Attorney Advisor GS-11/12/13/14 - Region X (Seattle, WA)

The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is currently seeking applications for General Attorney positions in its Region X - Seattle office.

To learn more about working at OGC and current job openings, please visit our website at https://www.hhs.gov/about/agencies/ogc/careers/index.html

Who May Apply: This vacancy announcement is open to all U.S. citizens and may be used to fill multiple positions.

Duty Station: Seattle, WA

Pay Scale: GS-0905-11/12/13/14

Salary Range: $81,242 - $177,885

Open Period: September 11, 2024 - Until Filled

Job Summary:

The Office of the General Counsel is the legal team for HHS, providing quality representation and legal advice on a wide range of highly visible national issues. OGC supports the development and implementation of the Department's programs by providing the highest quality legal services to the Secretary of HHS and the organization's various agencies and divisions.

The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is seeking an attorney to join its office in Seattle, Washington (also referred to as Region X). The Seattle office provides comprehensive litigation services (both administrative and judicial litigation), legal advice, counseling, and negotiation services to the Department, with an emphasis on services to those HHS agencies that have staff present in the Region X states of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Primary legal services involve Medicare enforcement actions and grant disallowances appealable to the Departmental Appeals Board, programs and services provided through the Indian Health Service in Alaska and Portland Areas, contracts and compacts under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA), employment and information law matters, and Medicare and Medicaid financing, and bankruptcy. We have a diverse and collegial office with eight (8) attorneys and two administrative legal resources staff. Attorneys are expected to work independently and as a team with more than 500 OGC colleagues around the nation. As set out in Executive Order 14035, the office strives to cultivate a workforce that draws from the full diversity of the Nation, and to be a model for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, where all employees are treated with dignity and respect.

OGC is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. At OGC, diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the core of who we are. We're always growing our network of people, programs, and tools to allow our staff to do their best work. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. OGC is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.

For additional information about OGC's mission, please visit our website at: http://www.hhs.gov/ogc/index.html,To find out when we are hosting our next Virtual Career Information Session or see to see other current job openings at HHS OGC, please visit https://www.hhs.gov/about/agencies/ogc/careers/index.html.

For additional information about the Federal pay scale, leave, and benefits, please visit: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-systems/general-schedule/ and https://www.hhs.gov/about/agencies/ogc/careers/benefits-and-programs/index.html.

Duties:

This is a General Attorney position in the OGC-Region X office, located in Seattle, Washington.

  • The incumbent may be asked to serve any of the client agencies within HHS. Attorneys in OGC-Region X provide legal advice and litigation support to the Department in complex matters requiring extensive research and sophisticated analysis of administrative law, judicial decisions, and statutes and regulations. Attorneys must be competent in a wide range of legal skills, including analytical and problem-solving skills; experience preparing legal briefs and/or memoranda; experience in applying statutes, regulations, and policies; experience providing oral and written advice; and the ability to relate effectively with clients (in-person and remote). Attorneys are expected to do their own legal research and writing and be substantially self-sufficient in preparing day-to-day correspondence and pleadings.

Qualifications Required:

Your resume, cover letter, and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the position qualifications listed in this announcement. Salary will be commensurate with education and experience. Preference may be given to individuals who qualify at GS-12 or higher.

At the GS-11: You must possess a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) or LL.B from an accredited ABA law school and possess active bar status in good standing.

At the GS-12: You must possess a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) or LL.B from an accredited ABA law school, active bar status in good standing, and one year of professional legal experience post bar admission equivalent to the GS-11 level.

At the GS-13: You must possess a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) or LL.B from an accredited ABA law school, active bar status in good standing, and two years of professional legal experience post bar admission, with one year equivalent to the GS-12 level.

At the GS-14: You must possess a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) or LL.B from an accredited ABA law school, active bar status in good standing, and three years of professional legal experience post bar admission, with one year equivalent to the GS-13 level.

The following are required qualifications:

  • A Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from an accredited ABA law school.
  • Proof that bar status is active, in good standing and eligible to practice in the highest court of a State, U. S. commonwealth, U. S. territory, or the District of Columbia.
  • Applicants must have strong written and oral communication skills; the ability to analyze complex issues; skill and experience working collaboratively and productively with individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences; organizational skills; professional judgment; initiative; and the ability to handle multiple projects, activities, and issues simultaneously.
  • Applicants must possess digital literacy skills (the skills required to use technology safely, effectively and responsibly.) The duties of the position require using a government-furnished computer, using email and word processing systems, electronic court filing, reviewing and editing documents, and participating in meetings and conference calls which may be in person or digital (i.e. Zoom, WebEx, MS Teams, Microsoft 365, etc.).
  • Applicants must have a demonstrated capacity to function, with minimal guidance, in a highly demanding environment both independently and as members of coordinated intra- and inter-agency teams, while maintaining a demonstrated commitment to professionalism, ethics, civility, and public service.

Conditions of Employment:

  • Must maintain active bar membership in good standing and the eligibility to practice law in the highest court of a state, territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia throughout employment in the Office of the General Counsel.
  • Upon final job offer from HHS Office Human Resources (OHR), the successful candidate must submit official law school transcripts.
  • Security and Background Requirements: If not previously completed, a background security investigation will be required for all appointees. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements may be grounds for appropriate personnel action. In addition, if hired, a background security reinvestigation or supplemental investigation may be required at a later time. Applicants are also advised that all information concerning qualifications is subject to investigation. False representation may be grounds for non-consideration, non- selection and/or appropriate disciplinary action.
  • E-Verify: If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-Verify" System. Federal law requires DHS to use the E-Verify System to verify employment eligibility of all new hires and as a condition of continued employment obligates the new hire to take affirmative steps to resolve any discrepancies identified by the system. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is an E-Verify Participant.
  • Direct Deposit: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
  • All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
  • Financial disclosure statement may be required.
  • Two-year trial period may be required.
  • Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid.
  • This position may be in a bargaining unit.
  • Multiple selections may be made from this announcement.
  • Telework Eligible - Yes - as determined by the agency policy.

In accordance with Executive Order 12564 of September 14, 1986, The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is A Drug-Free Federal Workplace. The Federal government, as the largest employer in the Nation, can and should show the way towards achieving drug-free workplaces through programs designed to offer drug users a helping hand, and at the same time demonstrating to drug users and potential drug users that drugs will not be tolerated in the Federal workplace. The use of illegal drugs, on or off duty, by Federal employees is inconsistent not only with the law-abiding behavior expected of all citizens, but also with the special trust placed in such employees as servants of the public. Applicants tentatively selected for this position may be required to submit to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and be subject to reasonable suspicion and post-accident drug testing upon hiring. If required to submit to urinalysis, the appointment to the position will be contingent upon a negative applicant drug test result. In order to demonstrate commitment to the HHS goal of a drug-free workplace and to set an example for other Federal employees, employees not in a testing designated position may volunteer for unannounced random testing by notifying their Drug-free Federal Workplace Program Point of Contact upon hiring.

Instructions To Apply:

Please submit the following documents to OGCR10-Hiring@hhs.gov using the subject line "General Attorney Advisor" in the forwarding email. To receive full consideration, submit all materials as soon as possible; applications will be reviewed on an on-going basis until filled:

  • Provide a cover letter of no more than 2-pages addressing the required competencies to:

    Pamela Parker (she/her)
    Office of the General Counsel, Suite 1620
    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Region 10
    701 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1600, MS/10
    Seattle, WA 98104
     
  • Legal writing sample(s) that highlights your analytical and writing skills (max of 10 pages, excerpts permitted)
  • Resume
  • If you are a current Federal employee, please provide a copy of your last performance appraisal.
  • Names and contact information for at least three professional references (we will discuss before contacting)
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