NASA

Attorney-Adviser

Washington, District of Columbia, United States

$139-192k

Full Time

2 hours ago

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Job description

Duties

Duties described below are at the highest grade advertised. Duties assigned at lower grade levels will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity; duties will be commensurate with the grade of selected employee.
Conducts and evaluates research and drafts and reviews legal documents, including briefs, legal opinions, and documents regarding novel and complex legal issues related to civil rights, labor, employment law, and other general law matters.
Prepares legal interpretations of statutes, federal regulations and agency directives. Reviews proposed legislation, executive orders, regulations, and Congressional testimony.
Prepares and advises management on legal interpretations of statutes, federal regulations and agency directives. Advises on proposed legislation, executive orders, regulations, and Congressional testimony.
Serves as a legal advisor for Agency personnel on novel general law matters. Experience in other general law areas is desirable, such as fiscal, ethics, environmental, information disclosure, tort claims, safety and security, and civil rights.
Represents NASA in formal administrative and federal civil litigation proceedings, including Federal Courts, the Merit Systems Protection Board, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the U.S. Federal Labor Relations Authority.
Serves as a liaison between NASA and the Department of Justice in litigation concerning NASA programs. Assists in other litigation responsibilities as requested by management.
Advises on the management negotiating teams before and during union contract negotiations.
Provides leadership and guidance in OGC Communities of Practice for various legal disciplines, acts as an expert resource for the OGC Enterprise, and serves as an advisor to NASA leadership.
Fosters a culture of engagement, diversity, inclusiveness, excellence and innovation. Champions NASA's commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility to create an environment that promotes a commitment to safety, integrity and teamwork.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

This position is open to U.S. citizens, nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
Position subject to pre-employment background investigation.
You must meet qualifications requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
If selected, you will be required to complete a financial disclosure statement.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements for all grade levels:
You must possess a Juris Doctor (J.D.) or Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree from a full course of study at a law school accredited by the American Bar Association; be an active member in good standing of the bar of any state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and have been admitted to practice law before a state or federal court.

To qualify at the GS-14 level: you must meet the basic requirement for all grade levels (as outlined above).
In addition, one of the following requirements must be satisfied:

One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level:

Offering oral and written legal guidance on federal personnel law, employment discrimination law, labor relations, and other legal issues to clients;
Providing guidance to managers, supervisors, and/or EEO officers on federal employment law, including addressing grievances and discrimination complaints informally;
Completing tasks and handling litigation in areas like federal employment law, labor law, EEO law, and general law areas with minimal oversight;
Representing clients in formal administrative and federal civil litigation.

OR

A graduate law degree (e.g., Master of Laws/LL.M.) and 1 year of professional legal experience equivalent to the experience described above.

To qualify at the GS-15 level: you must meet the basic requirement for all grade levels (as outlined above).
In addition, one of the following requirements must be satisfied:

One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level:

Delivering expert oral and written legal counsel on complex federal personnel law, employment discrimination, labor relations, and other specialized legal matters to senior leadership;
Providing legal guidance to management, supervisors, and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) officers on issues relating to federal personnel law, including the proactive informal resolution of employee grievances, disputes, and discrimination complaints;
Managing and executing tasks and litigation independently in areas such as federal personnel law, labor relations, EEO law, and other General Law practice areas;
Representing clients in formal administrative and federal civil litigation.

OR

A graduate law degree (e.g., Master of Laws/LL.M.) and 1 year of professional legal experience equivalent to the experience described above.

Your resume must include a clear and detailed narrative description, in your own words, of how you meet the required specialized experience. Experience statements copied from a position description, vacancy announcement or other reference material constitutes plagiarism and may result in disqualification and losing consideration for the job.

NASA prohibits the use of artificial intelligence (AI) or AI-assisted tool in drafting application and assessment responses. Please visit https://www.nasa.gov/careers/how-to-apply/#Artificial-Intelligence to review NASA's guidance on the use of AI tools during the application process.

Education

U.S. degrees must have been awarded from colleges or universities that are accredited by recognized accrediting organizations. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, go to http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs. These education credentials must be 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

All degrees must have been received in the year of, or any year subsequent to the original date of accreditation.

Additional information

Additional selections may be made for similar positions across. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) within NASA.

Benefits
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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.

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.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You will be evaluated for this position based on how well you meet the qualifications and eligibility requirements listed in this vacancy announcement. To determine your qualifications and referral status, we may review your resume and supporting documentation and compare it against your responses to the vacancy questionnaire. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

You will be assessed on the following competencies:

General Law
Legal Application Practice
Legal, Government, and Jurisprudence
Oral Communication
Written Communication

NASA considers 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.

NASA will not ask you to disclose criminal history record information during the application process or before we make a conditional/tentative offer of employment. If you apply for this position and are selected, NASA will conduct a suitability/security background investigation after you accept a tentative job offer. If you feel you are asked to disclose your criminal history before you accept a tentative offer and wish to file a complaint within 30 days, please contact: Agency-FCCJ@NASA.gov.