Attorney-Adviser

NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

NASA’s Office of the General Counsel seeks an Attorney Advisor (Employment and General Law) in the General Law Practice Group in Washington, DC. You will counsel senior managers on employment and general law matters, draft legal opinions, and represent NASA in federal and administrative litigation, including discrimination matters.

You must have a JD/LL.B. and be admitted to practice before a state or federal court.

Qualifications

• Requires a J.D. or LL.B. and active bar admission in any U.S. state or territory and D.C. bar.
• Experience advising on federal personnel law, employment discrimination, labor relations, and general law.
• Ability to draft briefs, opinions, and manage litigation with minimal oversight.

Responsibilities

• Draft and review legal documents related to civil rights, labor, employment, and general law.
• Provide legal interpretations of statutes, regulations, and agency directives to management.
• Represent NASA in formal administrative and federal civil litigation proceedings.
• Liaise with the Department of Justice on litigation concerning NASA programs.

Skills

Oral guidance to managers

Written legal guidance

Regulatory & statutory interpretation

Litigation handling

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.) or LL.B.

Job description

Summary

You will serve as an Attorney Advisor (Employment and General Law) in the General Law Practice Group, within the NASA Office of the General Counsel. The Group provides legal counsel on ethics, fiscal, employment, information, and other administrative law matters and represents the Agency in litigation and hearings. You will perform duties in general law areas, with a focus on employment, including counseling senior managers and defending judicial and administrative discrimination complaints.

You will serve as an Attorney Advisor (Employment and General Law) in the General Law Practice Group, within the NASA Office of the General Counsel. The Group provides legal counsel on ethics, fiscal, employment, information, and other administrative law matters and represents the Agency in litigation and hearings. You will perform duties in general law areas, with a focus on employment, including counseling senior managers and defending judicial and administrative discrimination complaints.

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.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• This position is open to U.S. citizens, nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
• You must meet qualifications requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
• Position subject to pre-employment background investigation or higher-level clearance. Investigation/Clearance may differ and be required based on the duty location/NASA Center requirements.
• Financial Disclosure, Drug Testing, and/or the Travel Requirements for this position may differ and be required based on the duty location/NASA Center requirements.
• This position may require a two-year trial period. If selected, the requirement to serve such period will be determined by Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 11. See Additional Information section

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 for the GS-14

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 managers, supervisors and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) officers, including addressing grievances and discrimination complaints informally;
• Providing legal guidance to clients in general law practice areas, such as fiscal, security, release of information, ethics, environmental, administrative, legislative review, regulatory review or other areas;
• Completing tasks, such as writing and reviewing briefs, conducting discovery, taking and defending depositions, and otherwise handling litigation in areas like federal employment law, labor law, EEO law, and other general law practice areas with minimal oversight;
• Supporting representation of 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 for the GS-15

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 law, labor relations, and other specialized legal matters to management, supervisors, and EEO officers, including the proactive informal resolution of employee grievances, disputes, and discrimination complaints;
• Providing legal guidance to senior leadership and other clients in general law practice areas, such as fiscal, security, release of information, ethics, environmental, administrative, legislative review, regulatory review, or other areas;
• Managing and executing tasks, such as writing and reviewing briefs, conducting discovery, taking and defending depositions, and otherwise handling litigation independently in areas such as federal employment law, labor law, 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.

Education

Basic Requirements

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.

Any applicant that received a Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment (VSIP) from the federal government within the last five years based of the closing date of this announcement, if selected, may be required to repay the full amount prior to establishing a start date. For additional information on the VSIP repayment requirement.

Trial Period

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. If selected, the requirement to serve such period will be determined by Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 11.

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 probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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.

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.

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.