Attorney Advisor
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Office of the Chief Counsel, is responsible for rendering legal services and furnishing legal advice on all areas of FHWA program responsibility, The Attorney-Advisor will serve as a member of the Office of the Chief Counsel, Field Legal Services-West, Lakewood, CO or Matteson, IL.
As an Attorney-Advisor, the successful candidate for this position will be responsible for rendering legal services and furnishing legal advice on aspects of all areas of Division responsibility, with an emphasis on environmental and infrastructure issues. Such legal services and advice significantly affect policy of the programs of the agency. The legal services are delivered in a highly interactive, fast-paced environment, and often on short timelines. The functions of Field Legal Services-West Division include, but are not limited to: Planning, Environment, and Realty: Provides legal services as to matters related to statewide and regional transportation planning. Provides legal services in connection with environmental, social, and economic aspects of FHWA's programs, and the application of environmental laws to those programs. Provides legal services relative to highway beautification, land acquisition, land use, condemnation, control of rights of way, airspace utilization, and relocation assistance. Environmental and Other Litigation: Provides legal services in connection with litigation involving planning, environment, real estate, infrastructure, DBE, civil rights, and other external matters. Assists field counsel, Department of Justice, DOT Office of General Counsel, and State attorneys when appropriate. Infrastructure: Provides legal services in connection with contract matters. Provides legal services in connection with toll roads, bridges, tunnels, and ferries. Provides legal advice and services related to current and innovative financing of highway projects, and public/private partnerships (PPPs). Provides legal services associated with Federal-aid suspensions and debarments, and infrastructure related Federal tort matters (including assistance to counsel located in the field). Provides legal services in connection with the Emergency Relief Program. Fiscal Services: Provides legal assistance regarding determinations of eligibility for Federal funding, authorizations, Federal-aid apportionments, limitations, and related external budgetary and fiscal matters. Safety and Operations: Provides legal advice and services related to Federal aid highway safety programs, such as the Hazard Elimination Program, the Highway/Rail Safety Crossing Program, and those safety programs jointly administered with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, including the review of State compliance with Federal requirements. Provides legal advice and services related to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), and truck size and weight limits. The ideal candidate for this position is an individual with excellent legal research and writing skills, who can handle and prioritize multiple competing tasks and a diverse workload while maintaining collegial working relationships. This individual has a demonstrated interest in, and work experience related to environmental and infrastructure issues. The ideal candidate will provide a cover letter (maximum two pages) explaining his/her specific interest in this position and highlighting his/her relevant work experience regarding environmental and infrastructure issues.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service. GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel. A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only. TRIAL PERIOD: This is an Excepted Service position. This job will be filled by an alternative hiring process and is not in the competitive service. Applicants selected for an excepted service position may be subject to a two-year trial period. ETHICS/CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT: All employees are subject to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch, set out in Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 2635, including restrictions on owning financial interests that may conflict with performance of their duties. Some employees, like those involved in contracting or regulating non-Federal entities, are subject to Executive Branch Financial Disclosure requirements set out in Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 263. INTERVIEW PROCESS: Applicants who are invited to advance to a later stage of the hiring process may be afforded one or more interviews and asked to complete a practical exercise and/or provide a writing sample. The results of the interview(s), practical exercise, and writing sample will be considered in the hiring process.