U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION
EMPLOYMENT LITIGATION SECTION
DEPUTY CHIEF, GS-905-15
The U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division is seeking an experienced attorney for the position of Deputy Chief in the Employment Litigation Section in Washington, D.C.
The Civil Rights Division is primarily responsible for enforcing federal statutes and executive orders that prohibit, among other things, unlawful discrimination in voting, education, employment, housing, police services, public accommodations and facilities, and federally funded and conducted programs. The Employment Litigation Section (ELS), one of the components of the Division, enforces federal statutes that prohibit employment discrimination. These statutes include Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 2000e, et seq., which the ELS enforces as to state and local government employers, and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994, 38 U.S.C. 4301, et seq., which the ELS enforces as to private, state and local government employers. ELS attorneys enjoy a diverse practice before federal district courts throughout the country, often with complex trials and negotiated settlements.
The Deputy Chief for this announcement, under the supervision of the Chief of ELS, will have primary responsibility for: ensuring that all Division personnel programs, policies and practices comply with applicable laws, rules and regulations, including but not limited to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and 5 U.S.C. § 2302; providing advice and counsel to Division management and human resource staff regarding the full range of personnel matters, including, but not limited to, personnel actions, formal and informal personnel related complaints (including complaints of discrimination and harassment), and requests for reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities; representing the Division in administrative and court proceedings in connection with complaints and grievances involving Division employees; working with Division managers and employees to resolve personnel-related disputes; and coordinating the training of Division managers and employees regarding their rights and responsibilities under applicable laws, rules and regulations.
The Deputy Chief for this announcement also may be called upon to develop and supervise investigations and litigation addressing all aspects of ELS’ enforcement responsibilities, through the close review and supervision of the activities of ELS trial attorneys; personally litigate sensitive and/or particularly complex cases; and assist the Chief of ELS with certain administrative and operational tasks.
Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar in good standing (any jurisdiction), have a minimum of eight (8) years post-J.D. substantive experience in the area of federal employment law, including (1) expertise in Title VII, the Rehabilitation Act and other federal non-discrimination laws applicable to federal employees; (2) substantial experience advising employers and/or managers regarding personnel and equal employment opportunity matters; (3) substantial lead experience representing employers in administrative proceedings (i.e., before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) and/or the Merit System Protection Board (“MSPB”), in federal court litigation, in mediation and settlement negotiations, and in conducting investigations, in connection with claims under federal non-discrimination laws or other personnel-related disputes; (4) experience developing, coordinating and implementing training for managers and employees regarding their rights and responsibilities under federal non-discrimination laws; and (5) knowledge of and experience with civil service rules and regulations applicable to federal employees. Applicants must have excellent interpersonal and management skills, be mature and self-sufficient, communicate effectively orally and in writing, and possess demonstrated professional judgment. In addition, applicants should have supervisory experience, preferably with the U.S. Department of Justice or another agency of the federal government.
Applicants must submit a cover letter (highlighting relevant experience), a resume, a brief writing sample, and a current performance appraisal. If you are currently employed by the Federal Government, you must have served at least one year at the GS-14 level. In addition, please submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) by one of the two following means:
∙ Fax – (202) 305-9667
Attention: 08-ATT-013
∙ E-mail – crd.attyvacancies@usdoj.gov
Subject line: 08-ATT-013
No telephone calls please. This position is open until November 7, 2008. Current salary and years of specialized experience will determine the appropriate salary level within the GS-15 range ($115,317 through $149,000 per annum). This salary may be increased by approximately 3.9 percent in January 2009, upon final approval. The position is located in Washington, D.C. Relocation expenses are not authorized. Final selection for this position will be subject to budgetary funding constraints.
The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination based on color, race, religion, national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, status as a parent, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, or personal favoritism. The Department welcomes and encourages applications from persons with disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department. The Department provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Department. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
It is the policy of the U.S. Department of Justice to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment with the Department will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment with the Department is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review and the United States Attorneys’ Offices. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, non-U.S. citizens may apply for employment with other organizations, but should be advised that appointments of non-U.S. citizens are extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department’s mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants for employment with the Department who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information.
There is no formal rating system for applying veterans’ preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the U.S. Department of Justice considers veterans’ preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans’ preference are encouraged to include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD-214 or other substantiating documents) to their submissions.
This and selected other legal position announcements can be found on the Internet at: http://www.usdoj.gov/oarm/attvacancies.html.