Summary

This position is located in the Board of Immigration Appeals, Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), U. S. Department of Justice. Incumbent serves as a Legal Instruments Examiner (Case Processing Specialist) performing initial and continuing review of a large variety of legal appeal and related documents.

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

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

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

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

Individuals with disabilities

Individuals who are eligible under Schedule A.

Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to All U.S. Citizens.

Duties

Duties include but are not limited to the following:

Perform initial and continuing review of a large variety of complex legal documents.
Assess and correct appellate case files for completeness, deficiencies, or other legal requirements.
Conduct extensive searches of records, references, or historical material to obtain needed information before sending on to the attorney.
Conduct legal and process analysis of patterns and trends to ascertain fundamental fairness in case processing.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
You must complete a background investigation, credit check, and drug test.
Selective Service Registration is required, as applicable.
Probationary period will apply.
May be required to file a Financial Disclosure.
Salary payments must be by direct deposit to a financial institution.
Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for the Legal Instrument Examiner (Case Processing Specialist) position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications:

FOR THE GS-08 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-07 grade level in the federal service, performing the following duties:

Utilizing automated legal databases to verify legal citations and statutory references and/or filing requirements
Organizing factual, legal and archival records
Providing assistance to attorneys in providing case documentation; AND
Maintaining litigation or other case-related databases for management of case.

(Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience)

FOR THE GS-09 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-08 grade level in the federal service, performing the following duties:

Training incoming staff on utilizing automated legal databases to verify legal citations and statutory references and/or filing requirements
Analyzing, organizing, and reporting factual, legal and archival records
Providing assistance to attorneys and managers in preparation for case adjudication; AND
Creating and maintaining litigation or other case-related databases for management of case materials

(Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience)

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).

For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

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.

Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and (for scored examining) score 85 or better on established ranking criteria OR (for category rating criteria) rate equivalent to the Highly Qualified or better category using established category rating criteria and must submit proof of eligibility for the special selection priority. Additional information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility can be found by clicking here.

Active Duty Service Members expected to be released or discharged from active duty service may submit a written document from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions within 120 days after the certification is submitted. The certification letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service. Without this documentation, you will not receive tentative veterans' preference and your application will be evaluated based on the job application materials submitted. Veterans' preference must be verified prior to appointment.

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.

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.

Your application will be evaluated and rated using Rule of Many procedures under 5 C.F.R. § 332.402 based on a set number of highest ranked eligibles. Preference eligibles will receive 5 or 10 points added to their score based on the adjudicated preference.

All eligibles at or above the pre-determined number including any preference eligibles with a service-connected disability of 10 percent or more, at any score, will be referred to the selecting official for consideration. All eligibles with a tied rating will be referred even if the results exceed the pre-established number.

The selecting official will receive a sufficient number of names, when available, to consider at least three candidates per vacancy. If fewer than three eligible and available candidates per vacancy result, the referral will be expanded in accordance with DOJ's supplemental strategy. The selecting official will adhere to veterans' preference rules and Rule of Many procedures when making selections.

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 USAHIRE 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.

If you would like to preview the application questionnaire, please see: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12969524

Required Documents

Your complete Application Package (containing the above required documents) must be received no later than 11:59 pm Eastern on 06/03/2026.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

1. Your Resume showing relevant experience; cover letter optional. (Please see the How You Will Be Evaluated section)
2. A complete Assessment Questionnaire.
3. Other Supporting Documents, if applicable to you.

CTAP/ICTAP documents (Please see the Additional Information section)
Veterans' Preference and documents: (DD214 MEMBER-4 copy, SF-15, and required documentation that is acceptable proof of your claim for preference.) If you are entitled to veterans' preference, you should indicate the type of veterans' preference you claim on your resume. You must submit a DD214 Member-4 Copy,"Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," which shows dates of service and separation under honorable conditions. If you are entitled to veterans' preference based on a service-connected disability, award of the Purple Heart, or derived preference, you must submit an SF15, "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference," and required documentation that is acceptable proof of your claim for preference. (e.g. An official statement, dated 1991 or later, from the Department of Veterans Affairs or from a branch of the Armed Forces, certifying the veteran's service-connected disability and combined disability rating.) For more information on Veterans' Preference click here.
Veterans eligible for a Veterans' Recruitment Appointment (VRA). You must submit a copy of your DD-214. NOTE: VRA only applies to positions at the GS-11 level and below.
Any other supporting documentation required for verification as described in the announcement.
Active Duty Service Members expected to be released or discharged from active duty service may submit a written document from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions within 120 days after the certification is submitted. The certification letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service. Without this documentation, you will not receive tentative veterans' preference and your application will be evaluated based on the job application materials submitted. Veterans' preference must be verified prior to appointment.

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/12969524
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

Email: EOIR.HR_Application_Review@usdoj.gov

Address: Board of Immigration Appeals
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).

Legal Instrument Examiner (Case Processing Specialist) Job in Falls Church, VA