Assistant Chief Counsel

Summary

This position serves as a principal assistant to and representative of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator's Chief Counsel, with particular emphasis on rulemaking work. The Assistant Chief Counsel serves as a primary legal adviser to the Chief Counsel, administrator, the Deputy Administrator and other key NHTSA officials.

Duties

As Assistant Chief Counsel, you will: Act in a supervisory and coordinating capacity over the rulemaking division of the Office of the Chief Counsel. Maintain extensive working knowledge of vehicle safety and fuel economy statutes and regulations, the Administrative Procedure Act, and other laws and policies related to NHTSA rulemakings. Review and advise on legal aspects of policy questions that require decision or clearance of NHTSA's Administrator or his deputy, such as congressional testimony, drafts of and reports on legislative proposals, proposed regulations, policy and procedure directives, and congressional investigations. Serve as an authoritative legal advisor and has primary responsibility for providing legal services to the Administrator and the agency on questions of law and administrative policy relating to rulemaking pursuant to the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, and to Title V of the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act, as amended. Personally perform legal work and provide legal advice concerning legal cases and problems characterized by extreme or special sensitivity, urgency, novelty or difficulty, where the handling of factual issues and legal problems may be the subject of national publicity and controversy, and where it is anticipated that the opinions or results of the legal work may be vigorously contested by the nation's top law firms, or become major political issues.

Qualifications

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. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin. To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Technical Qualifications (TQ) related to this position within your resume - NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2-page limit, will not be reviewed beyond page 2 or may be disqualified. Your resume should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualification(s). If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position. TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy the technical qualifications. TQ 1. Demonstrated legal experience drafting and interpreting complex regulations of national reach, significance, economic impact, and controversy, and engaging in senior level coordination on sensitive aspects affecting diverse stakeholder interests while appropriately operating within constrained legal and procedural parameters. TQ 2. Demonstrated executive experience directing complex administrative law strategy under the Administrative Procedure Act and statutory mandates, including evaluating notice-and-comment rulemaking, anticipating high-stakes litigation risks, and advising senior leaders on legally defensible, high-impact regulatory frameworks. EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): In addition to the Technical Qualification Requirements listed above, all new entrants into the Senior Executive Service (SES) under a career appointment will be assessed for executive competency against the following five mandatory ECQs. If your 2-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and TQs, you may not receive further consideration for the position. There are five ECQs: ECQ 1: Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding – This core qualification requires a demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and commitment to serve the American people. ECQ 2: Driving Efficiency -This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades. ECQ 3: Merit and Competence - This core qualification involves the demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality. ECQ 4: Leading People - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable. ECQ 5: Achieving Results - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors. Note: If you are a member of the SES or have been certified through successful participation in an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program (SESCDP), or have SES reinstatement eligibility, you do not need to respond to the ECQs. Instead, you should attach proof (e.g., SF-50, Certification by OPM's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB)) of your eligibility for noncompetitive appointment to the SES. There are three key documents that contain important information about your rights and obligations. Please read and retain these documents: Noncriminal Justice Applicant's Privacy Rights, for those who undergo an FBI fingerprint-based criminal history record check for personnel vetting, which includes Rap Back, FD-258 Privacy Act Statement - FBI (this is the same statement used when your fingerprints are submitted as part of your background investigation), and SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov), (applicable to those who hold a sensitive position or have eligibility for access to classified information)"

Education

Please Note: All applicants must have graduated from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association, must possess a J.D or LL. B (law degree), and must be a member in good standing of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico bar. PROOF OF MEMBERSHIP in good standing of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico bar. In order to qualify for this position, candidates must have successfully completed a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and possess a professional law degree or have completed a structured, multi-year apprenticeship under the supervision of a practicing attorney or judge. Additionally, candidates must currently be a member in good standing of the bar of a State or Territory of the United States or the District of Columbia. Proof of your law degree/completion of a structured, multi-year apprenticeship under the supervision of a practicing attorney or judge, and being a members in good standing of the bar of a State or Territory of the United States or the District of Columbia are required. A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page. 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 equ