About the Position: Serves as an Attorney-Advisor (Labor) with Department of General Counsel Field Legal Services (DRO). This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

Duties

Assist in the administration of the office of the Defense Health Agency Office of General Counsel, rendering strategic, specialized, and expert advice on issues that can have significant impact on civilian personnel issues. Serve as legal counsel for all employment-related matters including those affecting civilian personnel and labor relations. Provide legal advice to the Defense Health Agency Assistant Directors, management officials, supervisors, and servicing civilian personnel offices pertaining to civil service personnel laws, rules, and regulations. Serve as a senior agency labor counsel with the final and authoritative labor and employment legal advice where there is a dispute with the Agency legal offices. Work directly with the agency Equal Employment Opportunity Director on monitoring cases, issues, and trends. Represent the Defense Health Agency as trial attorney before Administrative Judges of the Merit Systems Protection Board, the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, other agencies. Negotiate settlements and stipulations with employees and their attorneys or other representatives. Advise or participate on management negotiating teams before and during union contract negotiations. Assist with the requirements involved in the administration and management of Defense Health Agency labor attorneys and labor paralegals in dispersed geographic locations. Ensure compliance with Agency Equal Employment Opportunity program policies, directives, and related affirmative action plans.

Requirements

• Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
• This position requires the incumbent be able to obtain and maintain a determination of eligibility for a Secret security clearance or access for the duration of employment.
• Approximately 20% travel may be required. Travel may involve local, and or overnight.
• This position is key and mission essential; in the event of weather related emergency, or other local/national emergency the incumbent may be required to report for duty or stay on duty until relieved by proper authority.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens Applicants will be evaluated to determine if they meet the minimum qualification requirements and on the extent to which their application shows possession of the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) associated with the position: Skill in identifying legal issues and conducting relevant legal research within Administrative Law, Labor Law, or Health Law. Skill in administrative hearings practice. Skill in oral and written advocacy. Ability to effectively, professionally, and ethically manage a heavy caseload of clients with complex legal needs NOTICE OF VETERAN'S PREFERENCE: There is no formal rating system for applying veteran's preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Defense Health Agency 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 http://www.opm.gov/). TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENTS: If currently employed as an attorney by the Federal Government must have completed 52 weeks at the next lower grade level within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement, or previously served at the same or higher grade as the position being filled. Time-in grade may be waived for current federal employees at management's discretion. The following minimum qualification requirements must be met before applicants are eligible for further consideration: Education: An applicant 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). Bar Membership: Applicant must currently be a member in good standing of the Bar of a state, territory or commonwealth of the United States (e.g., American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands), or the District of Columbia. Document should be dated within three (3) months of the date the application is submitted. Experience Required for the GS-15:Applicant must have three (3) or more years of professional legal experience, acquired after being admitted to the Bar, commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position.

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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Contacts

• Address KF-DHA-DDAAFC DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY HQ DO NOT MAIL Falls Church, VA 22042 US
• Name: Army Applicant Help Desk