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Summary This position is in Office of the Regional Administrator, Region 9, Office of Regional Counsel, Hazardous Waste Branch. About Region 9: Region 9 This is an office-centered position*--you must physically report to the duty station stated in this announcement on a regular basis. *Work-from-home flexibilities may be authorized as described in the Benefits section. Responsibilities At the entry level of this position, you will: - Research and resolve legal questions that arise under regulations, lawsuits, enforcement actions, executive orders, and other administrative actions involving major federal statutes affecting the Agency’s/Region’s programs and major environmental laws, with focus on issues related to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), and coordination and consistency of federal actions with the Resources Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Research and resolve legal questions that arise under regulations, lawsuits, enforcement actions, executive orders, and other administrative actions related to responding to inquiries under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) involving major federal statutes affecting the Agency’s/Region’s programs and major environmental laws, especially CERCLA. - Manage and coordinate varied and complex enforcement and/or defensive litigation for the Region, with focus on matters regarding Superfund, RCRA and FOIA. - Draft and review Agency notices and other documents to be published in the Federal Register. - Handle varied and complex negotiations with outside parties, including industries and services, states implementing environmental programs, other federal agencies, citizen groups, and the public. - Provide legal counsel and advice to the Region’s FOIA team and undertake legal research and review documents pertaining to the Region’s effort to respond to requests submitted under FOIA. When entering a Federal job at a grade level lower than the highest promotion potential level, you may be promoted to more complex duties and work more independently, as your career progresses. NOTE: Career ladder promotions are not automatic, and all eligibility and qualifications requirements must be met in order to progress to the next grade level. One or more positions may be filled (in the organization advertised and/or in other organizations), if appropriate to the position. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must submit a resume and required documents--see How to Apply section. You must be a U.S. citizen. If you have not yet passed the bar exam, offer of employment will be contingent upon admission to the bar. You must self-certify annually and in writing that you hold an active bar membership. #LI-Onsite If you are selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure form within 30 days of your first day of employment and annually thereafter. This position is designated as High Risk and requires a background investigation. Unless an appropriate background investigation is already on record with the Office of Personnel Management, you must undergo a background investigation. All conditions of the pre-employment security process must be met before an official letter of employment can be issued with a report for duty date. If you are selected, you may be required to complete a one-year trial period. Qualifications NOTE: You must meet qualification requirements, including any requirements described in the Education section, by the closing date of this announcement. In addition to the educational requirements, you must meet the minimum grade-specific qualifications as described below: To qualify for the GS-12 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level defined as providing legal advice and assistance, and legal research on legal matters with a particular focus on CERCLA, RCRA, criminal law, and government information, FOIA law, or enforcement matters. Experience in working in teams, performing legal research, writing an analytical documents, assisting in carrying out negotiations and litigations. To qualify for the GS-13 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level defined as providing legal advice and assistance, legal research and policy recommendations on legal matters with a particular focus on CERCLA, RCRA, criminal law, and government information, FOIA law, or enforcement matters. Experience in working in teams, performing legal research, writing an analytical documents, assisting in carrying out negotiations and litigations. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. *If you have part-time work experience, read this: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures. Education You must: (1) possess a J.D. or LL.M. degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university or equivalent apprentice experience as allowed per state law; and (2) be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any state, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia; and (3) be an active member of the bar of any U.S. jurisdiction in good standing. (NOTE: Bar membership is not required at the time of application, but you must be admitted to the bar before entry on duty.) For information about accreditation requirements, visit EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures. Additional Information Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values at EPA. Our excellence can only be fully realized by staff who share our commitment to these values. Successful candidates are committed to advancing equity and inclusion in the Agency’s workplace and mission. We encourage applications from candidates with a variety of personal experiences, values, and worldviews that arise from differences of culture and circumstance. At EPA, diversity is a vital element in bringing a balance of perspectives to bear on every challenge we face. We are committed to creating a diverse workforce because we know that the individual strengths and abilities of our employees make us a stronger organization. The more inclusive our employee base is, the greater the variety of ideas that are generated, and the more representative we are of the nation we serve. To learn more about how EPA values and supports our diverse workforce, visit Equal Opportunity Employment at EPA. You can also hear a diverse group of attorneys talk about their careers at EPA on the Legal Careers at EPA Webinar. This position is in Region 9, Office of Regional Counsel. About Region 9: EPA’s Pacific Southwest (Region 9) implements and enforces federal environmental laws in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, the Pacific Islands, and 148 Tribal Nations. See also Region 9 Office of Regional Counsel Website. If you have questions about this position, contact Ivan Lieben at lieben.ivan@epa.gov, 415-972-3914. This position is in the bargaining unit. EPA participates in E-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that enables participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees. For additional information: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures. If you are selected, travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid by EPA. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expenses associated with reporting to work in this position will be your responsibility. Except in special circumstances, those new to the federal government will be hired at the starting salary (step 1) of the applicable grade range listed in the Overview section. This position is excluded from provisions of the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). Selection under this appointment authority does not confer civil service competitive status.