Foreign Service Attorney
USAID is the world's premier international development agency and a catalytic actor driving development results. USAID works to help lift lives, build communities, and advance democracy. USAID's work advances U.S. national security and economic prosperity; demonstrates American generosity; and promotes a path to recipient self-reliance and resilience. We operate in five regions of the world: Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe and Eurasia.
Duties
USAID seeks the best-qualified professional candidates who are willing to make a long-term career commitment to the Foreign Service and international development. A career in the Foreign Service (FS) is a commitment to public service, supporting the diplomatic and development goals of the United States. Our Foreign Service Officers work alongside Civil Service employees and contracted staff in our offices in Washington, DC and overseas.
USAID currently has 70 staff members in the Office of the General Counsel in Washington, comprised of Civil Service and Foreign Service attorneys, paralegals, administrative, and support staff. Foreign Service staff members are primarily based overseas with periodic postings in Washington. USAID has 49 Foreign Service attorneys stationed in 38 field missions as Resident Legal Officers. Most tours of duty last two to four years.
Foreign Service attorneys overseas provide legal advice to USAID Missions. Missions plan and implement overseas activities and are typically co-located with U.S. embassies and consulates. Legal work focuses on matters of U.S. and international law applicable to assistance programs and personnel overseas. The work is fast-paced, with attorneys regularly facing highly complex and novel legal and policy issues arising from emerging international events and assistance priorities.
Foreign Service attorneys are leaders in Agency innovation and change. This entails crafting tailored solutions to new development challenges. Attorneys negotiate and draft international agreements and other instruments that serve the foreign policy and international development interests of the United States. Their expertise is regularly and urgently needed when the U.S. Government responds to international crises and events, such as natural disasters or political changes. USAID attorneys serve as key advisors on a wide range of legal and policy matters, such as project design and implementation, contracting and grant-making, international law, investment and credit activities, and personnel and ethics matters. Attorneys have significant engagement with partner country governments, international organizations, and both U.S. and foreign private entities. As a result, skills in cross-cultural communications and understanding are essential.
USAID offers a robust career skills training program. Attorneys enjoy a high rate of personal satisfaction and professional success within the ranks of USAID's Foreign Service. A Foreign Service career can also involve difficult living and working conditions that require a strong commitment to the Agency's mission. Attorneys serve most of their careers overseas at various USAID missions in developing countries after an initial training period in Washington, D.C., of one to two years, unless Agency requirements necessitate an earlier assignment overseas.
New entrants begin their careers in a formal training program, followed by rotational on-the-job, Washington DC-based training for 12-18 months, which may include foreign language training. After completion of Washington training, new entrants are assigned to an overseas mission. This initial assignment is a directed assignment where the Agency's Human Capital and Talent Management office determines the optimal placement for the new employee, taking into consideration the Agency's needs, employee's prior experience and family situation. After completing the initial posting, the employee enters USAID's competitive bidding system where all Foreign Service Officers express their preferences for follow-on assignments in line with bidding instructions. All Foreign Service Officers should anticipate serving at hard to find countries multiple times during their careers.
New Foreign Service Officers have five years in which to earn tenure in the Foreign Service. Tenure requirements include foreign language proficiency at the appropriate level in a USAID tenure language and successful performance during at least three years in the Agency, of which 18 months must have been on a permanent overseas assignment in one of USAID's field offices.
Foreign Service Officers must be world-wide available for assignments. Although personal desires are taken into account, postings are ultimately made based on Agency needs. Attorneys should expect to serve in hardship posts that may be either unaccompanied or partially-accompanied (typically only adults 21 or over).
Prior overseas experience, especially in developing countries, and/or prior demonstrated interest in international development, while not required, helps in equipping candidates for work with USAID.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- United States Citizenship is required.
- Relevant experience (see Qualifications below).
- Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret Security clearance.
- Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with the Selective Service. If selected, the applicant must sign a statement certifying his registration, or the applicant must demonstrate exempt status under the Selective Service Law.
- Worldwide Availability. Worldwide availability is a requirement of the position. While USAID uses a bidding system for assignments, Foreign Service Officers must be willing and available to accept assignments to any country where USAID operates.
- Must be between 18 and 59 years old at time of application, unless the applicant is a Veteran. Veteran, must be between 18 and 64 years old at time of application.
- Class 1 Medical Clearance (no identifiable medical condition that would limit assignment). A medical clearance or waiver is required prior to being hired for this position verifying that the applicant is able to serve at any USAID overseas post.
- Foreign Language Proficiency is not required to apply; however, applicants who demonstrate proficiency in a USAID tenuring language will have an opportunity to test via phone for bonus points to be added to their interview score.
- Languages: Bilingual preferred; at a minimum, the ability to communicate proficiently in a second spoken or signed language.
Qualifications
Education & Experience:
You must be a graduate of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (or foreign equivalent).
You must currently be a member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
You must have a minimum of five years of recent post-law school experience practicing law (the position must have required a legal degree, an active bar membership, and involved providing legal services to clients; serving as a judicial clerk counts toward qualifying experience).
You must demonstrate an ability to communicate with and work well with a diverse range of clients and colleagues (including those from different cultures), spot legal issues, solve problems, and operate with minimal supervision.
You must demonstrate an ability to write and otherwise communicate professionally, clearly, and persuasively.
Desirable:
Prior overseas experience, especially in developing countries, and/or demonstrated interest in international development.
Relevant experience:
Foreign Service attorneys engage in a wide variety of activities in each assignment and across their careers with USAID. These activities are similar in nature to work performed in other contexts where applicants may have experience, including:
-Negotiating agreements with or engaging in legal problem solving with governments, particularly developing country governments;
-Developing public-private partnerships;
-Legal analysis/advisory services in investment and credit transactions;
-Litigation in the federal government context, including bid protests;
-Legal analysis/advisory services in U.S. federal appropriations law, and/or government contracts or grants; and/or prior experience requiring responsibility for a wide range of legal and policy issues,
-Working collaboratively as a member of a non-legal team to achieve an organizational goal, similar to a general counsel or in-house counsel role.
USAID is committed to an inclusive and diverse work environment. Attorneys from a variety of legal backgrounds, including other government agencies (including military judge advocates), non-governmental organizations, law firms, corporations and public international organizations, are encouraged to apply.
Education
Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements. Transcripts from any and all foreign educational institutions must be accompanied by an official Evaluation of Educational Credentials in order to be considered for the position. It is your responsibility to provide evidence that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States when applying.
If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Click on the following link for a list of accredited organizations (https://www.naces.org/members (https://www.naces.org/members) ) (http://www.naces.org/members.htm)) recognized as specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials. More information may be found at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html (https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html)
Required Documents
- Resume showing relevant experience.
- Cover letter.
- Veterans' documentation, if requesting consideration under any Veterans' hiring eligibilities (veterans' preference and Veterans Recruitment Appointment). To verify the type of veterans' preference you are eligible for, we recommend using the Department of Labor's Veterans' Preference Advisor.
- ICTAP Eligibles: Must submit a copy of the appropriate documentation such as a reduction-in-force (RIF) separation notice, an SF-50 reflecting your RIF separation, or a notice of proposed removal for declining a direct reassign or transfer of function to another commuting area. You MUST also submit documentation to reflect your current (or last) performance rating of record of at least "fully successful" (Level III) or equivalent, along with your application/resume package.
- If this position requires proof of higher education, you must submit a copy of your transcript(unofficial transcript) or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours rated. You may use education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the requirements. Please refer to http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp for more information. Please be advised that an official transcript will be required if the hiring manager selects you for the position.
How to Apply
The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this online application process and submit any applicable required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. If applying online poses an extreme hardship, you must contact the human resources office no later than two business days before the closing date of this vacancy announcement. Our Office will provide an alternative application method upon approval of the hardship notification. After the advertisement has closed, we will not grant requests to apply via alternative plans.
Please note, we must receive all required documents by the closing date via online or alternative methods. We will determine your eligibility and qualifications based solely on the material received by the closing date.
Step 1 - Review the Job Announcement (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11869427)
Before you apply, we suggest you review the entire job announcement. Pay close attention to the Major Duties section and the How You Will Be Evaluated section, where you will see the areas upon which an HR Specialist or Subject Matter Expert will evaluate your application and a link for previewing online questions.
Step 2 - Create or Upload a resume with USAJOBS (www.usajobs.gov)
Create or upload a resume in USAJOBS. You may wish to customize your resume to ensure it supports your responses to the online questions and addresses the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section of the job announcement. For resume tips, click here.-Although you must enter your Social Security Number (SSN) for USAJOBS, we will only see the last four digits for identification purposes.
Step 3 - Apply Online
Click the "Apply Online" button on this announcement and then select the resume you wish to submit with your application. You will be redirected to the OPM's USA Staffing website to complete the application process.
Step 4 - Answer the Online Questions and Submit Your Online Application
If this is your first time on OPM's USA Staffing website, the system will prompt you to register by answering questions about your eligibility for Federal employment. Select "Take me to the assessment" and click on the "Next" button to answer the job-specific questions. The system will save these responses and take you back to the main screen so that you can answer the job-specific questions. You must answer all the questions and click the "Finish" button.
Step 5 - Review and Confirm Your Submission
You will now have the option to upload a document or print fax cover sheets for documents (see Step 6 for details). Once you click "Done," you will see a summary of your application for your review, and you may also print a copy for your records. When you click "Finish" at the bottom of the page, our system will then direct you back to USAJOBS, where you can confirm that you correctly submitted your application, and you can track your application status.
Step 6 - Submit Documents
You can submit any applicable required or optional documents (see below) by document upload, fax, or e-mail. Whichever method you choose, please include the job announcement number with your records. To protect your privacy, we encourage you to remove your SSN from any documents that you submit.
Document Upload: You may upload documents in one of two ways:
- Once you finish answering the questions in the job announcement, the system will prompt you to upload your document(s) to your application. You will be given a choice to either upload the document as part of the application process or select a copy that you've already loaded on USAJOBS. Or
- You can upload a document to an existing application by logging into your USAJOBS account profile. Click on "My Applications" and search for the vacancy. Once you've located the vacancy, click on the vacancy and select "Apply Online." Move through your existing application to the Documents page and select upload to add a document to your application. Be sure to review your complete application for confirmation that you uploaded the document.