Counsel

Energy Northwest•Richland, WA

10d•$126,362 - $208,928•Onsite

About The Position

Energy Northwest’s Counsel provides legal advice, counsel, and services to all organizations within the company across a wide range of activities, with limited oversight. The position reports directly to the Legal Services Supervisor. It supports regulatory compliance in areas including environmental, nuclear, ethics, industrial safety, procurement, Washington State’s Public Records Act (PRA), and employment. The role also handles major contractual transactions and litigation, tax research and guidance, tax strategy implementation, and preparation and filing of federal tax returns. The selected applicant must be able to work onsite in Richland, Washington. The position must meet and maintain nuclear requirements for Unescorted Plant Access, participate on the Emergency Response team when designated, and support the biennial refueling outage. The role may be hired at the Senior Counsel, Staff Counsel II, or Staff Counsel I level, with the level and final offer based on qualifications.

Requirements

Juris Doctorate (JD) degree from an accredited law school.
Ability to obtain a Washington State Bar Association license by Motion within one year.
A record of continual learning and training.
Ability to meet and maintain nuclear requirements for Unescorted Plant Access.
At least two years of previous legal experience at a law firm, municipality, or public utility district in one or more of the following areas: employment, contracts, litigation, environmental, or energy transactions. For Staff Counsel I, qualifying experience may be at a law firm, municipality, or the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and may include nuclear law.
Senior Counsel requires seven years of aggregate experience practicing as an attorney.
Staff Counsel II requires five years of aggregate experience practicing as an attorney.
Staff Counsel I requires two years of aggregate experience practicing as an attorney.
Must be able to work onsite in Richland, Washington.
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire and throughout employment.

Responsibilities

Provide legal support and advice on nuclear licensing and nuclear regulatory compliance, including Nuclear Regulatory Commission investigations and enforcement matters.
Negotiate, draft, and review contracts, leases, waivers, and other agreements on behalf of Energy Northwest.
Provide legal support in regulatory areas including environmental, ethics, industrial safety, and employment, including attending meetings and interacting with staff at all levels.
Establish and maintain programmatic and procedural guidance for implementation of the Public Records Act.
Oversee the Paralegal’s analysis and evaluation of PRA requests, identification of responsive records, search criteria, requester communications, and coordination with offices of records to obtain responsive records within commitment timeframes.
Provide legal review and support of PRA responses.
Protect Energy Northwest’s financial and legal interests by initiating or defending contract claims, requests for equitable adjustments, lawsuits, administrative hearings, and administrative investigations, or directing outside counsel handling such matters.
Provide ongoing legal advice to Energy Northwest staff and governing boards on policy and operational matters.
Prepare budgets for significant transactional matters and litigation and, where practicable, ensure matters are conducted within budget.
Participate as a team member in strategic development of energy transactions.
Participate on the Emergency Response team when designated.
Support the biennial refueling outage.
Provide tax research and guidance, implement effective tax strategies, and prepare and file federal tax returns.

Benefits

Three retirement programs: Washington State Public Employees’ Retirement System pension plan (PERS), a 401(k) savings plan with an employer match, and a 457(b) savings plan.
Multiple options for medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance coverage.
Flexible spending accounts (FSAs).
Tuition reimbursement.
Student loan repayment.
Childcare subsidies.
Health reimbursement arrangement (HRA VEBA).
Health savings account (HSA).
Supplemental life insurance.
Credit monitoring and identity theft insurance.
Qualifying employees typically begin accruing 160 hours of personal time per year, with accruals increasing at service intervals.
Nine paid holidays per calendar year.
Annual at-risk compensation incentive plan, earned based on agency performance against defined metrics and goals.