Attorney-Adviser

Summary

This announcement has been amended to extend the open period from Thursday, September 24, 2026 to Monday, October 19, 2026. This position is in the Office of General Counsel (OGC), Pesticides and Toxic Substances Law Office (PTSLO). About: OGC Please see the duties section for more details about PTSLO. This is an office-centered position--you must physically report to the duty station stated in this announcement on a regular basis.

Duties

PTSLO provides legal counsel to EPA Headquarters and regional offices on a diverse set of issues arising under several federal environmental statutes governing pesticides, toxic substances, and pollution prevention, including the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the Pollution Prevention Act (PPA), Section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA). More specifically, PTSLO supports the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP), the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) within OCSPP, and the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) on legal and enforcement-related issues that arise in the context of administering the TSCA, which provides EPA with broad authority to regulate, among other things and through a variety of mechanisms, new and existing chemical substances. PTSLO also supports OCSPP, the Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) within OCSPP, and OECA on legal and enforcement-related issues that arise in the context of administering the FIFRA and the FFDCA, under which EPA registers pesticides and establishes tolerances for pesticide residues in or on food. Finally, PTSLO supports OCSPP, OPPT, and OECA on legal and enforcement-related issues that arise in the context of administering Section 313 of EPCRA, which is otherwise known as the Toxic Release Inventory. At the highest advertised grade, you will: Initiate contact with program officials and other persons having knowledge of the facts involved in the problem or case under study; obtain information and/or legal references pertinent to the problem under study; study legal precedents; and prepare oral and written recommendations for review by supervisors, as appropriate. Research, interpret and analyze policies, procedures, regulations, statutes, court decisions and administrative rulings; research legal authority for use by higher-graded attorneys in the preparation of documents conveying legal counseling advice, or alternatively legal briefs and motions in connection with pending litigation; and identify and assess overlapping legal issues to ensure a consistent, coherent, and sound approach to legal counseling. If you are hired at a lower grade level, your duties will be less complex and you will have more supervisory oversight. 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.

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-11 level, you must have either: -an LL.M. degree OR -at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level defined as law clerk experience at the Federal, state, or local level, performing legal analysis and formulating recommendations to senior managers; or composing pleadings, briefs, or other documents involving legal issues in counseling or litigation. OR -completed superior law student activities while earning a J.D. degree. Superior law student activities include: (A) Academic standing in upper third of law school graduating class; (B) Work or achievement of significance on law school's law review; (C) Special high-level honors for academic excellence, such as election to Order of the Coif; (D) Winning of a moot court competition or membership on the moot court team representing the law school in competition with other law schools; (E) Full-time or continuous participation in a legal aid program or significant summer law office clerk experience; or (F) Other equivalent evidence of clearly superior achievement, as determined by the hiring office and documented in writing for the case file. 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 performing legal analysis and research; drafting legal memoranda, pleadings, or other documents involving legal issues in counseling or litigation; or assisting higher-graded attorneys in legal counseling or litigation. You will need the following competencies in order to perform the duties of this position successfully, and you will be evaluated on these competencies: Attention to Detail Critical Thinking Environmental or Other Relevant Laws and Regulations Legal, Government, and Jurisprudence Oral Communication Problem Solving Technical Competence Written Communication 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: Part-Time Experience.

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 and licensure are not required at the time of application, but you must be admitted to the bar and obtain your license before entry on duty. For information about accreditation requirements, visit Accreditation.