General Attorney (Attorney-Adviser).

Duties

The Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Energy Delivery and Resilience is seeking attorneys to serve as program counsel to a variety of DOE offices, with an emphasis on stakeholder and community engagement. Responsibilities include support to the Offices of Policy; Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response; and Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains; Grid Deployment; and others.

Some Of Your Duties May Include

• Provide analysis, interpretation, and opinions on a variety of issues that may be extremely complex, controversial, sensitive, unusual, and highly publicized, involving the issuance of DOE legal and policy documents, which may substantially broaden or restrict DOE activities or have a significant impact on major energy entities, related industries, and the public. Advise on timely and effective engagement of stakeholders and communities to reduce delays in the clean energy project lifecycles
• Provide legal advice and determinations in the application of advanced theories, principles, concepts, and processes that require expertise applicable to a wide variety of situations, uses, and problems in the law.
• Provide advice and counsel involving energy system resilience and reliability; energy infrastructure physical and cyber security; energy infrastructure emergency planning, response, and restoration; energy supply chains; petroleum reserves; as well as other areas including research and development programs in support of programs within the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response; the Office of Policy; and the Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains.
• Provide advice and counsel involving electricity generation, transmission, and distribution; litigation before state and federal regulators of electricity and natural gas rates charged to the Department and other federal facilities; natural gas and electricity import and export authorizations; presidential permits for electric transmission facilities at international borders; carbon management and resource sustainability; federal power marketing administrations; as well as other energy areas including research and development programs in support of programs within the Grid Deployment Office, Office of Electricity, Arctic Energy Office, and the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management.
• Interpret and advise on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Inflation Reduction Act, Federal Power Act, Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act, Energy Policy Act of 2005, Energy Policy Act of 1992, Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, Energy Policy and Conservation Act, Natural Gas Act, Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978, Administrative Procedure Act, Department of Energy Organization Act, and other applicable statutes. Draft, review, and comment on documents regarding program activities.
• Participate in regulatory proceedings on behalf of DOE and other federal entities before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and state public utility commissions. Monitor electricity and fossil energy activities, including natural gas and electric regulatory actions, before FERC and state agencies and public utility commissions.
• Interpret legal effects and impacts of FERC and state activities on DOE and national energy policy; prepare comments and other pleadings in regulatory proceedings; review and comment on draft agency documents regarding energy regulation; and direct and review the work of contractors and other technical experts.
  
  

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a United States Citizen.
• This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
• 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 www.sss.gov.
• If selected, your appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
• If selected, you may be required to complete a one year trial period.
• GS-13 and above are required to submit a Financial Disclosure Statement, OGE-450, Executive Branch Personnel Confidential.
• If selected, you must self-identify if you are or were (within the last 5 years) a Schedule A, Schedule C, or non-career SES political appointee as OPM approval is required prior to finalizing your selection.
• Proof of current active member in good standing in the bar of a State, District of Columbia, territory of the United States, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
• Employees must maintain active bar membership while employed as an attorney with DOE.
• This position is NOT included in a Bargaining Agreement.
• Occasional travel may be required.
• If selected, you occasionally will be rotating “on call” during evenings and weekends as part of the energy incident support provided to senior leadership and program offices to advise on DOE emergency authorities and other response options.
• This position works remotely, but the employee must live within a realistic commuting distance from the DOE Worksite. If selected, employee is required to sign a remote work agreement detailing remote working conditions and expectations for position.
  
  

Qualifications

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Basic Requirements

All applicants MUST:

• Meet the minimum education requirements of successful completion of a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) with a professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.); AND
• Must be a current, active member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
  
  

Qualification Requirements

GS-13 Qualifications:

• One year of professional (attorney) legal experience and active membership in a state or District of Columbia bar and advanced educational attainments that clearly indicate the ability to independently perform complex legal work.; AND
• One additional year of professional (attorney) experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to that of an attorney at a level of difficulty comparable to the GS-12 level in the Federal service.
  
  

GS-12 Qualifications:

• One year of professional (attorney) legal experience and active membership in a state or District of Columbia bar and advanced educational attainments that clearly indicate the ability to independently perform complex legal work. The educational background should include course work beyond the first professional degree in a field directly related to the work for which he/she is being considered.
  
  

GS-11 Qualifications:

• Advanced educational attainments that clearly indicate the ability to independently perform legal work and active membership in a state or District of Columbia bar. The educational background should include course work beyond the first professional degree in a field directly related to the work for which he/she is being considered.
  
  

"Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. 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.

Education

Attorney positions do have an education requirement.

ALL Candidates must be a graduate of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association with a:

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree; OR
• Bachelor of Law (LL.B.) degree.
  
  

For Positions With An Education Requirement, You MUST Submit

• A copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.; AND
• You must provide proof of bar or your bar number.
  
  

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been 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:

Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Additional information

The U.S. Department of Energy fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

• Your position may be eligible for workplace flexibilities which may include remote work or telework options, and/or flexible work scheduling. These flexibilities may be requested in accordance with the DOE Workplace Flexibilities policy.
• New employees to the Department of Energy will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit
• Veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. For more information, please visit the links at the bottom of this page or visit the
• If you believe that you are eligible for the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), please visit the
• More than one selection may be made from this vacancy announcement.
• Many positions require successful completion of a background investigation.
• A trial period of up to 2 years for the purpose of assessing the ability of an individual to adequately perform in an attorney position will be established for appointments under these authorities. Previous Federal experience in like positions MAY count toward the completion of this requirement.
• Your performance appraisal and incentive awards will be given due consideration in the selection process based on their relation to the duties of the position and the consistency with which they may be considered in evaluating you against other candidates.
• Hiring incentives may be authorized in accordance with agency policy and if funding is available.
• EEO Policy:
• Reasonable Accommodation Policy:
• Veterans Information:
• Selective Service Registration:
• The Fair Chance Act prohibits specific inquiries concerning an applicant's criminal or credit background unless the hiring agency has made a conditional offer of employment to the applicant. An applicant may submit a complaint to the agency within 30 calendar days of the date of alleged noncompliance by completing the Fair Chance Act Intake Form and submitting it to the Administrative Investigations Program at
• 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.
  
  

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.