Summary
The NSA Office of General Counsel (OGC) is seeking highly motivated paralegals to assist OGC attorneys in protecting NSA's interests in the areas of litigation, technology, research, and intellectual property. Paralegals working in NSA OGC apply their expertise, skills, and/or education to solve a variety of challenges, some of which are not found in the private sector or at any other government agency. You will have the opportunity to make a global impact on a daily basis.
This job is open to
The public
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
Federal employees - Excepted service
Current federal employees whose agencies have their own hiring rules, pay scales and evaluation criteria.
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.
Duties
NSA OGC Paralegals perform substantive legal work under the supervision of an Attorney.
The responsibilities of a Litigation Paralegal include:
- Developing and maintaining methods to obtain, process, disseminate, catalog, and summarize information in which the work requires legal skills.
- Conducting research for the preparation of legal opinions on matters of interest to the Agency
- Assisting in preparing for and attending administrative dispute resolution and/or settlement discussions, hearings, interviewing and coordinating witnesses, managing evidence, case dockets and discovery, and drafting legal documents.
- Maintaining legal files and various software applications to extract legal information to compile reports.
- Preparing reports to Congress and other government agencies.
- Managing functions and responsibilities of special projects/programs within the Office of General Counsel under the general supervision of a Managing Attorney.
- Advising management on project/program matters, offer recommendations, and provide liaison to clients as required.
The responsibilities of a Technology, Research, and Intellectual Property Paralegal include:
- Developing and maintaining methods to obtain, process, disseminate, catalog, and summarize information.
- Analyzing the legal impact of legislative developments and administrative/judicial decisions, opinions/rulings on Agency programs.
- Conducting research for the preparation of legal opinions on matters of interest to the Agency.
- Drafting legal documents and coordinating with inventors and clients.
- Maintaining legal files and various software applications to extract legal information to compile reports.
- Preparing reports to Congress and other government agencies.
- Managing functions and responsibilities of special projects/programs within the Office of General Counsel under the general supervision of a Managing Attorney.
- Advising management on project/program matters, offering recommendations, and providing liaison to clients as required.
Requirements
Conditions of employment
- All applicants and employees are subject to random drug testing in accordance with Executive Order 12564.
Qualifications
The qualifications listed are the minimum acceptable to be considered for the position.
Relevant experience must be in a legal function (for example, internship with a government office or legal firm, using legal research tools, working with litigation or legislation, or working as a legal aid, paralegal, or similar work role).
SENIOR
Entry is with a high school diploma or GED plus 6 years of relevant experience, or an Associate's degree plus 4 years of relevant experience, or a Bachelor's degree plus 2 years of relevant experience.
Education
A degree in any field is acceptable.
Additional information
Pay: Salary offers are based on candidates' education level and years of experience relevant to the position and also take into account information provided by the hiring manager/organization regarding the work level for the position.
Salary Range: $85,447 - $158,322 (Senior)
Salary range varies by location, work level, and relevant experience to the position.
Training will be provided based on the selectee's needs and experience.
Benefits: NSA offers a comprehensive benefits package.
Work Schedule: This is a full-time position, Monday - Friday, with basic 8hr/day work requirement between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (flexible).
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.
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.
The ideal candidate is someone with a desire for continual learning and who possesses strong communication (oral and written), problem-solving, analytic, interpersonal skills, and is:
- motivated
- detail-oriented
- customer and results oriented
- able to adjust to changing situational requirements
- able to build relationships across the Agency and with external stakeholders
- able to manage multiple tasks with competing timelines and deliverables
Experience and knowledge of law in one or more of the following areas is required for a Litigation Paralegal:
- Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
- claims
- information security
- employment/personnel issues/EEO litigation
- ethics
Experience and knowledge of law in one or more of the following areas is required for a Technology, Research, and Intellectual Property Paralegal:
- intellectual property (e.g., patent, copyright, trademark)
- managing a docket
- filing documents in a court or administrative body
- managing and maintaining client relationships
- drafting legal documents
Required Documents
The National Security Agency (NSA) is part of the DoD Intelligence Community Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS). All positions in the NSA are in the Excepted Services under 10 United States Codes (USC) 1601 appointment authority. DoD Components with DCIPS positions apply Veterans' Preference to eligible candidates as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 USC, in accordance with the procedures provided in DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, DCIPS Employment and Placement. If you are a veteran claiming veterans' preference, as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 U.S.C., you may be asked to submit documents verifying your eligibility.
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.