Requisition No: 796364
Agency: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Working Title: OPS ATTORNEY - 77900131
Position Number: 77900131
Salary: $35.00 hourly
Posting Closing Date: 03/15/2023
*ANTICIPATED VACANCY*
FLORIDA FISH & WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION
OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL
OPS ATTORNEY (POSITION NUMBER 77900131)
$35.00 HOURLY
*TELEWORK ELIGIBLE POSITION*
OFFICE OVERVIEW
The Legal Office provides a wide range of legal services to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and staff. The employee’s responsibilities will directly support and effect the State of Florida. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s mission is to manage fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people.
The head of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is the Commission, comprised of seven commissioners, appointed by the governor and subject to confirmation by the Senate. The Commission has the authority to exercise the executive and regulatory powers delegated to FWC through Article IV, Section 9 of the Florida Constitution as well as additional powers and duties as provided by the Florida Legislature, including the regulation of boating within Florida’s waterways.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
The Commission’s Office of General Counsel is hiring a federal-grant-funded temporary OPS attorney to assist with legal issues within the Commission’s Division of Law Enforcement. The funding for this position is anticipated to last three years, and may be extended, though extensions are not guaranteed.
The position can be either full time or part time, depending on the preference of the applicant upon hiring, but no less than 20 hours per week. Flexibility in work times, telework, and hours worked per week is available. The agency will consider remote telework with 1-2 monthly scheduled visits to Headquarters for in person meetings. Health care and some life insurance benefits are available if the minimum hourly work requirements are met: https://www.mybenefits.myflorida.com/health/eligibility_and_enrollment/ops_employees
The employee in this position will assist the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Division of Law Enforcement’s full-time legal advisor with the following legal activities:
- Assisting with drafting, review, and editing of program and policy documents.
- Consulting with, and advising, the Division of Law Enforcement, Boating and Waterways Section program attorney and other Commission staff, on matters relating to the legal requirements for program development, implementation, strategic planning, and internal management activities.
- Preparing for hearings and conducting administrative hearings before the Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH) or, as appropriate, before an Informal Hearing Officer.
- Handling appeals of DOAH and Agency Final Orders.
- Assisting law enforcement officers, agency staff, and stakeholders with answers to questions.
- Assisting with rule development and rule adoption.
- Participating in the development, negotiations, and review of procurement, contracts, and other agreements.
- Performing research for legal interpretations, briefs, pleadings, court hearings, trials, and related legal matters.
- Assisting with public records and discovery requests.
- Performing various additional administrative and legal duties as needed.
EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, AND CERTIFICATION
Graduation from an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law school; an active member of the Florida Bar in good standing; and at least three or more years of work experience as a practicing attorney. Experience with Florida state agencies, litigation, administrative law, contracts, and procurement are desired.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
-Ability to obtain and present legal research
-Contract review and negotiation skills
-Ability to communicate internally and with stakeholders and their representatives
-Time management skills
-Knowledge of Florida laws and legal procedure, both civil and administrative, preferred
-Knowledge of law enforcement and search and seizure law, preferred
-Florida state government experience preferred
-Litigation knowledge in a variety of forums to include Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH) and the District Court of Appeals preferred
REQUIREMENTS
Employment in this position is contingent upon a Level 2 background check along with a CJIS clearance including a satisfactory criminal history check (fingerprint-based) in accordance with Chapter 435, Florida Statutes. The criminal history check must be completed prior to or within the first thirty days of employment.
A resume or curriculum vitae, a letter of interest, and a writing sample are required and should be upload and submitted with the profile application.
Incumbent will have financial disclosure reporting responsibility in accordance with Section 112.3145, Florida Statutes.
Office hours are flexible 8-hour days between 7:30 am and 6:00 pm Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday. This position may occasionally require work time outside of regular scheduled hours, including evenings and weekends. It is not anticipated that this position will work more than 40 hours per week, but there may be times when doing so would be beneficial to the program. Overtime hours may be authorized in such situations, but overtime is not guaranteed. This position requires the ability to travel up to 25% of the time including periodic travel to FWC offices in Tallahassee if telework is approved.
Responses to qualifying questions should be verifiable by skills and/or experience stated on the profile application. Information should be provided regarding any gaps in employment.
Additional Requirements
The Commission expects its employees to be courteous and respectful while assisting Commission customers and stakeholders, ensuring each encounter is as positive as possible. Employees should promptly resolve questions or problems relating to the Commission, its programs and/or fish and wildlife resources. Employees should seek to gain public support for agency objectives and programs by serving Florida’s citizens in a positive and proactive manner and by listening to what the customer wants and striving to meet their needs. When appropriate, employees will explain the reasons for agency actions or decisions while communicating a consistent Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) point-of-view.
Work at FWC is cross-functional, meaning that duties may cross division/office lines. The Commission expects employees to function across FWC’s organizational structure by providing their skills and expertise wherever needed through work on teams or as directed.
Employees are responsible for following the provisions and requirements in Section 215.422, Florida Statutes, related to the Department of Financial Services rules and FWC’s invoice processing and warrant distribution procedures.
If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS at 1-844-377-1888 on how your current benefits may be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida. Your current retirement benefits may be canceled, suspended, or deemed ineligible depending upon the date of your retirement.
Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center at 1-877-562-7287 or TTY at 1-866-221-0268. Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.
The State Florida hires only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized alien workers. If a conditional offer of employment is made, you will be required to provide identification and proof of citizenship and or authorization to work in the United States for the hiring authority to which applications is made. E-Verify will be used to confirm work authorization. See E-Verify for additional information.
The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.
Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.
The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.