Attorney-Advisor

Summary

About the Position: The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoWEA) Office of the General Counsel (OGC) facilitates DoWEA's global educational mission by providing high quality and timely legal advice and counsel, effective advocacy, and creative problem-solving. This position serves as the Senior Counsel (Reasonable Accommodations) - Office of the Chief -HQ, DOWEA.

Duties

Serves as the agency’s principal legal adviser and subject-matter expert on reasonable accommodation and disability employment law. Provides authoritative legal advice concerning the Rehabilitation Act, ADA standards applicable to the federal sector, EEOC regulations and guidance, executive orders, OPM/DoD policy, and related federal disability-employment requirements. Advises management, HR/EEO personnel, reasonable accommodation professionals, and senior decision-makers throughout the interactive process. Conducts legal review of complex accommodation requests, including requests involving telework, reassignment, essential functions, undue hardship, direct threat, medical documentation, confidentiality, leave, assistive technology, and overlapping employment authorities. Reviews proposed accommodation decisions for legal sufficiency, consistency with applicable law and agency policy, and litigation risk. Advises on reassignment as an accommodation, including agency search obligations, employee qualifications, vacancy requirements, and related legal considerations. Represents the agency in complex administrative litigation and contested matters arising from reasonable accommodation and disability employment issues, including EEO complaints and hearings, discovery, dispositive motions, settlement negotiations, and other proceedings before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and appropriate administrative forums. Provides litigation strategy and counsel in complex reasonable accommodation matters, including assessing claims and defenses, developing evidentiary records, preparing witnesses, evaluating litigation and settlement risk, and coordinating with agency stakeholders and, as appropriate, the Department of Justice in federal court litigation. Develops agency-wide legal guidance, templates, procedures, training, and preventive-law products concerning reasonable accommodation and disability employment law. Monitors EEOC decisions, federal court precedent, legislation, regulations, and government-wide policy and advises leadership regarding changes in agency obligations and litigation risk. Coordinates complex, novel, high-risk, and precedent-setting reasonable accommodation matters with appropriate agency stakeholders and senior legal leadership.

Qualifications and evaluation

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your resume package(resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

Education

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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

How to apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 10/07/2026 to receive consideration. To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13071117). Follow the prompts to select your résumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process. You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete. It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan. Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). If you are a Federal employee in the competitive service and your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority for this position. To receive selection priority, you must: (1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria (2) be rated well-qualified for the position and; (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. To be considered well-qualified and receive selection priority applicants must satisfy all qualification requirements for the position and receive a score of 90 or above. Additional information about the program is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. Additional information about the program is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website.

Required documents

The documents you are required to submit vary based on the authority you are using to apply (i.e., applying as a veteran, applying as a current permanent Federal employee, applying as a reinstatement, etc). Please review the following links to see which documents you need to provide to prove your eligibility to apply: Applicant Checklist External. As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further. 1. Your resume: Your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. For each relevant work experience, make sure you include the employer's name, job title, start and end dates (include month and year), for qualifications purposes, the number of hours worked per week, and a brief description that show you can perform the tasks at the required level listed in the job announcement. If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete, and you may not receive consideration for this position. Use plain language. Avoid using acronyms and terms that are not easily understood. The hiring agency will not make assumptions about what's in your resume. If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations, and you may not be considered for this vacancy. For additional information, to include formatting tips, see: What to include in your resume. 2. Other supporting documents: Cover Letter, optional Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable License or Certification: If this position requires a job-related licensure or certification, you MUST submit a copy of your license or certification with your application package or you will be rated ineligible. To determine if this position requires a job-related licensure or certification, please review the Qualifications section listed above. Official Transcripts: Failure to provide copies of all applicable transcripts will result in disqualification due to incomplete application. You must scan, upload and attach legible photocopies of the following official transcripts: Bachelor's Transcript Master's Transcript. This transcript is required IF it applies to you. EDS Transcript. This transcript is required IF it applies to you. Doctorate's transcript. This transcript is required IF it applies to you. NOTE: Transcripts must include the date and degree was conferred. Transcripts without this information will not be reviewed and will result in disqualification. Your transcripts must clearly identify coursework required for the position you are applying for. Transcripts submitted in other languages other than English must include an official translation or will not be considered. Computer print-outs of transcripts, links to transcripts, grade reports, copies of degree diplomas or certificates, illegible copies and unofficial copies of transcripts will not be acceptable. Receipt of these documents will result in automatic disqualification. NOTE: Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove another person's personal information before you submit your application. You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.

Additional information

Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of War referral system for displaced employees. Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. Be advised that effective Jan. 1 2018, under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, most civilian employee relocation allowances became taxable. The Relocation Income Tax Allowance (RITA) reimburses eligible employees for the additional Federal, State, and local income taxes incurred as a result of receiving taxable travel income. RITA does not apply to new government employees or employees returning from an overseas assignment for the purpose of separation from Government service. For more information, visit https://www.dfas.mil/civilianemployees/civrelo/Civilian-Moving-Expenses-Tax-Deduction.html. Management may select at any of the grade levels announced. This recruitment provides promotion opportunity to the target grade of the position without further competition when selectee is eligible and recommended by management. Duties described reflect the full performance GS-15 level. If not selected at the full performance level, duties will be performed in a developmental capacity under close supervision. Applicants with a disability who need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should notify ra@dodea.edu This position is not covered by a bargaining unit. If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet. This position requires a 1-year trial period during which the agency evaluates your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In making this determination, the agency may consider your performance and conduct; agency needs and interests; whether your continued employment supports organizational or Government goals; and whether it promotes the efficiency of the Federal service. Continued employment requires written certification that it advances the public interest