About the Position: This position is an opportunity to contribute to the Jacksonville District's missions - providing legal service, with a focus on real estate, involved in the planning and construction of flood risk management, navigation, coastal storm risk management, and ecosystem restoration projects throughout Florida. Preference is for duty station in Jacksonville, FL, however, location of position is negotiable. Remote Work will be considered.

Duties

Serves as Assistant District Counsel to furnish expert legal advice and advocacy to the Jacksonville District with a primary focus on real property transactions. Provides real estate legal advice pertaining to District projects, including advice and guidance regarding Rights of Entries, Easements, and Assignments, Uniform Relocation Act, utility and facility relocations, and takings analyses. Prepares the preliminary and final Attorney Opinions of Compensability for utility and facility relocations. Researches, analyzes, and advises on difficult legal or factual issues involving numerous boundary or encroachment dispute issues. Researches, analyzes, and provides legal advice and drafts legal documents for all projects, including cost-share projects, that require the relocation of residents or businesses, utilities, and facilities. Prepares, drafts, and reviews disposal documents, such as deeds or transfers. Researches, analyzes, and provides legal advice and prepares legal documents for the dispositions claims involving damage to real property and inverse takings of real estate. Provides advice and guidance to District staff pertinent to the District’s Civil Works Program, including the planning, engineering, construction, and operation of civil works projects. Represents the District in negotiations with state and federal resource and regulatory agencies to obtain requisite approvals, clearances, and permits for District civil works projects. Serves as second chair to Department of Justice in cases in federal court, including drafting motions and pleadings, preparing the administrative record, drafting and responding to discovery, and preparing for depositions, hearings, and trials. Provides advice and guidance to ensure the District’s civil works programs comply with applicable federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations. Assists in the review and coordination of fiscal matters arising with District missions. Advise and communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with senior leadership and team members at all levels in a manner to advise, inform, and educate. Work effectively and collaboratively on teams, including clients, experts and other witnesses, and colleagues.

Requirements

• Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
• Temporary Duty (TDY) is 15%.
• You must complete an annual Financial disclosure statement.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the education and requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document. The following minimum qualifications requirements must be met before applicants are eligible for further consideration: Education: Applicants must have successfully completed a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and have the first professional law degree (LLB or JD) (NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts). Bar membership: Applicants must currently be a member in good standing of a bar of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. A copy of your current certification must be submitted. To qualify at the GS-12 grade level you must have one to two years of professional legal experience commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. To qualify at the GS-13 grade level you must have over two years of professional legal experience commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. NOTICE TO VETERANS PREFERENCE: There is no formal rating system for applying veteran's preference to Attorney appointments in the Excepted Service; however, the Department of the Army considers veteran's preference eligibility a positive factor for Attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veteran's preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documents (e.g., DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active duty) to their submissions. Although the point-preference system is not used, applicants eligible to claim a 10-point preference must submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed. (SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preference and the required supporting documents, is available from the Office of Personnel Management Website at Blockedhttp://www.opm.gov/).Time in Grade Requirements: Applicants currently employed as an Attorney by the Federal government must have completed one year of time-in-grade at the next lower grade level (GS-11 or GS-12) or the equivalent within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement, or previously served at the same or higher grade as the position being filled. You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency in the following areas: Technical Knowledge Demonstrated practical experience and mature judgment in solving legal problems, providing interpretations of statutes and regulations, drafting legal documents, and reviewing client documents for legal soundness and accuracy sufficient for the accomplishment of difficult, complex, and varied work. Demonstrated experience providing legal advice and guidance on practice areas applicable to the Jacksonville district programs, including real estate, civil works, environmental law, government contract construction law, fiscal, tors and/or administrative law. Demonstrated experience with fraud, bid protests, or matters analogous to contract disputes. Litigation - Representation and Advocacy Demonstrated experience providing legal advice and trial advocacy regarding litigation that presents complex factual issues requiring extensive research, analysis, and obtaining and evaluating expert testimony or information. Demonstrated experience effectively representing and advocating for the client in litigation (preparing administrative records, pleadings, and dispositive motions; drafting and responding to discovery; hearing or trial experience) and in different forms of alternative dispute resolution. Demonstrated experience representing and advocating for the client in various forums, including before external agencies, stakeholders, and members of the public, often on contentious matters that involve very large sums of money and/or involve extremely capable opposing legal talent. Other Indicia of Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Ability to advise and communicate effectively with senior leadership and team members at all levels in a manner to advise, inform, and educate, even when the legal advice may differ from what is desired. Ability to work effectively on teams, including clients, experts and other witnesses, and colleagues. Credentials as indicated in the resume and other application materials (e.g., awards, performance ratings, educational requirements.

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been 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/.

Contacts

• Address RL-W2SR02 US ARMY ENGINEER DISTRICT-JACKSONVILLE DO NOT MAIL Jacksonville, FL 32202 US
• Name: Army Applicant Help Desk