Counsel REQ26_323

Public Power; Richland (WA); On-site; USD 126,000 - 209,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension plan

401(k) employer match

Medical/dental/vision coverage

Paid holidays and time accrual

Job summary

Energy Northwest is seeking an experienced Counsel to deliver legal advice across a broad range of regulatory areas, including nuclear licensing, environmental, ethics, and procurement. The role reports to the Legal Services Supervisor and requires on-site work in Richland, WA.

Candidates must hold a JD and have multiple years of experience in law practice, with emphasis on contracts, energy transactions, and PRA compliance; nuclear access requirements apply.

Qualifications

• JD from an accredited law school with bar admission in good standing.
• Minimum years of practice: Senior/Staff Counsel levels specified (2–7+).
• Experience with environmental, employment, contracts, and energy transactions.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice to Energy Northwest and supervise compliance across regulatory areas.
• Negotiate, draft and review contracts, leases and other agreements with limited supervision.
• Support PRA oversight, records requests, and interfacing with staff at all levels.
• Represent energy transactions and defend or initiate contract-related litigation as needed.
• Advise boards on policy and operational matters; participate in emergency response when needed.

Skills

Regulatory compliance

Contract negotiation

Legal counsel

Nuclear regulatory matters

Litigation support

Education

Juris Doctorate (JD)

Job description

Posting closes at 11:59 PM the day before the listed end date.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite in Richland, WA.

GENERAL SUMMARY

The Counsel reports directly to the Legal Services Supervisor. This position provides legal advice, counsel and services to all organizations within Energy Northwest regarding a wide range of activities without significant oversight. In addition to providing legal services to the company, primary responsibilities include ensuring procedural and legal compliance in a number of regulatory areas such as environmental, nuclear, ethics, industrial safety, procurement, Washingtons State Public Records Act (PRA), employment and managing major contractual transactions and litigation without significant day-to-day supervision.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

NOTE: Percentages allotted to job functions vary depending on workload and current assignments.

• Provide legal support and advice with respect to nuclear licensing and nuclear regulatory compliance issues, including but not limited to Nuclear Regulatory Commission investigations and enforcement matters.
• Negotiate, draft and review a wide variety of diverse contracts, leases, waivers, and other agreements on behalf of Energy Northwest with limited oversight or supervision.
• Provide legal support in a number of regulatory areas such as environmental, ethics, industrial safety, and employment, including but not limited to attending meetings and interfacing with all levels of staff at Energy Northwest.
• Establish and maintain programmatic and procedural guidance for implementation of the PRA including oversight of the Paralegal in analyzing and evaluating PRA requests, determining responsive records, establishing search criteria. Oversee the Paralegal’s work to ensure timely communication with requesters to establish commitments. Oversee the Paralegal’s work with office(s) of records to obtain responsive records within commitment timeframes. Provide legal review and support of PRA responses.
• Protect Energy Northwest’s financial and legal interests by initiating and/or defending Energy Northwest in contract claims, contract requests for equitable adjustments, lawsuits, administrative hearings, administrative investigations, and/or directing the conduct of such litigation by outside counsel.
• Provide legal advice to Energy Northwest staff and governing boards on both policy and operation level matters on an ongoing basis.
• Prepare budgets for significant transactional matters and litigation and assure that, to the extent practicable, those matters are conducted within budget.
• Team participant in strategic development of energy transactions.
• Must participate on the Emergency Response team (ERO) when designated.
• Must support the biennial refueling outage.

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Senior Counsel

Requires a Juris Doctorate (JD) degree from an accredited law school and seven years of aggregate experience practicing as an attorney. A record of continual learning and training and the ability to obtain license through the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) by Motion within one year.
Must meet and maintain nuclear requirements for Unescorted Plant Access.
At least two or more years previous legal experience at a law firm, municipality, or public utility district doing legal work related to one or more of the following areas: employment, contracts, litigation, environmental, and energy transactions.

Staff Counsel II

Requires a Juris Doctorate (JD) degree from an accredited law school and five years of aggregate experience practicing as an attorney. A record of continual learning and training and the ability to obtain license through the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) by Motion within one year.
Must meet and maintain nuclear requirements for Unescorted Plant Access.
At least two or more years previous legal experience at a law firm, municipality, or public utility district doing legal work related to one or more of the following areas: employment, contracts, litigation, environmental, and energy transactions.

Staff Counsel I

Requires a Juris Doctorate (JD) degree from an accredited law school and two years of aggregate experience practicing as an attorney. A record of continual learning and training and the ability to obtain license through the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) by Motion within one year.
Must meet and maintain nuclear requirements for Unescorted Plant Access.
At least two or more years of previous legal experience at a law firm, municipality, or the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, doing legal work related to one or more of the following areas: employment, nuclear, contracts, litigation, environmental, energy transactions.

PAY RANGE

Senior Counsel Salary: $167,142 - $208,928

Staff Counsel II Salary: $145,302 - $181,627

Staff Counsel I Salary: $126,362 - $157,952

The salary listed represents the starting pay range for this position. Starting pay is calculated from the minimum of the salary range and actual individual placement within the range is determined based on the candidate's experience, education, skills, and abilities related to the role. The level and final offer will also take into account the candidate's overall qualifications.

INCENTIVE COMPENSATION

This position is eligible for an annual at-risk compensation (ARC) incentive plan. Incentives are earned based on agency performance against defined metrics and goals which follow eligibility rules within the ARC plan document.

BENEFITS

• EN offers substantial retirement benefits through three retirement programs including the Washington State Public Employees' Retirement System pension plan (PERS), a 401(k) savings plan with an employer match component, and a 457(b) savings plan.
• EN also offers multiple options for medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance coverage.
• Other voluntary benefits may include flexible spending accounts (FSAs), tuition reimbursement, student loan repayment, childcare subsides, health reimbursement arrangement (HRA VEBA), health savings account (HSA), supplemental life insurances, credit monitoring/identity theft insurance, and more!
• Qualifying employees will typically start a personal time accrual rate of 160 hours per year and EN provides nine paid holidays throughout the Calander year; personal time accruals grow significantly at various service intervals.

Energy Northwest does not provide employment visa sponsorship. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire and throughout employment.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, age, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.