Attorney Advisor

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), Office of Chief Counsel is seeking dynamic individuals to serve in permanent positions as Attorney-Advisors at our headquarters in Washington, D.C. Our attorneys experience a broad range of assignments providing legal support to PHMSA's mission to protect people and the environment by advancing the safe transportation of energy and other hazardous materials that are essential to our daily lives.

As a Pipeline Safety Law Attorney Advisor, you will: Work with other attorneys, program staff, subject matter experts, and agency leaders to: implement national policies on pipeline safety; pursue enforcement for violations of pipeline safety standards, including civil penalties and compliance orders; support emergency response following pipeline incidents, including issuance of emergency orders.

Develop and adopt new regulations to further enhance and improve pipeline safety; Develop guidance and interpretations to assist the regulated community in maintaining compliance. Support litigation by or against the United States; and other legal support for PHMSA and its pipeline safety program. As a Hazardous Materials Safety Law Attorney-Advisor, you will work with program clients, subject matter experts, and modal partners to: Set national policies on hazardous materials safety requirements for all modes of transportation.

Pursue enforcement actions, including civil penalty cases, compliance orders, and emergency orders and recalls. Issue special permits, which allow for innovative safety approaches and new technologies. Develop guidance and interpretations, to assist the regulated community in maintaining compliance with federal hazardous materials transportation laws.

Support U.S. efforts with respect to international rulemaking and harmonization of transportation safety requirements. As a Regulatory Affairs Law Attorney Advisor, you will: Advise PHMSA’s Pipeline Safety and Hazardous Materials Safety programs on applicable laws, regulations, Executive Orders, and guidance governing rulemaking and regulatory matters.

Support regulatory planning and analysis by reviewing and drafting rulemaking documents, Regulatory Impact Analyses, guidance, and related materials to ensure legal sufficiency, policy alignment, quality, and enforceability. Represent the Division in rulemaking-related meetings and coordinate with DOT Operating Administrations, the Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST), and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to communicate PHMSA’s legal positions.

Conduct legal research and draft recommendations to support regulatory decision-making and the development of rulemaking actions. Provide legal support for litigation involving the United States related to PHMSA rulemakings, guidance, and other regulatory actions. As a General Law Attorney Advisor, you will: Prepare legal opinions and perform legal services involving issues concerning the negotiation, drafting, execution, and administration of Federal contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements regarding various agency programs.

Prepare legal opinions and perform legal services related to the administration of the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act. Prepare legal opinions and perform legal services relating to ethics, conflict of interest laws and regulations, anti-lobbying, the Hatch Act, and procurement integrity. Prepare legal opinions and perform legal services in the areas of employment and personnel law, and labor relations.

Represent the Agency in litigation before the EEOC, the MSPB, the FLRA, arbitrators, and other administrative forums. The ideal candidate will have knowledge and experience with a range of legal practice areas associated with the transportation industry and the Department of Transportation such as, administrative enforcement, including charging documents, adjudications, hearings, and negotiations; regulatory development and drafting; administrative appeals and litigation; legislative drafting and analysis; and working collaboratively with other attorneys, engineers, policy leaders, and safety experts performing a wide variety of legal tasks in a government setting.

To qualify, your experience should include experience and education equal or equivalent to the following: GRADE 11

• Possess a professional law degree (LLB, or J.D.) and bar membership in good standing. Experience in performing legal services involving compliance and regulatory issues; AND Experience preparing legal memoranda and opinions; AND Experience maintaining a relationship with customers to assure their understanding of legal positions. GRADE 12
• A law degree, bar membership in good standing and at least 1 year of professional attorney experience. Experience in performing legal services involving compliance and regulatory issues; AND Experience preparing legal memoranda and opinions; AND Experience maintaining a relationship with customers to assure their understanding of legal positions. GRADE 13
• A law degree, bar membership in good standing and either two years of professional attorney experience OR one year of professional attorney experience and a second professional law degree (LL.M) which requires one full year of graduate study. Experience in performing legal services involving compliance and regulatory issues; AND Experience preparing legal memoranda and opinions; AND Experience maintaining a relationship with customers to assure their understanding of legal positions. GRADE 14
• A law degree, bar membership in good standing and at least 3 years of professional attorney experience. Experience in performing legal services involving compliance and regulatory issues; AND Experience preparing legal memoranda and opinions; AND Experience maintaining a relationship with customers to assure their understanding of legal positions. GRADE 15
• A law degree, bar membership in good standing and at least 4 years of professional attorney experience. Experience in performing legal services involving compliance and regulatory issues; AND Experience preparing legal memoranda and opinions; AND Experience maintaining a relationship with customers to assure their understanding of legal positions. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas: Oral Communication: Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately. Administrative Law: Knowledge of state and Federal administrative laws, including procedures, regulations, guidelines, and precedents related to case preparation and settlements. Legal, Government, and Jurisprudence : Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, legal practices and documents, Government regulations, Executive orders, agency rules, Government organization and functions, and the democratic political process. Written Communication: Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, Ameri. Corps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4 All applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

MANDATORY EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: In order to qualify for this position, candidates must have successfully completed a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and have a professional law degree, and must currently be a member in good standing of the bar of a State or Territory of the United States or the District of Columbia.