Attorney Advisor

Summary Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Trade, Regulations and Rulings Directorate, located in Washington, DC. These positions are headquartered at 90 K Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20229. More than one selection may be made from this announcement. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this position Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with Selective Service Primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years (additional details below) You may be required to pass a background investigation CBP follows the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan for drug testing procedures As an employee of CBP, you will be joining a workforce that is dedicated to accomplishing our mission while maintaining the trust of our Nation by strictly adhering to all government ethics standards. Your conduct will be subject to the ethics rules applicable to all Executive Branch employees, and to CBP employees specifically, as well as the criminal conflict of interest statutes. Once you enter on duty, these rules include obtaining approval for outside employment or business activity, to ensure such employment or business activity is not prohibited and does not interfere or conflict with performance of your official duties. Please review further details via the following link. DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify including your rights and responsibilities. Financial Disclosure is required. Bargaining Unit: This is a bargaining unit covered position, represented under the National Treasury Employees Unions - NTEU. For local chapter contact information see Chapter Websites - National Treasury Employees Union - NTEU Qualifications Basic Requirement: You must provide supporting documentation in your application to show you are an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Education Requirement: You must provide supporting documentation in your application to show your completion of the first professional law degree (LL.B. or JD) from an accredited institution. If applying to a GS-12 grade level position or higher, you must satisfy the legal experience requirements set forth below. GS-11 Qualifications: Recent law school graduates with superior law student work or activities as demonstrated by one of the following: Academic standing in the upper third of the attorney's law school graduating class; Work or achievement of significance on one of the attorney's law school's official law reviews or journals; Special high-level honors for academic excellence in law school (e.g., membership in the Order of the Coif, winning a moot court competition, or membership on the moot court team that represents the attorney's law school in competition with other law schools); Full-time or continuous participation in a legal aid program as opposed to one-time, intermittent, or casual participation; Significant summer law office clerk experience; or Other evidence of clearly superior accomplishment or achievement. Experience: You qualify for the GS-12 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as: Preparing comprehensive and succinct administrative rulings, decisions, and interpretations of laws that address matters involving legal or factual questions and novel issues where the precedents which should apply are highly arguable and/or the facts are so complex that different possible constructions or interpretations can be placed on the laws, the facts, and/or the precedent involved. Participating in meetings and briefings with representatives and legal counsel for private companies and industries, and staff members of federal agencies. Working under the general supervision and guidance of the branch chief (or the supervisory equivalent) when adjudicating and giving advice on cases involving the imposition, mitigation, remission or cancellation of fines, penalties, seizures and forfeitures and liquidated damages for violations of customs laws, regulations, and policies. Experience: You qualify for the GS-13 grade level if you possess 2 years of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as: Preparing comprehensive and succinct administrative rulings, decisions, and interpretations of laws that address matters involving difficult legal or factual questions and novel issues where the precedents which should apply are highly arguable and/or the facts are so complex that different possible constructions or interpretations can be placed on the laws, the facts, and/or the precedent involved. Participating in meetings and briefings with representatives and legal counsel for private companies and industries, and high-level members of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Department of Homeland Security, and other federal agencies. Working under the general supervision of a branch chief (or the supervisory equivalent), with minimal guidance, when adjudicating and giving advice on cases involving the imposition, mitigation, remission or cancellation of fines, penalties, seizures and forfeitures and liquidated damages for violations of customs laws, regulations, and policies. Experience: You qualify for the GS-14 grade level if you possess 3 years of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as: Preparing comprehensive and succinct administrative rulings, decisions, and interpretations of laws that address matters involving difficult legal or factual questions and novel issues where the precedents which should apply are highly arguable and/or the facts are so complex that different possible constructions or interpretations can be placed on the laws, the facts, and/or the precedent involved. Participating in meetings and briefings with representatives and legal counsel for private companies and industries, and high-level members of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Department of Homeland Security, and other federal agencies. Working under the general supervision of a branch chief (or the supervisory equivalent), with minimal guidance, when adjudicating and giving advice on cases involving the imposition, mitigation, remission or cancellation of fines, penalties, seizures and forfeitures and liquidated damages for violations of customs laws, regulations, and policies. 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. You must meet all qualification requirements, including education if applicable to this position, subject to verification at any stage of the application process by 07/22/2025. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. Background Investigation: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is a federal law enforcement agency that requires all applicants to undergo a thorough background investigation prior to employment in order to promote the agency's core values of vigilance, service to country, and integrity. During the screening and/or background investigation process, you will be asked questions regarding any felony criminal convictions or current felony charges, the use of illegal drugs (e.g., marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, methamphetamines, ecstasy), and the use of non-prescribed controlled substances including any experimentation, possession, sale, receipt, manufacture, cultivation, production, transfer, shipping, trafficking, or distribution of controlled substances. For additional information, review the following links: Background investigation and the e-QIP process. Residency: There is a residency requirement for all applicants not currently employed by CBP. Individuals are required to have physically resided in the United States or its protectorates (as declared under international law) for at least three of the last five years. If you do not meet the residency requirement and you have been physically located in a foreign location for more than two of the last five years, you may request an exception to determine if you are eligible for a residency waiver by meeting one or more of the following conditions: Working for the U.S. Government as a federal civilian or as a member of the military A dependent who was authorized to accompany a federal civilian or member of the military who was working for the U.S. government Participation in a study abroad program sponsored by a U.S. affiliated college or university Working as a contractor, intern, consultant or volunteer supporting the U.S. government Education Please see the Qualifications and Required Documents sections for more information if education is applicable to this position. Additional information This position is a designated position in the excepted service and is being filled by an alternative hiring process. Assignment into this position does not confer competitive status. You will remain in the excepted service for as long as you occupy this position. Positions with known promotion potential do not guarantee promotion, nor is the promise of promotion implied. Trial Period: You will be required to serve a trial period of 2 years. Travel: The incumbent may be required to travel less than 10% of time. Relocation: Relocation will not be paid. Other Requirements: The incumbent must be flexible with his or her schedule and may be required to work long hours or adjust work schedule. Veterans Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veteran's preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however the Office of Trade considers veteran's preference eligibility as a positive factor in the hiring process. The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement. Read more Benefits Review our benefits