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Duties
Note: This announcement has an application limit of 200 applicants. The announcement will close at 11:59 p.m. (EDT) on the posted closing date, or at 11:59 p.m. (EDT) on the day it reaches 200 applicants, which may be earlier than the posted closing date.
Up to two vacancies may be filled from this announcement.
This is not a remote position. The selected candidate may be allowed to telework in accordance with agency policy, but will be expected to report to the duty station of Salt Lake City, UT.
The position is located in the Office of the Secretary, Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA), Departmental Cases Hearings Division (DCHD), located in Salt Lake City, Utah. Incumbent serves as an Attorney-Advisor to DCHD. DCHD Administrative Law Judges, with the support of DCHD Attorney-Advisors, conduct administrative proceedings under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA).
At the full performance level (GS-14) the major duties of this position include but are not limited to the following:

• Incumbent provides support to DCHD ALJs for in-person or virtual hearings, ensures they are conducted in accordance with procedural requirements of the APA and specialized rules of practice of the Department and OHA.
• Supports docket of cases and follows processes for case docket management; utilizes a control system to monitor the status of cases.
• Provides support of ALJs and identifies issues needing attention to carry out duties that include: administering oaths and affirmations; issuing subpoenas; ruling on motions to revoke subpoenas; ruling on motions pertaining to the propriety or adequacy of the pleadings involved; defining legal and factual issues for the parties; ruling on motions to sever or consolidate proceedings; causing depositions to be taken; ruling on motions to sever or consolidate parties to the litigation; hearing testimony and rule on the admissibility evidence; ruling on motions involving questions of law and procedure; governing the conduct of witnesses, attorneys, and regulating the course of hearing; calling, examining, and cross-examining witnesses and introduce into the record documentary or other evidence as deemed necessary for the full development of the record; determining questions of credibility of witnesses; hearing oral argument of the parties and consider their written briefs and proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law; considering all evidence and serve on the parties in interest findings of fact and conclusions of law on each material issue; and ordering remedial action, where necessary, to effectuate the policies of the applicable statutes and regulations of the Department.
• Performs factual and legal research on a variety of difficult issues in diverse subject areas, where precedents are sometimes not available, and drafts orders, legal memoranda, and decisions.
• Implements and provides support of modernization efforts including fully implementing the use of electronic filing and case docket management system.
• Serves as an expert on the electronic filing and case docket management system, is able to run the full range of reports the system provides and retrieve particular case information when requested.
• Maintains the content on DCHD external websites, coordinating and requesting updates and postings from the Director's office.
• Mentors interns, detailees, and legal support staff.
• Utilizes collaborative and inclusive processes with other OHA units and the Director's Office to engage in strategic planning and review of workflows for modernization or other improvement. Supports the office's use of alternative dispute resolution by either becoming a trained mediator or assisting other attorney mediators or the ALJs as settlement officials.
• Works on special projects other than casework, including but not limited to, regulatory revisions, improvements to guidance and office procedures, case docket management improvements, and/or establishing best practices.

At lower grade levels, the incumbent will not be expected to perform the full range of duties above, or will do so in a developmental capacity.
Salary Range InformationGS-11: $72,553 - $94,317
GS-12: $86,962 - $113,047
GS-13: $103,409 - $134,435
GS-14: $122,198 - $158,860
First time hires to the federal government typically start at the beginning salary in the range for their respective grade level.
This position is in the excepted service and not subject to competitive service procedures.
Merit promotion procedures do not apply.
This vacancy may be used to fill additional positions as vacancies become available.
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RequirementsConditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen.
• You will be subject to a background/suitability investigation/determination.
• You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit.
• You must submit ALL required documents and a completed questionnaire.
• Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service system, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See http://www.sss.gov/.

QualificationsYou must have or be able to obtain a valid driver's license. You may be required to drive a car to travel to hearings in remote locations where public transportation is not available.If invited for an interview, you may be asked to submit a writing sample.GS-11You Must Be a Graduate (or Graduating Summer 2024) From a Law School Accredited By The American Bar Association AND You Must (1) Have At Least One Year Of Professional Legal Experience Following Law School Graduation, OR (2) Have a Second Professional Law Degree, OR (3) Meet One Of The Following Criteria

• Academic standing in the top one-third of my law school graduating class.
• Graduated with academic honors.
• Significant participation on the law school's law review.
• Significant participation in the law school's moot court competition.
• Significant participation in a clinical legal aid program.
• Significant summer law office clerk experience.
• Other equivalent evidence of clearly superior achievement.

Candidates who meet the GS-11 requirements, but are not yet members of a bar will be appointed to a law clerk position for a period not to exceed 14 months. A law clerk whose work is fully satisfactory will be converted to Attorney-Adviser status upon admission to the bar.GS-12You must meet the GS-11 qualification requirements, AND be an active member in good standing of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico bar, AND have at least 1 year of professional legal experience.
GS-13You must meet the GS-11 qualification requirements, AND be an active member in good standing of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico bar, AND have at least 2 years of professional legal experience.
Gs-14You must meet the GS-11 qualification requirements, AND be an active member in good standing of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico bar, AND have at least 3 ½ years of professional legal experience.
Education
Education: This position requires specific educational course work to qualify. You are required to provide law school transcripts as proof of meeting the requirements.
Additional information
Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position. The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361.
A preliminary background check must be completed before a new employee can begin work with the Office of Hearings and Appeals. The preliminary background check consists of a search of Office of Personnel Management and Department of Defense background investigation files and an FBI National Criminal History Fingerprint Check; it may take up to 3 weeks to complete. If selected for this position, you will be extended a tentative offer of employment pending a satisfactory background check. Current Federal employees or individuals with an existing completed background investigation may not be required to undergo another background check; these will be handled on a case-by-case basis in coordination with the Bureau security office.
Notice of Financial Disclosure Report Requirement: The position to which you will be appointed is subject to a financial disclosure reporting requirement and you will be required to complete a new entrant Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of your appointment. Financial disclosure reporting is required for GS-13/14, but not for GS-11/12.Important Note: All Department of the Interior (DOI) employees are subject to the conflict of interest restrictions imposed upon all employees of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government and may be required to file a Financial Disclosure Report. In addition, DOI employees, GS-15 and above, who work in the Office of the Secretary; along with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) employees (at ALL grade levels), are further restricted concerning their interests in Federal lands and resources administered or controlled by the Department of the Interior. This includes holding stock in energy corporations which lease Federal lands (e.g.: oil, gas, coal, alternative energy resources, etc.). If you have any such investments you should contact the DOI, BOEM or BSEE Ethics Office before accepting employment. DOI employees are held to the highest level of integrity. Employees must be objective and impartial in the performance of their work. All potential issues (e.g.: work-related interactions with friends, family members, or previous employers) must be disclosed at the time of application or during the interview process.
NOTICE: This employer participates in E-Verify and will utilize your Form I-9 information to confirm you are authorized to work in the U.S.
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How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire will be made.
Please note that all required documentation is required for consideration for this position. If you do not provide the necessary documentation, you will not be considered.
To preview the assessment questionnaire click: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12443076