Summary
This position is in The Board, Office of the Executive Secretary (OES).
The incumbent conducts extensive legal research, provides editorial assistance, helps to manage production of the Agency's publications, and facilitates case management.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
All U.S. Citizens (Including Veterans); All current and former federal employees (status & non-status); and Qualified ICTAP; CTAP; RPL candidates.
Duties
As a Paralegal Specialist, GS-0950-11, your typical work assignments may include:
- Ensuring that orders, decisions, and correspondence of the Board are issued, distributed, and served appropriately.
- Performing legal research on broad spectrum of topics pertaining to procedural and substantive legal issues that arise in cases handled by the Office of Executive Secretary.
- Assisting in the preparation of various case statuses, decisions, and production reports - such as Daily Docket Sheet, Daily Report, Monthly Balance Sheet, etc.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- U. S. Citizenship Required.
- Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
- This is not a remote position.
- Relocation expenses are not authorized.
- May be subject to a background investigation prior to appointment.
- Transcripts are required if qualifying based on education in lieu of specialized experience.
- Transcripts are required if qualifying on a combination of experience and education.
- This position is part of the Bargaining Unit.
- This position is in the Competitive Service.
- One-year probationary period may be required.
- Submit complete application package online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.
Qualifications
All qualifications and eligibility requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
Ideal Candidate Statement
The Ideal Candidate for the Paralegal Specialist will have strong research and analytical skills; is detail and goal-oriented; has excellent communication skills and thrives in a team setting. Knowledge of the NLRB is desired.
Minimum Qualifications
Applicant must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of a Paralegal Specialist at the GS-11 grade level.
Specialized experience includes:
- Experience drafting and editing pleadings for cases, or similar legal documents; and
- Experience researching case law through Westlaw and/or similar legal research websites; and
- Experience using software to docket case filings, create reports in spreadsheets, and/or summarizing and compiling data.
This experience must be fully supported and articulated in your resume to receive consideration. Please do not cut and paste the position description, specialized experience, or assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume, as this will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.
OR
Education: Ph.D. or equivalent graduate degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related from an accredited college or university. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.)
OR
Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position if the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100 percent. (NOTE: You must submit a copy of official transcripts.)
This experience must be fully supported and articulated in your resume to receive consideration. Please do not cut and paste the assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume, as this will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.
For more detailed information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website here.
*NOTE*
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Education
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 here.
All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly.
You must meet all qualification requirements. (Required - if applicable) All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, please click here.
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 regarding Foreign Education, please click here.
Benefits
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.
Your application package will be compared against your responses to the questionnaire to determine your ability to demonstrate the following competencies:
- Attention to Detail
- Customer Service
- Reasoning
- Technology Application
The questionnaire includes a cut score based on the minimum level of the required skill set for this position.
You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you do not meet the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.
If you meet or exceed the cut score, your application package will be forwarded to Rating and Ranking Panel Members for further review and assessment.
Your rating from the questionnaire and Rating and Ranking Panel will determine if you meet the quality categories of Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified candidates.
- Best Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate high proficiency in all of the critical competencies, including all Selective Placement Factors (SPF) and appropriate Quality Ranking Factors (QRF) as determined by the job analysis.
- Well Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrates acceptable proficiency in all of the critical competencies, including all SPFs and appropriate QRFs as determined by the job analysis.
- Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate basic proficiency in most of the critical competencies, including all SPFs and appropriate QRFs as determined by the job analysis. If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.
If your final rating places you among the top candidates, your application package may be referred to the selecting official for further review.
To preview the occupational questionnaire, please click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12441911
Required Documents
In addition to your responses to the questionnaire, you must submit the following additional documents specific for this vacancy:
Resume. Your resume must describe your job-related experiences and will be used to verify your qualifications. The information must be relevant, detailed, and addresses the competencies for this position. Your resume must contain the dates of employment (month/year to month/year or month/year to present) to include the hours worked per week (40 hours full-time per week). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete, and you will not receive consideration for this position. If your resume consists of more than 5 pages, only the first 5 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.
Other documents (if applicable). For more information, please click on the applicable link.
Most Recent Performance Appraisal. (Current or Former Federal Employees)
If performance appraisal is not dated within the last 18 months or if you are unable to provide a performance appraisal, an explanation why must be provided. Please include a document in your application package explaining why the performance appraisal is not available.
Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50). (Current or Former Federal Employees)
Most recent SF-50 showing your current grade and tenure (you may be removed from consideration if not submitted). An SF-50 showing highest (permanent) grade ever held, if different from your current grade. (NOTE: Performance Award, Realignment/Reassignment, Name Change and Detail SF-50s will not be accepted as proof of grade and tenure.) If applying for a higher grade, provide an SF-50 or SF-50s which show the length of time in the current/highest grade to support meeting time-in-grade requirements. (Appropriate SF-50s include Promotions, With-In Grade Increases, and SF-50s with dates that show proof of you holding the grade for at least a year.) As a current or previous Career or Career Conditional employee in the Competitive Service, you may determine your current status by checking block 24 on your SF-50. The block must reflect "1" or "2". Also, block 34 must reflect "1". A copy of your SF-50 must be provided for verification.
Transcripts
An unofficial copy of your transcripts is sufficient for this application package. The unofficial transcripts must be verifiable; contain the name of the institution, applicant's name, list of completed courses (with grades), semester hours, and GPA. If the position has a positive education requirement (i.e. LL. B or JD), as indicated under the "Education" section, the unofficial transcripts must show type of degree and degree date received (conferred). In lieu of unofficial transcripts, a verification of enrollment letter is also sufficient; however, all required information listed above for the unofficial transcript must be included in the verification letter, including type of degree and degree date received (conferred) if applicable. If selected, an official copy of the transcripts is required and must be received before employment.
Schedule A: Disability Letter
Veterans: DD-214 (member copy-4)
Disabled Veterans: DD-214, SF-15 and VA letter dated 1991 or later (indicating % disability)
Certain Military Spouses
Copy of service member's PCS order authorizing the spouse to accompany the service member AND Proof of marriage to the service member; OR Proof the service member was released or discharged from active duty due to a service-connected disability AND documentation of the service member's 100% disability AND proof of marriage to the service member; OR Proof of the service member's death while on active duty AND proof of marriage to the service member.
Family Member Preference (Derived Preference)
Reinstatement
Former Peace Corps or VISTA Volunteers
Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP).
If requesting consideration under the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), you must meet the well qualified standards for this vacancy (meeting the minimum requirements for the position and scoring at least an 85) and provide all of the following documents:
- Your most recent performance appraisal; AND
- Proof of eligibility letter from the Agency; AND
- Your most current SF-50, displaying current series and grade.
Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date of the vacancy will result in your removal from consideration for this position. Please review your application prior to final submission and ensure you have submitted all appropriate documents. Uploading documents to USAJOBS does NOT ensure inclusion with your application to our system. You must verify that the documents are in the system with your application prior to final submission.
All materials must be received by 07/17/2024 to be considered for this announcement.
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
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package, which includes:
- Resume; and
- Assessment Questionnaire; and
- Any other documents needed to verify your qualifications or eligibility (see the Required Documents section).
Please follow the instructions listed below for submitting your complete application package. Application procedures are specific to this vacancy announcement. Please read all instructions before you begin.
To begin the process, click the APPLY button at the right side of this screen to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account.
Follow the prompts to complete the assessment questionnaire. Please ensure you click the SUBMIT MY ANSWERS button at the end of the process.
If you have never applied through USAJOBS for a position with the Federal Civil Service, you will need to create a USAJOBS account.
To change or update your application, simply reapply through USAJOBS, before the closing date. New or updated resumes are considered "incomplete" applications until the required virus scan is cleared.
To check the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, select Application Status and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.
Next steps
Applicants will be initially reviewed for Minimum Qualifications determinations.
All qualified applicants will then be screened by the Rating and Ranking panel members and placed into one of three categories: Best-Qualified, Well-Qualified, and Qualified.
Applicants that meet the Well-Qualified category or higher may be referred to the Selecting Official for further consideration.
If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted.
Applicants will receive notification when a final selection has been made.
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