverse workload while maintaining collegial working relationships. This

individual has a demonstrated interest in, and work experience related to environmental and infrastructure issues.

The ideal candidate will provide a cover letter (maximum two pages) explaining his/her specific interest in this

position and highlighting his/her relevant work experience regarding environmental and infrastructure issues.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S.Citizen and eligible for consideration.
• Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.
• This is an Excepted Service position.
• Required documents must be submitted by the closing date.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel. A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
• TRIAL PERIOD: This is an Excepted Service position. This job will be filled by an alternative hiring process and is not in the competitive service. Applicants selected for an excepted service position may be subject to a two-year trial period.
• ETHICS/CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT: All employees are subject to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch, set out in Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 2635, including restrictions on owning financial interests that may conflict with performance of their duties. Some employees, like those involved in contracting or regulating non-Federal entities, are subject to Executive Branch Financial Disclosure requirements set out in Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 263.
• INTERVIEW PROCESS: Applicants who are invited to advance to a later stage of the hiring process may be
  afforded one or more interviews and asked to complete a practical exercise and/or provide a writing sample.
  The results of the interview(s), practical exercise, and writing sample will be considered in the hiring process.

Qualifications

To qualify, your experience should include experience and education equal or equivalent to the following:

GRADE 11- A law degree (J.D.) and bar membership in good standing.

GRADE 12 - A law degree (J.D.), bar membership in good standing AND EITHER at least one (1) year of

professional legal work experience of a progressively responsible nature OR a second law degree (LL.M).

GRADE 13 - A law degree (J.D.), bar membership in good standing AND EITHER at least two (2) years of

professional legal work experience of a progressively responsible nature; OR a second law degree (LL.M) AND at

least one (1) year of professional legal work experience.

GRADE 14 - A law degree (J.D.), bar membership in good standing AND EITHER at least three (3) years of

professional legal work experience of a progressively responsible nature OR a second law degree (LL.M) AND at

least two (2) years of professional legal work experience of a progressively responsible nature.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:

• Administrative Law: Knowledge of Federal administrative laws, including statute, regulations, procedures, guidance, and precedents.
• Environmental Law: Knowledge of Federal environmental laws, including statutes, regulations, procedures, guidance, and precedent.
• Oral Communication: Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
• Writing: Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a succinct and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material, that is appropriate for the intended audience.

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 additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link:

All applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

MANDATORY EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:

In order to qualify for this position, candidates must have successfully completed a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and have a professional law degree, and must currently be a member in good standing of the bar of a State or Territory of the United States or the District of Columbia.

PROOF OF BAR MEMBERSHIP IS REQUIRED.

Additional information

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your 2-year trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Transportation by email at, View email address on click.appcast.io. To learn more, please visit our page at: The Fair Chance to Compete Act | US Department of Transportation

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

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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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.

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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.