Attorney

Summary The position is in the Office of the General Counsel, in the Division of Labor, Employment, and Contract Law (LECL). The supervisor is Brian Harris, Assistant General Counsel for LECL. The position IS NOT Bargaining Unit. This position IS Subject to Financial Disclosure and Prohibited Securities Rule. Responsibilities The successful candidates will serve as attorney under the Assistant General Counsel and Deputy Assistant General Counsel for LECL in the Office of the General Counsel. The selectees will be placed in LECL but may move to other OGC divisions as workload needs change over time. Duties will include providing representation before administrative tribunals and providing advice and legal services related to federal labor and employment law, equal employment opportunity, diversity, reasonable accommodation, harassment, and personnel security. The selectees may also be assigned work in LECL’s other practice areas as workload needs change over time. The successful candidate will have the experience, poise, temperament, judgment, collegiality, and professional stature required to successfully perform the important duties and responsibilities of an attorney providing legal advice to the General Counsel (and the Deputy General Counsels and Associate General Counsel, if applicable), the Commission, and the NRC staff. The successful candidate will have excellent written and oral communication skills and have a demonstrated ability to make fair and impartial decisions in a timely manner. The following duties are performed with a high degree of independence: Reviews documents to determine their legal sufficiency; performs difficult original legal research; develops solutions to novel and complex legal issues; provides legal opinions and advice; and identifies and addresses policy matters, including consideration of relevant risks. When serving as lead attorney, provides leadership and guidance to assigned back-up attorneys. In this role, makes assignments to the back-up attorneys and provides comments and revisions to documents and other work products connected with assigned matters. Provides advice and counsel in connection with hiring and discipline of employees, employee pay and benefits, labor and union matters, whistleblower retaliation, reasonable accommodation, equal employment opportunity issues, harassment, and personnel security. Prepares and conducts complex cases dealing with labor and employment, personnel security, whistleblower retaliation claims, harassment, reasonable accommodation, and equal employment opportunity matters before administrative tribunals, e.g., Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC), Federal Labor Relations Authority, and arbitrators. Prepares motions, briefs, and pre-trial discovery; prepares witnesses, conducts direct and cross-examination, making persuasive arguments and prepares post hearing briefs. Supports the Department of Justice and United States Attorneys in all aspects of litigation of employment law-related cases involving the NRC filed in federal courts. Requirements Conditions of Employment This is a Drug Testing position. Subject to OGE Confidential Financial Disclosure reporting requirements. Also subject to NRCs Prohibited Securities rule. U.S. Citizenship Required Background investigation leading to a clearance is required for new hires. You must meet the qualifications for this position by no later than 30 calendar days after the closing date of this announcement and before placement in the position. Qualifications To qualify for this position, you must have at least one year of specialized experience at the next lower grade level in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE GG 13: includes experience that is defined as attorney or judicial work experience in a federal or state government legal office, federal or state judiciary, or the private practice of law, which provided the candidate with the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform the work of these positions. Minimally qualified candidates will have multiple years of work experience, including substantial regulatory and statutory interpretation and/or litigation experience sufficient to perform with an adequate degree of independence or with assistance on complex and major assignments. GG 14: includes experience that is defined as attorney or judicial work experience in a federal or state government legal office, federal or state judiciary, or the private practice of law, which provided the candidate with the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform the work of these positions. Minimally qualified candidates will have multiple years of work experience, including substantial regulatory and statutory interpretation and/or litigation experience sufficient to perform independently on complex and major assignments. The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate the following: Ability to interpret and analyze Federal laws, statutes, regulations, and cases as they relate to various aspects of labor and employment law. Ability to effectively identify, analyze, prepare detailed legal opinions, and resolve complex legal issues in federal labor and employment law, labor relations, equal employment opportunity, diversity, reasonable accommodation, anti-harassment, and personnel security. Ability to provide legal advice and support to the General Counsel, the Commission, and agency management on all aspects of labor and employment law. Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in-writing in connection with providing advice on labor and employment law matters and in litigating cases before various tribunals, including the FLRA, MSPB, EEOC, arbitrators, and federal courts. A description of how you possess these abilities should be included in your application package. Education You must be a graduate of an accredited law school with a J.D., LL.B., or equivalent degree, and you must be an active member in good standing of the Bar of a state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia. Additional Information The duty location of this position is (Rockville, MD). In general, employees are expected to be in the office (4 days per pay period). Telework schedules are approved, on a case-by-case basis. If selected, telework will be determined in accordance with Agency policy and the Collective Bargaining Agreement, if applicable. Based on the staffing needs of the agency/area of consideration, additional selections may be made from this vacancy announcement. The NRC provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Individuals with disabilities may contact the Selective Placement Coordinator for assistance with the application or hiring process via Disability.Resource@nrc.gov. Deaf applicants may contact the Disability Program Manager by calling the NRC videophone at 240-428-3217. Individuals who are eligible for non-competitive appointment under an OPM special appointing authority may apply for consideration under a comparable NRC non-competitive appointing authority. Veterans, please visit: http://www.fedshirevets.gov/ Selectees will be required to complete a “Declaration of Federal Employment”, (OF-306), prior to being appointed to determine their suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. False statements or responses on your resume or questionnaire can jeopardize your employment opportunity and subject you to disciplinary action, including removal from Federal service. A transferable security clearance from another agency or a background investigation leading to a clearance is required for all new hires. To begin work at the NRC without a security clearance, you must be granted a temporary waiver of the required clearance, referred to as a 145(b) waiver. To be eligible for a 145(b) waiver you will need a favorable education verification, reference, credit, and criminal history checks. If a wavier is granted, the successful completion of a background investigation and favorable adjudication is required for continued employment. If you have resided outside the U.S. for an extended period of time, the agency may not be able to (1) grant the 145(b) waiver where the required investigation cannot be completed in a timely manner, or (2) achieve timely completion of the background investigation required for a security clearance. The NRC is a zero tolerance agency with respect to illegal drug use. Individuals selected for this position will be subject to pre-appointment drug testing unless currently in a NRC position subject to random drug testing AND will be subject to random drug testing upon appointment to the NRC.