Summary This position is in Region 10, Office of Regional Counsel, Land Law Branch. About Region 10: Website This is an office-centered position*--you must physically report to the duty station stated in this announcement on a regular basis. *EPA offers work-from-home and work schedule flexibilities as described in the Benefits section. Responsibilities At the entry level of this position, you will: Provides legal advice, performs legal research, prepares legal documentation, and provides policy recommendations. Participates in litigation activities. Drafts Agency determinations, proposed regulations, and Federal Register notices. Performs negotiation and informal dispute resolution. When entering a Federal job at a grade level lower than the highest promotion potential level, you may be promoted to more complex duties and work more independently, as your career progresses. NOTE: Career ladder promotions are not automatic, and all eligibility and qualifications requirements must be met in order to progress to the next grade level. One or more positions may be filled (in the organization advertised and/or in other organizations), if appropriate to the position. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must submit a resume and required documents--see How to Apply section. You must be a U.S. citizen. #LI-Onsite This position is designated as High Risk and requires a background investigation. Unless an appropriate background investigation is already on record with the Office of Personnel Management, you must undergo a background investigation. All conditions of the pre-employment security process must be met before an official letter of employment can be issued with a report for duty date. If you are selected, you may be required to complete a one-year trial period. You must self-certify annually and in writing that you hold an active bar membership. If you have not yet passed the bar exam, offer of employment will be contingent upon admission to the bar. Qualifications NOTE: You must meet qualification requirements, including any requirements described in the Education section, by the closing date of this announcement. In addition to the educational requirements, you must meet the minimum grade-specific qualifications as described below: To qualify for the GS-11 level, you must have either: -an LL.M. degree OR -at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level defined as working on routine matters with close supervision to provide legal research, advice, and policy recommendations on matters under environmental statutes and regulations. OR -completed superior law student activities while earning a J.D. degree. Superior law student activities include: (A) Academic standing in upper third of law school graduating class; (B) Work or achievement of significance on law school’s law review; (C) Special high-level honors for academic excellence, such as election to Order of the Coif; (D) Winning of a moot court competition or membership on the moot court team representing the law school in competition with other law schools; (E) Full-time or continuous participation in a legal aid program or significant summer law office clerk experience; or (F) Other equivalent evidence of clearly superior achievement, as determined by the hiring office and documented in writing for the case file. To qualify for the GS-12 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level defined as working on more complex matters with limited supervision to provide legal research, advice, and policy recommendations on matters under environmental statutes and regulations. Experience in representing the agency in negotiating the settlement of disputed matters in order to avoid litigation. 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. *If you have part-time work experience, read this: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures. Education You must: (1) possess a J.D. or LL.M. degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university or equivalent apprentice experience as allowed per state law; and (2) be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any state, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia; and (3) be an active member of the bar of any U.S. jurisdiction in good standing. (NOTE: Bar membership is not required at the time of application, but you must be admitted to the bar before entry on duty.) For information about accreditation requirements, visit EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures. Additional Information Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values at EPA. Our excellence can only be fully realized by staff who share our commitment to these values. Successful candidates are committed to advancing equity and inclusion in the Agency’s workplace and mission. We encourage applications from candidates with a variety of personal experiences, values, and worldviews that arise from differences of culture and circumstance. At EPA, diversity is a vital element in bringing a balance of perspectives to bear on every challenge we face. We are committed to creating a diverse workforce because we know that the individual strengths and abilities of our employees make us a stronger organization. The more inclusive our employee base is, the greater the variety of ideas that are generated, and the more representative we are of the nation we serve. To learn more about how EPA values and supports our diverse workforce, visit Equal Opportunity Employment at EPA. You can also hear a diverse group of attorneys talk about their careers at EPA on the Legal Careers at EPA Webinar. About the Office of Regional Counsel, Region 10: ORC is led by the Regional Counsel, Deputy Regional Counsel, and a supervisor for each of our four branches: Land Law Branch (LLB); Water Law Branch (WLB); Air, Toxics, RCRA, and Criminal Law Branch (ATRCLB); and General Law and FOIA Branch (GLFB). We have approximately 50 staff attorneys who provide legal counseling and enforcement support in judicial and administrative cases for criminal and civil matters associated with the environmental programs administered by EPA Region 10. We also manage the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) program for Region 10, with information law attorneys and a team of paralegals. We’re seeking several attorneys to work on Superfund matters arising under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). These positions provide an opportunity to practice law in a leading environmental government agency, working on challenging issues alongside dedicated colleagues with recognized expertise. If you have questions about this position, contact Lisa A. Castañon, Deputy Regional Counsel (she/her) at castanon.lisa@epa.gov. This position is in the bargaining unit. EPA participates in E-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that enables participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees. For additional information: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures. Except in special circumstances, those new to the federal government will be hired at the starting salary (step 1) of the applicable grade range listed in the Overview section. If you are selected, travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid by EPA. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expenses associated with reporting to work in this position will be your responsibility. This position is excluded from provisions of the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). Selection under this appointment authority does not confer civil service competitive status.