Position: Attorney-Advisor, (General) Enforcement Section, NOAA Office of General counsel (Deadline: Nov. 25, 2013)

Job Title:Attorney-Advisor, (General) Enforcement Section, GS-0905 - 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

Department:Department Of Commerce

Agency:National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Job Announcement Number:SO-OGC-2014-0001

SALARY RANGE:	$62,703.00 to $155,500.00 / Per Year
OPEN PERIOD:	Tuesday, October 29, 2013 to Monday, November 25, 2013
SERIES & GRADE:	GS-0905-11/15
POSITION INFORMATION:	Excepted Service Position - Full-time
PROMOTION POTENTIAL: 15
DUTY LOCATIONS:	1 vacancy in the following location: Juneau, AK View Map
WHO MAY APPLY:	All qualified United States Citizens

JOB SUMMARY:

Unlock secrets in deep oceans, track rapidly moving storms, operate state-of-the-art environmental satellites, chart the Nation's waterways, formulate models to forecast climate trends, protect and preserve our living marine resources...all in a day's work at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)! Join a dedicated workforce committed to a vital mission: safeguarding the public, protecting natural resources, strengthening the economy. A career that makes a world of difference!

An extraordinary opportunity is available to serve as an Attorney Advisor in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of the General Counsel.  The NOAA Office of the General Counsel employs approximately 110 attorneys at headquarters in the Washington, DC area and in six regional sections.  The Office provides legal advice to the NOAA Administrator and NOAA program offices on a wide variety of legal issues including U.S. and international fisheries, marine mammals, endangered and threatened marine  species, preservation of coastal areas, marine sanctuaries, and licensing of commercial satellites.  NOAA is a premier environmental agency located within the Department of Commerce and employs over 12,000 people nationwide. The agency's mission is to conserve and manage coastal and marine resources and to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment to meet the Nation's economic, social and environmental needs. For more information see www.noaa.gov.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of the General Counsel seeks an Attorney Advisor for the Enforcement Section, Juneau, Alaska, to join a national staff of employees who each year prosecute hundreds of violations of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act and other marine resource laws enforced by the Secretary of Commerce.
Applicants please send your application material only to the email address: GCEnforcement.vacancy@noaa.gov or by mail to Octavia Saine, Executive Officer, NOAA Office of the General Counsel, Herbert C. Hoover Office Building, 14th & Constitution Ave., NW, Suite A100, Washington, DC 20230.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

·         Applicants must successfully complete a background security investigation.

·         Position may require overnight domestic or foreign travel.

·         Position is in excepted service.

·         Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable. www.sss.gov.

·         Relocation expenses are not authorized.

·         Applicant must be a US citizen to qualify for this position.

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DUTIES:

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The Attorney Advisor will work together with other members of the Enforcement Section in the prosecution of violations of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act and other marine resource laws enforced by the Secretary of Commerce.  In addition to prosecuting cases and working closely with NOAA's investigative agents, the Enforcement Section provides guidance on legislative and regulatory issues with enforcement implications, works with the Department of Justice on appropriate cases, trains Coast Guard and NOAA investigators and works with the state and tribal law enforcement personnel.  The Enforcement Section also works closely with the Department of State to develop effective enforcement positions in the international arena to combat illegal fishing.  For additional information about the office, see http://www.gc.noaa.gov/enforce-office.html .

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QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

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Applicants must meet all Requirements (including Key Requirements) described above by three weeks from posting of this announcement.  Please do not apply to this position through USAJobs.  All documents must be sent to: GCEnforcement.vacancy@noaa.gov 

Applicants must have a J.D. degree from a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association.

Applicants must have experience working with federal environmental and conservation or similar complex statues and enforcement experience is preferred.  Applicants must  have a demonstrated ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing and to identify and resolve complex legal issues. Applicants also must demonstrate the ability to work effectively in a team with clients, other attorneys, and support staff.  Significant academic achievement in law school (such as graduation in top third of class, graduation with honors, judicial clerking experience, or participation in moot court or law review) will be favorably considered.
Applicants must be an active member in good standing of a state bar or the District of Columbia.
Applicants must be a U.S. citizen to qualify for this position.  Applicants must meet the basic entry requirements as stated in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for General Schedule (GS) position and instructions. 

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

Applicants will be evaluated based on the Qualifications described below.  Please be advised that NOAA Attorney positions are in the Excepted Service.  As such, these positions are not covered by the usual civil service hiring procedures.  There is no numerical rating system through which to apply veterans preference; however, the NOAA Office of General Counsel considers veterans preference eligibility as a positive factor in hiring.  Applicants eligible for veterans preference are encouraged to include that information in their cover letter or resume, and to attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD Form -214 or other substantiating documents) to their submission.
To preview questions please click here.

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BENEFITS:

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NOAA offers a comprehensive benefits package. Explore the benefits offered to most Federal employees at http://www.usajobs.gov/ResourceCenter/Index/Interactive/Benefits#icc

OTHER INFORMATION:

NOAA  will not pay relocation expenses or moving costs. 

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HOW TO APPLY:

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Application may be made by sending a resume, and cover letter to Octavia Saine, NOAA Office of the General Counsel, Herbert C. Hoover Office Building, 14^th & Constitution Ave., NW, Suite A100, Washington, DC or by e-mail to: GCEnforcement.vacancy@noaa.gov
Applications must be emailed or received by November 25, 2013.   In your cover letter or an attachment, please explain how your experience, education, training, activities, or awards relate to the qualifications listed above.   Also explain why you are interested in working for the NOAA Office of the General Counsel.  Please include your email address and your day and evening telephone numbers, and indicate the best time to reach you by telephone.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

A complete application consists of the following: *Resume showing relevant experience; cover letter optional.  Your resume must indicate your citizenship, and whether you are registered for Selective Service if you are a male born after 12/31/59.  Your resume should also list your educational and work experience including the dates {mm/dd/yy) of each employment along with the number of hours worked per week. For work in the  Federal Service, please include the grade level for the position(s). *Education.  Prior to receiving a formal offer, you will be asked to submit an official law school transcript  or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicatlonOfStds-04.aspfor more information. Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities  in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient  evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree.A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website - http://www2.ed.gov/students/prep/college/diplomamills/diploma-mills.html#foreign-credential. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration.

AGENCY CONTACT INFO:

Octavia G. Saine
Phone: 202-482-0743
Fax: 000-000-0000
Email: octavia.saine@noaa.gov

Agency Information:
NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION
NOAA, OGC, Fisheries & Protected Resources Section
Herbert C. Hoover Office Bldg, Ste A100
14th & Consitution Ave NW
Washington, DC
20910
US
Fax: 000-000-0000

WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT:

Applicants will not be notified that their application has been received. Interviews may be arranged at the discretion of NOAA for those subject to further consideration based upon qualifications.