Attorney-Adviser

Summary

You will serve as an Attorney-Adviser (Employment and General Law) in the General Law Practice Group, within the NASA Office of the General Counsel (OGC) at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. You will focus on federal employment law, including providing counseling and advice to senior managers and defending judicial and administrative complaints of employment discrimination, with federal sector litigation in multiple venues. You will also perform other general law duties.

Duties

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• Duties described below are at the highest grade advertised. Duties assigned at lower grade levels will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity; duties will be commensurate with the grade of selected employee.
• Provide expert employment law advice to all levels of management and organizations on agency programs, disciplinary and performance actions, compliance with anti-discrimination, labor laws, merit principles, accommodations, compensation, and leave.
• Represent NASA in administrative and civil litigation proceedings, including Federal Courts, Merit Systems Protection Board, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, U.S. Federal Labor Relations Authority, and state unemployment insurance cases.
• Research, draft, and review legal documents, including briefs, legal opinions, or other documents regarding novel and complex legal issues related to civil rights, labor, employment law, and other general law matters.
• Prepare and provide direct legal advice to management on interpretations of statutes, federal regulations, and agency policy directives. Advise on proposed legislation, executive orders, regulations, and Congressional testimony.
• Serve as a liaison between NASA and the Department of Justice in litigation concerning NASA programs, while providing support on other litigation matters as directed by management.
• Serve as a legal adviser to Agency personnel on novel general law matters, applying knowledge across general law areas including fiscal, ethics, environmental, information disclosure, tort claims, safety and security, and civil rights.
• Provide leadership and guidance within OGC across multiple legal disciplines. Serves as an expert resource for the OGC Enterprise and as an advisor to NASA leadership.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• This position is open to U.S. citizens, nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
• Position subject to pre-employment background investigation.
• You must meet qualifications requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
• If selected, you will be required to complete a financial disclosure statement.
• This position may require a two-year trial period. If selected, the requirement to serve such period will be determined by Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 11. **See Additional Information section**

Qualifications

Basic Requirements for all grade levels:

You must possess a Juris Doctor (J.D.) or Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree from a full course of study at a law school accredited by the American Bar Association; be an active member in good standing of the bar of any state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and have been admitted to practice law before a state or federal court.

To qualify for the GS-14: you must meet the basic requirement for all grade levels (as outlined above).

In addition, one of the following requirements must be satisfied:

One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level:

• Offering oral and written legal guidance on federal personnel law, employment discrimination law, labor relations, or other legal issues to clients;
• Providing guidance to managers, supervisors, and/or Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) officers on federal employment law, including addressing grievances and discrimination complaints informally;
• Completing tasks and handling litigation in areas such as, federal employment law, labor law, EEO law, and general law areas with minimal oversight;
• Supporting representation of clients in formal administrative and federal civil litigation.

OR

A graduate law degree (e.g., Master of Laws/LL.M.) and 1 year of professional legal experience equivalent to the experience described above.

To qualify for the GS-15:

you must meet the basic requirement for all grade levels (as outlined above).

In addition, one of the following requirements must be satisfied:

One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level:

• Delivering expert oral and written legal counsel on complex federal personnel law, employment discrimination, labor relations, or other specialized legal matters to senior leadership;
• Providing legal guidance to management, supervisors, and EEO officers on issues relating to federal personnel law, including the proactive informal resolution of employee grievances, disputes, and discrimination complaints;
• Independently managing and executing tasks and litigation in areas such as federal personnel law, labor relations, EEO law, or other General Law practice areas;
• Representing clients in formal administrative and federal civil litigation.

OR

A graduate law degree (e.g., Master of Laws/LL.M.) and 1 year of professional legal experience equivalent to the experience described above.

Your resume must include a clear and detailed narrative description, in your own words, of how you meet the required specialized experience. Experience statements copied from a position description, vacancy announcement or other reference material constitutes plagiarism and may result in disqualification and losing consideration for the job.

NASA prohibits the use of artificial intelligence (AI) or AI-assisted tool in drafting application and assessment responses. Please visit https://www.nasa.gov/careers/how-to-apply/#Artificial-Intelligence to review NASA's guidance on the use of AI tools during the application process.

Education

Basic Requirements:

U.S. degrees must have been awarded from colleges or universities that are accredited by recognized accrediting organizations. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, go to http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs. These education credentials must be deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

All degrees must have been received in the year of, or any year subsequent to the original date of accreditation.

Additional information

Additional selections may be made for similar positions across. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) within NASA.

Trial Period

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. If selected, the requirement to serve such period will be determined by Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 11.

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.

Upon completion of your trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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.

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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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

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.