Summary

This position is located in the Office of the Chief Immigration Judge, Executive Office for Immigration Review, U. S. Department of Justice. The Legal Administrative Specialist provides a range of legal support functions to include review and processing of documents, maintenance of case files, and coordination of proceedings for master calendar hearings.

This is a Competitive Service position; additional positions may be filled from this announcement within 90 days of certificate issuance.

This job is open to

Federal employees - Competitive service

Current federal employees whose agencies follow the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's hiring rules and pay scales.

Federal employees - Excepted service

Current federal employees whose agencies have their own hiring rules, pay scales and evaluation criteria.

Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of the hiring agency that posted the job announcement.

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.

Land and base management

Current or former employees of a base management agency.

Veterans

Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces or a spouse, widow, widower or parent of a veteran, who may be eligible for derived preference

Military spouses

Military spouses of active duty service members or whose spouse is 100 percent disabled or died on active duty.

Individuals with disabilities

Individuals who are eligible under Schedule A.

Family of overseas employees

Family members of a federal employee or uniformed service member who is or was, working overseas.

Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista

Individuals who have served at least 2 years with the Peace Corps or 1 year with AmeriCorps VISTA.

Clarification from the agency

This vacancy announcement is open to Federal employees serving on a Competitive service appointment and other eligible applicants.

Duties

As a Legal Administrative Specialist (In-Court Services) GS- 0901-9/11, your typical work assignments may include the following under supervision:

Organizing case files for Master Calendar Hearings;
Generating, assembling and providing required case files to the Immigration Judge;
Providing assistance with processing inquiries, legal notices and calendaring processes and procedures;
Processing legal correspondence and legal documents;
Processing motions, petitions, and other legal documentation;
Preparing reports and maintain/edit case related data and information using an automated information system.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

Complete the initial online assessment and USA Hire Assessment, if required.
You must complete a background investigation, credit check, and drug test.
You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
Selective Service Registration is required, as applicable.
Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for the Legal Administrative Specialist (In-Court Services) 0901 -09 position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications:

Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one year (12 months) of specialized work experience, at the GS-7or equivalent level performing the following duties:

Assisting with processing court related actions during court proceedings by generating, pulling, organizing, assembling, and providing required case files;
Processing legal correspondence and legal documents; and
Providing assistance in processing inquiries, legal notices, calendaring processes and procedures.

(Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience.)

OR

Education: You must have successfully completed a master's or equivalent graduate degree, or 2 full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree, or LL.B. or J.D., that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. (You must submit a copy of your transcripts for verification.)

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: Must have a combination of experience and education which totals 100% of the necessary experience and education needed to qualify for this position. (Only graduate education beyond one year, i.e., 18 semester hours, may be combined with experience under this provision.)

NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts for verification.

In order to qualify for the Legal Administrative Specialist (In-Court Services) 0901 -11 position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications:

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-9 grade level in the Federal service, performing the following duties:

Processing court related actions during court proceedings by generating, pulling, organizing, assembling, cross-referencing and providing required case files;
Analyzing and evaluating administrative legal cases for hearings;
Providing assistance in processing inquiries, legal notices, calendaring processes and procedures; and
Processing motions, petitions, and other legal documentation.

(Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience.)

OR

Education: Must have successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.M., that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position.(You must submit a copy of your transcripts for verification.)

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: Must have a combination of experience and education which totals 100% of the necessary experience and education needed to qualify for this position. (Only graduate education beyond one year, i.e., 18 semester hours, may be combined with experience under this provision.)

NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts for verification.

(Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience if you select this option)

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

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

Education

ARE YOU USING EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? Education must be accredited by an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with a positive education requirement). You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Applicants can verify accreditation by clicking here. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly. (Note: If you are selected for this position based on education, an official transcript will be required, prior to your first day.) You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in accredited U.S. education programs; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, click here.

Translated transcripts are required.

Additional information

Status candidates must meet time-in-grade requirements (52 weeks at the next lower grade level).

Multiple selections may be made from this announcement.

Salaries listed above are an approximation and are subject to duty station locality

Alternative work schedule options may be available. Tour of duty may include Saturdays.

Conditions of Employment: Only U.S. Citizens or Nationals are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review. Dual citizens of the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. All DOJ applicants, both U.S. citizens and non-citizens, whose job location is with the U.S., must meet the residency requirement. For a total of three (not necessarily consecutive years) of the five years immediately prior to applying for a position, the applicant must have: 1) resided in the U.S., 2) worked for the U.S. overseas in a Federal or military capacity; or 3) been a dependent of a Federal or military employee serving oversees.

Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment under Merit Promotion procedures, you must be a preference eligible or a Veteran separated after 3 years or more of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx).

Career Transition Assistance Programs: These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above; and, (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. (see: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp.)

Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities: For more information on noncompetitive appointment authority eligibility requirements:
- Persons with Disabilities-Schedule A
- Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans
- Special Hiring Authority for Certain Military Spouses
- Other Special Appointment Authorities

Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

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.

Required Documents

Your complete Application Package (containing the above required documents) must be received no later than 11:59 pm Eastern on the12/12/2025.

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" showing you are/were in the competitive service and the highest grade or promotion potential held (if applying as a status candidate with current or former Federal Service)
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.)

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application and submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:

1. To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. Occupational questionnaire can be previewed here:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12846069
3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
4. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
5. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
6. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
7. Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
8. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.

For more general information, system requirements, reasonable accommodation information, and to request assistance regarding the USA Hire Assessments, review the following resources: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=USA_Hire_Assessments.

To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To view the announcement status or your application status: Click on this: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.

Agency contact information

EOIR HR Services

Phone: 00000000000
Email: EOIR.HR_Application_Review@usdoj.gov

Address: Office of the Chief Immigration Judge
5107 Leesburg Pike
Falls Church, VA 22041
US

Next steps

Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.You will be notified of your application status during the hiring process, as applicable. You may check your application status by accessing the USAJOBS website and clicking "Application Status". The process may take up to 6 weeks. The four points of notification are:

Application Received or Application Incomplete
Minimum Qualification Requirement Met/Not Met
Eligible (Application Referred) or Ineligible (Application Not referred)
Selected or Not Selected

*Based upon your score, you may be referred to the hiring official. If your name is referred to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly by that office for a possible interview. You will receive notice via email once this process is completed (generally 4-6 weeks).

Additional locations

New Orleans Immigration Court

New Orleans, LA

Chelmsford Immigration Court

Chelmsford, MA

Fort Snelling Immigration Court

Fort Snelling, MN

Charlotte Immigration Court

Charlotte, NC

Buffalo Immigration Court

Buffalo, NY

New York Immigration Court (Varick St.)

New York, NY

Philadelphia Immigration Court

Philadelphia, PA

Memphis Immigration Court

Memphis, TN

Dallas Immigration Court

Dallas, TX

Houston Immigration Court (Jefferson Street)

Houston, TX

Legal Administrative Specialist (In-Court Services) Job