Clarification from the agency

You may apply if you are a Status Candidate (Merit Promotion, VEOA, Land Management Eligible) and/or a Non-Competitive Hiring Authority Eligible (VRA-If GS-11 or below position, 30% Disabled Veteran, Certain Military Spouse, Schedule A, Certain Peace Corps/VISTA Employee/Volunteer, Certain Former Overseas Employee, Foreign Service Employee, CTAP/ICTAP, Interchange Agreement Employee, or if you are employed under a Miscellaneous Authority not regulated by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.)

Duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Coordinates the processing and release of information responsive to request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Privacy Act (PA).
• Analyzes data for response to FOIA requests and discovery and information related to requests in litigation and/or emanating from audits and investigations.
• Analyzes and researches precedents and regulations regarding requests not clearly covered by the FOIA/PA to determine the proper course of action.
• Coordinates assessments of highly complex FOIA actions.
• Presents recommendations for the resolution of the dispute to supervisor or directly to the parties involved on matters involving unsatisfied responses to FOIA requests.

As the Federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a United States Citizen or National.
• You will be required to complete a pre-employment security investigation and background check which includes a drug screening.
• You may be required to complete a probationary.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31, 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
• You must meet all eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement and continue to meet these requirements throughout the hiring process. Offers can be rescinded if requirements are not met.
• If selected for an interview, you may be asked to provide three professional references.
• Complete the initial online assessment and USA Hire Assessment, if required.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for the Government Information Specialist position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications:

TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENTS: Merit promotion applicants must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible. One year at the GS-9 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-11 level. One year at the GS-11 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-12 level.(Please submit your SF-50 that shows Time-in-Grade eligibility and reflects your title, series, and grade. If your eligibility for both merit promotion and/or time-in-grade cannot be determined, your application will be rated ineligible. Please see Required Documents for additional information). Time-in-grade requirements also apply to VEOA applicants having held a GS position in the past year.

AND

FOR THE GS-11 LEVEL:

Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one or more full-time years (12-months) of specialized work experience, equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service, performing the following duties:

• Assisting with reviewing request under the FOIA/ (PA) ;
• Analyzing data for response to FOIA requests and discovery and other requests related to litigation and or emanating from audits and investigations;
• Conducting extensive and complex record searches; and
• Executing and developing final appeal package for review.

(Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience)

-OR-

Education: Applicants must have Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three (3) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in law, business or government. You must submit a copy of your traNOTE:nscripts and identify qualifying coursework for verification.

NOTE: Applicants must submit a copy of their transcripts for verification.

-OR-

Combination: Applicants must have the appropriate combination of successfully completed graduate level education and experience. To determine combination, first compute experience as a percentage of the experience listed in A above; then determine education as a percentage of the education listed in B above; then add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent. Only graduate education in excess two full years (36 hours) may be used to qualify.

NOTE: Applicants must submit a copy of their transcripts for verification.

-OR-

FOR THE GS-12 LEVEL:

Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one or more full-time years (12-months) of specialized work experience, equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service, performing the following duties:

• Reviewing and analyzing appeals requested under FOIA/PA;
• Analyzing and researching precedents and regulations regarding requests not clearly coved by FOIA/PA to determine the proper course of action;
• Serving as a liaison to external customer and receipts to clarify and resolve issues; and
• Providing work product consistent with established organizational programs, polices, and/or operations.

(Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience)

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Your resume must support your responses to the application questionnaire and the qualification requirements. Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating.

See the Required Documents section for important notes about what must be included in your resume.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Once the announcement has closed, your résumé and supporting documentation will be used to determine if you meet the qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your résumé and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application package, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this position. If you are found to be among the top qualified candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

Your complete Application Package (containing the above required documents) must be received no later than 11:59 pm Eastern on the03/04/2026.To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:1. Your résumé (a two page or less resume is required) containing the following pieces of information for each job entry listed in your employment history:

• Official position title,
• Employer name and contact information,
• Start and end dates (including month and year),
• Indicate full-time or number of hours worked per week if part-time, and
• A list of duties performed and accomplishments.

2. Other supporting documents:

• Cover Letter, optional
• College transcript(s), if qualifying based on education
• Most recent SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action" or equivalent agency form. Do not submit an award SF-50, these do not contain sufficient information about your appointment. Your SF-50 should list the full position title, series, grade and step,organization, duty location, service computation date, effective date, and your service type and tenure status.
• Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable
• DD-214, SF-15 Form and VA letter, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty from Veterans for consideration under Veteran hiring authorities
• Noncompetitive appointment authority documentation, if applicable
• Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program Documentation, if applicable (e.g. Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)

Next steps