"ATTY-OGC-2020-003" Vacancy Details

About

Overview

Hiring Path:

• Excepted service
• Open to the public

Security Clearance Required:

Other

Appointment Type

Permanent

Appointment Type Details:

Permanent

Marketing Statement:

The FCC is an independent United States government agency, directly responsible to Congress. The FCC was established by the Communications Act of 1934 and is charged with regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable. The FCC's jurisdiction covers the 50 states, the District of Columbia,  and U.S. possessions.

Summary:

This position is located in the Office of General Counsel, Litigation Division, Washington, D.C. 

Relocation expenses will not be paid.

THIS VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT MAY BE USED TO FILL ADDITIONAL POSITIONS WITHIN 90 DAYS.

Supervisory Position:

No

Relocation Expenses Reimbursed:

No

Travel Required:

Occasional Travel

Some Travel may be necessary.

Duties

This position is located in the Litigation Division of the Office of General Counsel ("OGC"). The incumbent will serve as a senior attorney representing the Commission primarily in a variety of matters in the federal appellate courts, as well as (on occasion) the federal trial courts and other tribunals.  In the event a case involving the Commission is in the Supreme Court, the incumbent may assist the staff in the Office of the Solicitor General in preparing the government's filings.  The incumbent will also advise the Commission on legal issues arising from pending and threatened litigation, as well as administrative proceedings before the agency. 

In addition to the incumbent's appellate litigation responsibilities, incumbent will provide legal advice and services on projects involving complex legal, factual, and policy issues, and otherwise assist managers and supervisors with a wide cross-section of assigned projects.  Among these projects, incumbent may be called upon to conduct legal research and answer legal questions; recommend a course of action based on legal, policy and practical concerns; and prepare or assist in the preparation of legal memoranda advising on the status of investigations or litigation, as well as on the significance of judicial decisions in cases involving the Commission or otherwise relevant to its work.  Incumbent also is responsible for consulting with other FCC Bureaus and Offices on Commission agenda items, and presenting matters to the Commission for decisions.

 

Qualifications and Evaluations

Requirements:

Please note your resume must thoroughly support your responses to the vacancy questions.  Your resume is an integral part of the process for determining if you meet the basic qualifications of the position and determining if you are to be among the best qualified.

Key Requirements:

Bar Membership Required.

Suitable for employment as determined by a background investigation.

Must submit a financial disclosure statement upon assuming the position.

Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service.

Serve a probationary period of one year, if applicable.

Education Requirements:

You must meet the minimum basic educational requirements for Attorney positions. Education requirements include:  a professional law degree JD, LL.B., and/or LL.M.

Evaluations:

All applicants will be rated on the extent and quality of experience and education relevant to the duties of the position.  An automated score is administered based on the on-line application process used.  Eligible applicants will receive a numerical rating on their responses to the job specific questions for this position.  

There are several parts to the application process that affect the overall evaluation of your application including:

1.  the core questions
2.  the vacancy questions
3.  supplemental documentation (e.g., DD-214, SF-50, SF-15, transcripts), if applicable; and
4.  your resume.

Applicants will be rated ineligible if they do not respond to job specific questions provide supplemental documents and submit resume.  For more information, please click on Rating Process

You will be evaluated for this position on the following Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other characteristics (KSAOs):



1.  Knowledge of litigation in the federal appellate courts, familiarity with federal communications law, the Administrative Procedure Act and the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure.

2.  Skill in researching legal issues where no clearly applicable precedents are available or it is unclear which precedents apply.

3.  Skill in written and oral expression sufficient to pursue legal issues and factual disputes against opposition that vigorously contests the Agency's position.

Qualifications:

Applicants must meet eligibility and qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.  Current Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.  

Applicant must meet both professional law experience and specialized experience.

Professional law experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position to be filled.


Specialized Experience:  Applicants must have a minimum of one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the lower grade in the Federal service.

For this position, professional law experience and specialized experience includes the following:

For the GS-15:  Applicant must possess at least four years of professional law experience and at least one year of the experience must be specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-14 grade level in the Federal service performing the following:

Drafting federal appellate court pleadings, motions, and briefs without extensive supervision; appearing before courts and administrative tribunals; researching legal issues where no clearly applicable precedents are available; and providing written and oral advice on a variety of matters to attorneys and other professionals.

PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work.  You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

Benefits and Other Info

Benefits:

The FCC offers a wide range of employee benefits, including:

Health Insurance
Life Insurance
Dental & Vision Insurance
Flexible Spending Accounts
Long-Term Care Insurance
Holidays and Leave
Retirement
Thrift Savings Plan
Transit Benefit
Alternative Work Schedule
Telecommuting

Agency Benefits:

Other:
-  Before hiring, an agency will ask you to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation.  The agency will also ask you to sign and certify the accuracy of all the information in your application.  If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be fired after you begin work; or you may be fined or jailed. If you are a male over age 18 who was born after December 31, 1959, you must have registered with the Selective Service System (or have an exemption) to be eligible for a Federal job.

-  If applicable, you will be required to serve a trial period of one year.

-  In order for you to be employed at the FCC, there are certain Commission and Federal laws governing the financial interests of you and members of your immediate family. If selected for the position, you must submit a financial disclosure statement upon assuming the position.

Other Information:

EEO Policy Statement Reasonable Accommodation Policy Statement Veterans InformationLegal and Regulatory Guidance

How to Apply

How to Apply:

To apply to this announcement go to the website: https://fcc.usajobs.gov

Your application, including resume, all supplemental documents, registration information and answers to job specific questions must be received no later than midnight U.S. Eastern time of the closing date. For more information on applying federal jobs, please check this webpage https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Main_Page

If applying online poses a hardship, please contact the Federal Communications Commission's Human Resources Office at (202) 418-0130 during business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time) prior to the closing date of the vacancy announcement.

Qualified applicants may be further reviewed and rated by Subject Matter Experts to determine the validity of on-line question.

Required Documents:

***ALL SUPPLEMENTAL DOCUMENTS MUST BE RECEIVED IN THE FCC'S HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICE BY THE CLOSING DATE OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.  ONCE YOU APPLY TO THIS VACANCY YOU WILL BE PROMPTED BY THE SYSTEM TO EITHER UPLOAD DOCUMENTS OR PRINT FAX COVERSHEETS.  THE FAX NUMBER WILL BE LISTED ON THIS SHEET.  IF FAXING, ALL DOCUMENTS REQUIRED SHOULD BE FAXED SEPARATELY ON THE FAX COVERSHEET PROVIDED. ONCE FAXED, YOU SHOULD RECEIVE AN EMAIL CONFIRMATION WITHIN AN HOUR.  IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE AN EMAIL CONFIRMATION, YOUR FAX HAS NOT BEEN SUCCESSFULLY RECEIVED AND YOU SHOULD FAX AGAIN.

IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO FAX THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION, CONTACT THE HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICE AT 202-418-0130 PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.***

Hardcopy Supplement Documents Required:

Current Federal employees should submit a copy of their most recent annual performance appraisal;

Veterans must submit a legible copy of form DD-214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," or an SF-15, Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference, plus the proof required by that form.  Please refer to OPM's VetGuide for further information about veterans' preference at http://www.opm/veterans/html/vetguide or click
on VetGuide

Next Steps:

Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications to determine your ranking.  The best-qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview.  You will be notified of the outcome.