Attorney 1

SERS seeks applicants interested in public service for an entry-level Attorney position on our Administrative Litigation and Benefits Administration team.  In this position, you will have the opportunity to perform a variety of legal tasks including representing the agency in administrative appeals and drafting and reviewing critical documents.

Apply today to become part of our collaborative legal team.

DESCRIPTION OF WORK

This position performs tasks including, but not limited to: providing legal counsel for the administration of the retirement code; representing the agency in administrative appeals; drafting adjudications; writing legal advisory memoranda; reviewing powers of attorney and domestic relations orders; advising on open records under the Right-to-Know Law; drafting state legislation and regulations affecting benefits; formulating responses to federal and state legislation and regulations affecting pension benefit matters, and representing SERS in employment law matters.

SERS is an independent legal office; we are not part of the Commonwealth’s Office of General Counsel or the Office of Attorney General.

Interested in learning more?  Additional details regarding this position can be found in the position description. 

Work Schedule and Additional Information:  

• Full-time employment. 

• This position is located in Dauphin County, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. SERS will not pay for relocation, housing or travel expenses. All applicants must be willing to work in and commute to this location when on-site work is required.

• Work Schedule:  As an Attorney 1, you will work a minimum 37.5-hour week on a set Monday through Friday schedule.  Approved work schedules may start as early as 7:30 a.m. and end as late as 5:00 p.m. with a 30-minute or 60-minute unpaid meal period.  Work schedules may not start later than 8:30 a.m. or end earlier than 4:00 p.m. 

• Telework Eligibility:  This position may be eligible for part-time telework.  In order to telework, your alternate work location (telework site) must be in Pennsylvania, and you must have a securely configured high-speed internet connection.  If you are unable to telework, you will have the option to report to work on-site in Harrisburg.

• Financial Disclosure:  The individual appointed to this position will be required to disclose financial information consistent with provisions of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act and the Governor’s Code of Conduct.

• Salary: In some cases, the starting salary may be non-negotiable. 

• You will receive further communication regarding this position via email.  Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices. If selected for interview, SERS may elect to notify you via email and SERS may require that you follow instructions to self-schedule for an interview slot. 

ABOUT SERS:
 
SERS is celebrating our 100th year anniversary!  Established in 1923, SERS is one of the nation’s oldest retirement plans for public employees and manages the pension benefits of nearly 240,000 employees and retirees for 101 public sector employers.  In 2022, SERS paid about $3.9 billion in benefits and managed $33.7 billion in assets.  A wealth of information is available at www.SERS.pa.gov.

Our mission is to prepare our members and participants to achieve financial success and security in retirement.  We achieve this through our guiding principles with a workforce that promotes integrity, employee empowerment, customer experience, fiduciary obligations, innovation and improvement, learning from mistakes, safeguarding resources, sharing knowledge, and thinking strategically.

SERS is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all qualified individuals to our team.  We are committed to an inclusive and respectful work environment that fosters personal and professional growth, embraces the contributions of all team members, and values diversity in people, ideas, and experiences to achieve our highest potential.

SERS is located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Situated along the Susquehanna River, Harrisburg is an affordable city in which to live and is located just a few hours from Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington D.C.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE, TRAINING & ELIGIBILITY

QUALIFICATIONS 

Minimum Experience and Training Requirements: 

• Graduation from an accredited school of law and certificate of admission to the Bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania; or 

• Completion of all preparatory steps and application to become a member of the Bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

 
Post Employment Requirement:

• Applicants must be certified for admission to the Bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and must maintain membership on a continuous basis during employment.

 Additional Requirements:

• Job knowledge

• Decision making and problem solving

• Initiative and motivation 

• Communication and relationship skills

• You must be able to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation

How to Apply: 

• In addition to the employment application, you must submit:
• Cover letter
• Resume
• Certificate of admission to the Bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, or license number and expiration if licensed to practice in a state with reciprocity, or proof of completion of the preparatory steps and application to become a member of the Bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. 
• A law school transcript (unofficial is acceptable) must be submitted with this online application if you are not admitted to the Bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania or another state, and all other applicants are encouraged to submit a law school transcript.
• Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents will not be reviewed, and the information contained therein will not be considered for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position. Information to support your eligibility for the position must be provided on the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education).  
• Your application must be submitted by the posting closing date. Late applications and other required materials will not be accepted. 
• Failure to comply with the above application requirements may eliminate you from consideration for this position.   
  

Veterans:

Pennsylvania law (51 Pa. C.S. §7103) provides employment preference for qualified veterans for appointment to many state and local government jobs.  To learn more about employment preference for veterans, go to https://www.employment.pa.gov/Additional%20Info/Pages/default.aspx and click the Veterans’ Preference tab or contact us at ra-cs-vetpreference@pa.gov.

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS):

• 711 (hearing and speech disabilities or other individuals). 

If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodations due to a disability, please discuss your request for accommodations with the interviewer in advance of your interview date.

The Commonwealth is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workforce. The Commonwealth values inclusion as we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most qualified people to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, union membership, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, AIDS or HIV status, disability, or any other categories protected by applicable federal or state law. All diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.

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