Paralegal Specialist Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. NSD-25-12659294-DE Department Offices, Boards and Divisions
Salary $57,164.00 to $90,898.00 Grade 7 to 9
Perm/Temp Temporary FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 1/6/2025 Close Date 1/17/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

This position is located in the National Security Division (NSD), Department of Justice (DOJ). NSD is responsible for developing, enforcing, and supervising the application of all federal criminal laws related to the national counterterrorism and counter espionage enforcement programs, litigating and coordinating a wide range of prosecutions and criminal investigations targeting individuals and organizations that commit or attempt to commit terrorist acts in the United States.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

This position is being advertised under delegated examining procedures and is open to all U.S. Citizens. Preference for eligible veterans will be applied.

Duties

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.

The purpose of this position is to serve as a Paralegal Specialist, providing paralegal support to one or more NSD attorneys engaged in national security litigations related to counterterrorism and counter-espionage matters. Paralegal support and legal research assignments require significant knowledge of legislative and judicial decisions, opinions, determinations, and rulings of cases relevant to intelligence, terrorism, and espionage. Legal knowledge required is less than that represented by graduation from a recognized law school.

At the full performance level GS-11 the duties and responsibilities of this Paralegal Specialist position include but are not limited to:

  • Support attorney in court proceedings by briefing attorney on pertinent facts, issues, and case law, and by compiling, organizing, and indexing exhibits.
  • Monitor the progress of pending cases and initiate action to ensure that legal pleadings, forms, reports, correspondence, and other documents are prepared and submitted within established deadlines.
  • Evaluate requests to determine the need for additional information, and evidence and plan a comprehensive approach to obtain this information and evidence.
  • Perform legal research and writing of substantial variety.
  • Perform extensive analysis of statutes, legislative intent and history, judicial precedents, decisions and opinions, agency rules and regulations, and law review and other articles as they relate to assigned cases to include those of an especially less complex nature.
  • Utilize a variety of automated legal research tools as well as public information databases and other automated resources to research case or program specific legal matters, and participate in assigned areas of legal proceedings, e.g. electronic discovery.
  • Draft correspondence and legal documents for attorney's signature.
  • Draft proposed orders and decrees for signature of judges.

Requirements

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 one-year probationary or trial period.
  • Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31st 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.
  • Additional selections may be made from this announcement, at any time, if openings occur in other offices serviced by Justice Management Division, HR Operations.
  • Financial Disclosure: If selected, you may be required to disclose financial information in accordance with DOJ and Federal ethics guidelines.
  • A USA Hire assessment is required. An email will be sent with additional information after you submit your application. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement to complete the assessment.

Qualifications

To qualify for the position of Paralegal Specialist, (GS-0950-7/9), you must possess the required specialized experience specific to the series and grade you are applying to.

Minimum Qualifications for the GS-07: Your resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level or pay band in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector performing administrative duties within a legal office which include assisting by gathering data to prepare legal correspondence for cases; utilizing interviewing techniques and legal resources to validate information and ensure reliability.

-OR-

You have successfully completed one full year of graduate level education in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: Legal Studies, Criminal Justice, and Law. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.)

-OR-

You have successfully completed all of the requirements for a bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement. In order to be creditable under this provision, Superior Academic Achievement must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled, such as that identified in Education above. Superior Academic Achievement is based on:
  1. Class Standing - Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses; OR
  2. Grade-Point Average (G.P.A.) - Applicants must have a grade-point average of either (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on your official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or (b) 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum. OR
  3. Honor Society Membership - Applicants may be considered eligible based on membership in one of the approved national scholastic honor societies listed by the Association of College Honor Societies (https://www.achshonor.org/). (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts and/or verification of class standing.)

-OR-

I have the specialized experience as described in A, but less than one year; and I have some graduate education as described in B, but less than the required one year. I have computed the percentage of the requirements that I meet, and the total is at least 100%. To compute the percentage, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then, divide your semester hours of graduate education (total graduate semester hours minus 18) by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100% to qualify. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.)

-OR-

I have the experience as described in A AND the education described in B or C. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.)

Minimum Qualifications for the GS-09: Your resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level or pay band in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector providing technical support to a legal office by gathering data to prepare legal correspondence for cases; utilizing interviewing techniques and legal resources to validate information and ensure reliability.

-OR-

I have successfully completed a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B or J.D. in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work of the position such as: Legal Studies, Criminal Justice, and Law. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.)

-OR-

I have the specialized experience as described in A, but less than one year; and I have at least one year of graduate education as described in B, but less than the required two years. I have computed the percentage of the requirements that I meet, and the total is at least 100%. To compute the percentage, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then, divide your semester hours of graduate education beyond the first year (total graduate semester hours minus 18) by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100% to qualify. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.)

-OR-

I have the experience as described in A AND the education described in B. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.)


You MUST meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 01/17/2025.

Your resume must support your responses to the questionnaire and 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.

After you submit this application, you will receive an e-mail informing you that a USA Hire assessment is required of you. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement (01/17/2025) to complete the assessment as this assessment is part of your application.

***Please limit your resume to 5 pages. If more than 5 pages are submitted, only the first 5 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.***

Education

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

Education must be reviewed and certified by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be creditable toward your qualifications. Therefore, you should provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

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 an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

For more information about this requirement, please visit the U.S. Department of Education website for Foreign Education Evaluation.

All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.

Additional information

  1. CAREER TRANSITION PROGRAMS (CTAP or ICTAP): For more information visit: USAJOBS Career Transition Programs
  2. VETERANS AND MILITARY SPOUSES: Please see USAJOBS Veterans Preference for more details.
  3. DOJ EEO STATEMENT: The U.S. Department of Justice fosters an inclusive and diverse workforce, find our EEO statement online at: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/page/file/1394116/download
  4. SELECTIVE SERVICE: If you were born male, on or after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Additional information is found at: www.sss.gov.
  5. REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS: DOJ policy can be found at:https://www.justice.gov/jmd/reasonable-accommodation#policy. 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 reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations 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, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire
This position is excluded from the bargaining Unit.

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.

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 under DOJ's Category Rating and Selection Procedures. Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are basically qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the Occupational Questionnaire. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. If it is determined you meet minimum qualification requirements, your application will then be placed in one of three categories: Best Qualified, Highly Qualified, or Qualified. Within these categories, applicants eligible for Veterans' Preference will receive selection priority over non-veteran preference eligibles.

When addressing the specialized experience statement, applicants must present evidence of the experience in their resume. If the specialized experience statement is repeated, in the applicant's resume, Human Resources will deem the applicant as ineligible.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, and other characteristics):

  • Administrative Law
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Legal, Government and Jurisprudence
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Research
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork
  • Writing


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.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Career Transition Programs (CTAP or ICTAP): These programs apply to Federal and/or DOJ employees who meet the definition of surplus or displaced from a position in the competitive service. 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 based on the competencies listed above; and
  3. Submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility.

Required Documents

Documentation requirements may vary from applicant to applicant based on your eligibility claims.
For example, Veteran documents would be required only from applicants claiming Veteran's Preference. It is your responsibility to carefully review the list of document descriptions below, to see which documents are required for your application.

ALL APPLICANTS: You must submit a detailed resume containing the following pieces of information for each job entry listed in your employment history:

  1. Contact Information: Name, address, phone number, and email,
  2. Official position title,
  3. Employer name and contact information,
  4. Start and end dates (including month and year),
  5. A detailed list of duties & accomplishments,
  6. Your grade/step achieved, and
  7. The number of hours worked per week (or indicate full-time).
If you're unsure about what to include in your resume, please review the USAJOBS Resume Writing Tutorial on YouTube. You are encouraged to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder, as this will ensure you're including everything that is required.

If you are claiming a Veterans Preference eligibility:
  1. When claiming a Veteran's Preference, you must submit your last DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) form, specifically the Member #4 Copy, indicating dates and character of service and discharge type.
  2. If you are a Veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more, you will need to additionally submit the SF-15 (Application for 10-point Veterans Preference) and a copy of your VA Letter stating your disability rating.
  3. If you are the qualifying parent or spouse of a disabled, deceased, or deployed Veteran, and are seeking a derived preference eligibility, you must submit appropriate supporting documentation such as the Veterans DD-214, SF-15, VA Letter, and/or Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders. See Veteran Family Preference for more information.
  4. For more information on each type of Veterans Preference, and the documentation required for each, see FedsHireVets.
If you are a displaced Federal employee claiming eligibility under CTAP or ICTAP:
  1. You must submit your separation notice or agency RIF letter from your agency.
  2. If you have not yet been separated, you can provide the letter of intent to separate you from the agency because of reduction-in-force.
  3. See USAJOBS' Career Transition Programs for more information.
If you are using education to qualify for this position, or education is required:
  1. You must submit a transcript, which may be unofficial, as long as it contains a full listing of courses, credit earned, grade and grade-point-average, subject area, degree(s) earned, and dates of award.
  2. Your transcript must come from a nationally-accredited educational institution recognized by the Department of Education.
  3. If submitting a foreign transcript, you must have the transcript reviewed by an approved foreign education review organization recognized by the Department of Education.
  4. Please do not submit electronic transcripts with documentation security protection, these may prevent our application system from accepting and processing the document.
More Info:
USAJOBS - What documents might I need to provide?
Application Manager Help - Documents

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, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 01/17/2025 to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:

If you would like to preview the assessment questionnaire, please see: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12659294

  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.
  3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on 01/17/2025.
  4. After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you via email notification. The email may be routed to your "Spam" or "Junk" folder.
  5. If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments. Click here for Computer System Requirements (https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=USA_Hire_System_Requirements)
  6. Note, set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found on the Additional Application Information page that can be located in the application record in your USAJOBS account.

To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application, including the invitation to take the USA Hire assessment. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/

Agency contact information

Randall Williams
Address
National Security Division
2 Constitution Square
145 N Street NE
Room 9W.300
Washington, DC 20530
US
Learn more about this agency

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.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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