Posting TitleEmployment Attorney

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LocationCO - Golden

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Position TypeRegular

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Hours Per Week40

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Working at NRELThe National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation's primary laboratory for research and development of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.

Join a team of world-class scientists, engineers, and visionaries dedicated to shaping the world’s energy future through cutting-edge research and innovation. From our vision to our NREL community, we are unique in the research community. We are focused on impact. From our work in basic sciences to systems engineering, analysis, demonstration, and deployment, we are focused on solving market-relevant problems that result in advanced, secure, reliable, and affordable energy systems. We are trusted clean energy leaders, developing cost-saving solutions that make U.S. industries more competitive, and support job creation and economic growth across rural and urban communities.

At NREL, we offer a unique, mission-driven work environment with cutting-edge facilities and multidisciplinary research teams. NREL's environment offers strong partnerships with industry, academia, and other national laboratories, as well as professional development opportunities and a competitive benefits package for employees.

Learn about NREL’s critical objectives: NREL's Mission and Vision.

Job Description

The Employment Attorney within the Office of General Counsel (“OGC”) is a newly created position to support the growth of NREL. The role has two distinct functions: 1) Serve as HR Business Partner for the Human Resources team with a focus on employee relations and 2) Serve as Employment attorney supporting the employment law function. Primarily, this role will be dedicated to employment law activities designed to ensure compliance and mitigate risk across the laboratory. This position will include, but is not limited to, editing, reviewing and interpreting policies, laws, and regulations, providing legal advice, performing research, responding to administrative actions and lawsuits, and collaborating with stakeholders across the organization. This role requires exceptional interpersonal, communication, problem-solving, and analytical skills, as well as keen attention to detail.

For the Professional II position: The Professional II works under general supervision of the General Counsel and with guidance from the other Legal Professionals to provide routine legal services to clients. Will have a developing general knowledge of Job Responsibilities of the position and the legal functions at the Office of General Counsel.

For the Professional III position: The Professional III position works under general direction from the General Counsel and is able to function more independently. The Professional III position has more complete understanding of the Job Responsibilities and specific relevant knowledge and experience of the legal functions at the Office of General Counsel

Serve as HR Business Partner for Human Resources, to include:

Provide day-to-day performance guidance to HR management and employees (e.g. coaching, counseling, career development, and disciplinary actions).Partner with HR management and employees to improve work relationships, build morale, and increase productivity and retention.In matters of HR employee behavior or conduct, lead fact finding and root cause analysis, ensuring effective resolution.Provide information to employees on benefits, services, resources, and programs available to them.Ensure policies are interpreted correctly and applied consistently.Reports employee relations insights and trends to HR management to help guide decisions, solutions, and actions.Collaborate with and support HR leadership as needed in establishing and achieving strategic objectives and priorities for HR.Present information and provide training to HR as needed.Maintain complete and accurate documentation of employee relations matters in SharePoint.Maintain knowledge of legal requirements related to day-to-day management of employees, reducing legal risks and ensuring regulatory compliance. Partner with HR Compliance and the Assistant General Counsel for Employment & Labor Law as appropriate.Stay current on trends and best practices in HR employee relations.Completing response to unemployment claims for separated HR employees.
 

Support OGC Employment Law Function, to include support and assistance with:

Respond to charges filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Colorado Civil Rights Division (CCRD), and other administrative agencies.Review and edit documents for accuracy and legal defensibility.Research (Westlaw and non-Westlaw).Identify and analyze legal and policy issues, creating essential documents, delivering cogent recommendations, and ensuring adherence to legal standards.Manage litigation with outside counsel.Providing legal advice to NREL in employment matters.Manage internal and external investigations and resulting actions.Maintain accurate and organized records.Stay current on trends and changes in employment law.Conduct legal compliance audits to ensure adherence to legal standards.Engage in multi-disciplinary teams to tackle issues and formulate strategies that are aligned with and advance the mission of NREL.Collaborate with the OGC team to deliver comprehensive legal support, facilitating the representation of Alliance in alignment with NREL’s objectives.Collaborate with internal clients and external as needed.
 

Serve as OGC Primary Point of Contact for:

Collaborate with Payroll on employee repayment obligations.Collaborate with Acquisition Services on subcontracts to procure goods and services for employment law.Comply with reporting obligations required of federal government contractors with respect to employment law.Manage legal and compliance issues with employees working and/or collaborating in other states or other countries.

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Basic QualificationsProfessional III- Relevant Bachelor's Degree and 5 or more years of experience or equivalent relevant education/experience. Or, relevant Master's Degree and 3 or more years of experience or equivalent relevant education/experience. Or, relevant PhD or equivalent relevant education/experience. Or, relevant JD or equivalent relevant education/experience. Complete understanding and wide application of technical principles, theories and concepts in the field. General knowledge of other related disciplines. Considerable knowledge of laws, regulations, principles, procedures and practices related to specific field. Strong leadership, project management and problem solving skills. Ability to use various computer software programs.

Professional II- Relevant Bachelor's Degree and 2 or more years of experience or equivalent relevant education/experience. Or, relevant Master's Degree or equivalent relevant education/experience. General knowledge and application of technical standards, principles, theories and techniques. Frequent application of industry concepts and principles

*Must be a current member of the Colorado Bar or eligible for admission on motion to the Colorado Bar based upon years of experience*

* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required QualificationsJ.D. and admission to the Colorado bar or admission to another state bar and eligibility for admission to the Colorado bar.At least 5 years of experience in employment law including advising on employee relations issues.Ability to comprehend, interpret, and apply appropriate sections of applicable policies, guidelines, laws, regulations, and ordinances.Exemplary interpersonal skills. Ability to establish relationships and gain trust with both managers and employees. Ability to remain tactful, calm, and persuasive in tense and/or confrontational situations.Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a view toward creative and innovative solutions to facilitate client-oriented outcomes.Meticulous attention to detail and organization.Ability to prioritize, multi-task, and meet deadlines.Self-starter and ability to manage complex projects with minimal oversight.A commitment to professionalism, a positive demeanor, and an interest in continuous learning and self-improvement.A strong interest in the laboratory’s mission.Capacity to collaborate effectively with a team comprised of attorneys, paralegals and HR professionals in a fast-evolving environment.Excellent written and verbal communication skills.Proficient in the Microsoft Office Suite.

Preferred QualificationsExperience with Westlaw.Experience working for government, a federal government contractor, or working within federal government contractor guidelines.Experience with international laws, specifically with respect to employees temporarily working or collaborating in other countries.Familiarity/experience with specialized AI tools for HR and/or employment law.

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Job Application Submission Window

The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.

Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)Job Profile: Legal Professional III / Annual Salary Range: $117,200 - $211,000

Job Profile: Professional II / Annual Salary Range: $97,800 - $176,000

NREL takes into consideration a candidate’s education, training, and experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee’s salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.

Benefits SummaryBenefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; short*- and long-term disability insurance; pension benefits*; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*; life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance; personal time off (PTO) and sick leave; paid holidays; and tuition reimbursement*. NREL employees may be eligible for, but are not guaranteed, performance-, merit-, and achievement- based awards that include a monetary component. Some positions may be eligible for relocation expense reimbursement. Limited-term positions are not eligible for long-term disability or tuition reimbursement.

* Based on eligibility rules

Badging RequirementNREL is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), which includes a favorable background investigation.

Drug Free Workplace

NREL is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.

If you are offered employment at NREL, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.

Submission Guidelines

Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at NREL you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application.

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EEO Policy

NREL is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic partner status, military or veteran status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding), sexual orientation, and any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local laws.

EEO is the Law | Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination | Reasonable Accommodations

E-Verify www.dhs.gov/E-Verify For information about right to work, click here for English or here for Spanish.

E-Verify is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This business uses E-Verify in its hiring practices to achieve a lawful workforce.