What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Attorney Advisor (Presiding Official). position at Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)?
Duties
As a Senior Attorney Advisor (Presiding Official), You Will
PLEASE NOTE: Given our continuing need for professionals in this field, we will routinely review applications and refer the top candidates for potential interviews multiple times during the open period of the announcement. Reviews and referrals of applications will be completed on a monthly basis.
Requirements
Conditions of employment
To qualify, your experience should include experience and education equal or equivalent to the following:
GRADE 15 - A law degree, bar membership in good standing and at least 4 years (48 months) of professional attorney experience.
You Should Also Possess
For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link:
All applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Education
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.
Additional information
Required
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Transportation by email at,
This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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.
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.
As a Senior Attorney Advisor (Presiding Official), You Will
- Preside over informal administrative hearings involving parties represented by counsel and conduct pre-hearing conferences to improve efficiency and narrow disputed issues.
- Manage proceedings from the initial hearing request through preparation of draft decisions for review and issuance by the Associate Administrator.
- Conduct legal research and analysis to interpret applicable statutes, regulations, and agency precedent related to pipeline safety and compliance.
- Prepare draft decisions based on the administrative record, resolving complex issues of fact and law, determining operator compliance, and ordering corrective actions where necessary.
- Maintain case files and manage the hearing docket to ensure timely case progression while addressing matters with significant public safety, property, and environmental implications.
PLEASE NOTE: Given our continuing need for professionals in this field, we will routinely review applications and refer the top candidates for potential interviews multiple times during the open period of the announcement. Reviews and referrals of applications will be completed on a monthly basis.
Requirements
Conditions of employment
- You must be a U.S.Citizen and eligible for consideration.
- Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.
- This is an Excepted Service position.
- Required documents must be submitted by the closing date.
- SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service.
- BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: A background security investigation is required for all selected individuals. Appointment will be subject to the applicant’s successful completion of the security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
- GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: If the position requires travel, a government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
- TRIAL PERIOD: This is an Excepted Service position. This job will be filled by an alternative hiring process and is not in the competitive service. Applicants selected for an excepted service position may be subject to a two-year trial period.
- ETHICS/CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT: All employees are subject to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch, set out in Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 2635, including restrictions on owning financial interests that may conflict with performance of their duties. Some employees, like those involved in contracting or regulating non-Federal entities, are subject to Executive Branch Financial Disclosure requirements set out in Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 263.
To qualify, your experience should include experience and education equal or equivalent to the following:
GRADE 15 - A law degree, bar membership in good standing and at least 4 years (48 months) of professional attorney experience.
You Should Also Possess
- Experience in pipeline safety, administrative, enforcement, litigation, and environmental law, including researching and analyzing legal issues and applying legal principles, precedents, statutes, and rulings.
- Experience presiding over hearings and/or representing clients in administrative and legal proceedings, with strong legal writing skills in drafting decisions, opinions, briefs, and memoranda.
- Experience briefing executives and senior leadership and providing legal advice and counsel in support of organizational programs, operations, and regulatory activities.
- Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, considering 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.
- Written Communication - Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.
- 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.
- Problem Solving - Identifies and analyzes problems; weighs relevance and accuracy of information; generates and evaluates alternative solutions; makes recommendations.
For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link:
All applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Education
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.
Additional information
Required
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
- your performance and conduct;
- the needs and interests of the agency;
- whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Transportation by email at,
This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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.
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.