Duties

The Legal Division of OAL is looking for trial attorneys with strong analytic, oral, writing and team skills and familiarity with federal energy law or energy industry experience who will be able to conduct complex multi-party litigation in proceedings before the agency's administrative law judges. Typical work assignments may include:

Performing extensive technical and legal analysis
Working on multidisciplinary case teams, with in-house expert technical witnesses who testify and participate in settlement negotiations, regarding an array of ratemaking disciplines including accounting, engineering, and finance
Engaging in discovery, depositions, motions practice, and other pre-trial procedures to prepare cases for administrative hearings
Preparing staff witnesses for examination, cross-examining witnesses, and responding to evidentiary objections.
Applying case knowledge and legal skills when negotiating settlements

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Must be a U.S. Citizen
Possess a J.D. or LL.B. degree from an accredited college or university.
Current, active bar membership required.
A two-year trial period may be required.
This is a bargaining unit position.
Generally, male applicants must be registered with the Selective Service.
A background investigation is required.

You must meet all eligibility and qualification (experience and/or education) requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Qualifications

You must meet the following basic requirements, by the closing date of this announcement: (1) hold a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) or Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from an accredited college or university and (2) be a current, active bar member in good standing.

The GS-11 salary range is $72,750 through $94,581 per annum.

The GS-12 salary range is $87,198 through $113,362 per annum.

The GS-13 salary range is $103,690 through $134,798 per annum.

The GS-14 salary range is $122,530 through $159,286 per annum.

Education

This position has a basic education requirement listed under the “Qualifications” section of this announcement.

Additional information

FERC remains ranked #1 in Work/Life Balance, for the 7th year in a row, among the Best Places to Work through the Partnership for Public Service! As a leader in Work/Life Balance, we are proud to offer telework flexibilities in accordance with agency policy.

The duty location of this position is Washington, DC. Based on our current operating status, FERC employees are teleworking as opposed to coming on-site. When it is determined that our agency will be moving to the reopening phase of our Reconstitution Plan, the expectation will be to physically return to the office in Washington, DC. Telework days and any waiting period for eligibility will be determined at that time.

When promotion potential is shown, future promotions will be dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, the continuing need for an employee assigned to the higher level, and administrative approval.

If selected for this position, you will be required to:

Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) to determine your suitability for Federal employment.
Have your Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of your choice.
Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S. FERC also participates in the USCIS Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify). For more information about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit: http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify.
Attend a mandatory ethics training. We are governed by the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) Standards of Conduct, the criminal conflict of interest statutes, and FERC’s supplemental ethics regulation, which specifically prohibits FERC employees from holding certain energy-related securities. To comply with these regulations and statutes, divestiture of these securities may be required after you begin employment. See 5 C.F.R. 2634-41; 18 U.S.C. 201-208; 5 C.F.R. 3401. If selected, you may also be required to file a financial disclosure statement within 30 days of appointment.
Receive authorization from OPM on any job offer you receive, if you are or were (within the last 5 years) a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch.
As required by Executive Order 14043, Federal executive branch employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of the employee's duty location or work arrangement (e.g., telework, remote work, etc.), subject to such exceptions as required by law. If selected, you will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination by November 22, 2021 or before appointment or onboarding with the agency (if later than November 22, 2021). FERC will provide additional information regarding which forms of documentation can be accepted and how you can request a legally required exception from this requirement.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your eligibility for consideration and qualifications for the position will be determined based upon a review of your resume, cover letter, and any supporting documentation. These documents will be evaluated to determine your possession of any required career related experience, and how well your background and experience relate to the qualifications in the job announcement.

To preview questions please click here.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Required Documents
As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

If you do not provide all required documents by the closing date of this vacancy announcement, you will not be considered for this position.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR ALL CANDIDATES:
- RESUME:
  - Position title
  - Name of employer
  - Beginning and ending dates of employment (Month/Day/Year format)
  - Hours worked per week
  - Detailed description of job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable)
  - Series and grade or equivalent (for federal positions)
  - List your education history, including the type of degree and your major of study
- PROOF OF BAR MEMBERSHIP: Documentation showing you are a current bar member in good standing.
OPTIONAL DOCUMENTS FOR CANDIDATES (You are strongly encouraged to submit these documents as a part of your initial application; however, if contacted for an interview, these documents will be required):
- COVER LETTER: You may be required to submit a cover letter that showcases how your unique combination of skills and experience(s) meet the requirements of the position.
- TRANSCRIPTS: You may be required to submit copies of your college and law school transcripts to verify your education. Unofficial copies are acceptable; however, if selected you will be required to provide official transcripts before your effective date.
- WRITING SAMPLE: You may be required to provide a writing sample that demonstrates your persuasive writing skills and that reflects your analytic skills.
- VETERANS’PREFERENCE (DD-214, VA Disability Letter, etc.): There is no formal rating system for applying veterans’ preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, FERC considers military service a positive factor when reviewing applications. If you are claiming veterans' preference, you are encouraged to submit a copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, DD-214 (Member 4 copy), or other official documentation from a branch of the Armed Forces or the Department of Veterans Affairs showing dates of service and type of discharge. Ten-point preference eligibles must also submit an “Application for 10-point Veteran Preference” (SF-15), along with official VA letter and the required documentation listed on the back of the SF-15 form. For more information about veterans' preference, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Veterans.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply

You are strongly encouraged to read the entire announcement before you submit your application for this position.

Please email a resume, cover letter and any supporting materials to Adam Ulsh, Office of the Administrative Litigation. Adam.Ulsh@ferc.gov

To obtain more information about the Commission, visit the Commission's web site at www.ferc.gov. FERC is an equal opportunity employer.

Agency contact information

Adam Ulsh

Phone

202-502-8292

Fax

000-000-0000

Email

Adam.Ulsh@ferc.gov

Address

FERC
888 First Street, NE
Washington, District of Columbia 20426
United States

Next steps

Once an applicant’s application is received, OAL will conduct an evaluation based on the submission and consider requesting an interview. OAL will notify applicants of decisions made.

Fair and Transparent
The Federal hiring process is setup to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
- Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
- Reasonable accommodation policy
- Financial suitability
- Selective Service
- New employee probationary period
- Signature and false statements
- Privacy Act
- Social security number request

Required Documents

If you do not provide all required documents by the closing date of this vacancy announcement, you will not be considered for this position.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR ALL CANDIDATES:

RESUME:
- Position title
- Name of employer
- Beginning and ending dates of employment (Month/Day/Year format)
- Hours worked per week
- Detailed description of job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable)
- Series and grade or equivalent (for federal positions)
- List your education history, including the type of degree and your major of study

PROOF OF BAR MEMBERSHIP: Documentation showing you are a current bar member in good standing.

OPTIONAL DOCUMENTS FOR CANDIDATES (You are strongly encouraged to submit these documents as a part of your initial application; however, if contacted for an interview, these documents will be required):

COVER LETTER: You may be required to submit a cover letter that showcases how your unique combination of skills and experience(s) meet the requirements of the position.

TRANSCRIPTS: You may be required to submit copies of your college and law school transcripts to verify your education. Unofficial copies are acceptable; however, if selected you will be required to provide official transcripts before your effective date.

WRITING SAMPLE: You may be required to provide a writing sample that demonstrates your persuasive writing skills and that reflects your analytic skills.

VETERANS’PREFERENCE (DD-214, VA Disability Letter, etc.): There is no formal rating system for applying veterans’ preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, FERC considers military service a positive factor when reviewing applications. If you are claiming veterans' preference, you are encouraged to submit a copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, DD-214 (Member 4 copy), or other official documentation from a branch of the Armed Forces or the Department of Veterans Affairs showing dates of service and type of discharge. Ten-point preference eligibles must also submit an “Application for 10-point Veteran Preference” (SF-15), along with official VA letter and the required documentation listed on the back of the SF-15 form. For more information about veterans' preference, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Veterans.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

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