Paralegal Specialist

Department of Justice

Offices, Boards and Divisions

Office of the Solicitor General (OSG)

Summary

This announcement is open to current or former federal employees and specific hiring authorities. This position serves as a Paralegal Specialist, located in the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), Research and Publication Section (R&P), Paralegal Unit in Washington, D.C. The major function of the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) is to supervise and conduct government litigation in the Supreme Court of the United States (Court).

This job is open to

The public

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

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

The duties and responsibilities for a GS-Paralegal Specialist-0950-9/11 generally include, but are not limited to, the following:

Working closely with Attorneys to identify the type of assistance needed on cases.
Providing legal support and research to attorneys in the preparation of cases for litigation in the Supreme Court.
Summarizing the relevance of an array of legal information.
Evaluating, analyzing, and cite checking Supreme Court briefs in the court.

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 period. See “Additional Information” section for further details.
Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31st 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.

Qualifications

To qualify for the position of Paralegal Specialist, at GS-0950-9/11, you must meet the qualification requirements listed below.

For the GS-09: Specialized Experience: For the GS-9, you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service which demonstrates providing support to attorney's in reviewing, analyzing or evaluating case issues or citations for accuracy in briefs filed in the Supreme Court.

GS-9 substitution of education for experience:

Education: Master's Degree or two (2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B or J.D. in a field that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work of the position. (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 as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.)

For the GS-11: Specialized Experience: For the GS-11, you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service which demonstrates reviewing, analyzing, and advising on legal case issues for the accuracy of legal citations or other references.

GS-11 substitution of education for experience:

Education: Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M. in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. (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 as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.)

You MUST meet all qualification requirements by the 10/22/2026 of this announcement.

Your resume must support your responses to the online questionnaire and the 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.?

Education

Use this placeholder if education cannot be used or counted at all:

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements, please see the statements below.

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 towards your qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from accredited institution.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. If you are qualifying on foreign education, you MUST submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Transcripts must be uploaded with your application to verify education. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.

Additional information

Additional selections may be made from this announcement.

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. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

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:

Meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria;
Be rated well-qualified for the position [with a score of 85] based on the competencies listed above; and
Submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility.

Probationary Period: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
1) your performance and conduct;
2) the needs and interests of the agency;
3) whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
4) whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. More information can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/media/1425556/dl?inline .

DOJ Reasonable Accommodation Policy: Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. The DOJ Reasonable Accommodation policy can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/reasonable-accommodation#policy

Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: The Fair Chance Act prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOJ employee or Federal contractor acting on its behalf has violated your rights under this Act, you may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to Weston Sperbeck at Weston.V.Sperbeck@usdoj.gov. Note: In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201(b) certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance Act.

This is a non-bargaining unit position.

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 the 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 10 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.

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 guidance on supplemental certification. The selecting official will adhere to veterans' preference rules and Rule of Many procedures when making selections.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

Legal, Government and Jurisprudence
Manages and Organizes Information
Research
Written Communication

If you would like to preview the application questionnaire, please see: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13086308

[Note to the HR Specialist - Remove once the HR specialist has verified the Essays and Instructions have been added to the assessment questionnaire.]

Required Documents

It is your responsibility to carefully review the list of required documents below and submit the necessary documentation based on your eligibility.

Resume

Resume - All Applicants: You must submit a resume (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.

Veterans' Preference documentation: If you are claiming veterans' preference you must submit:
(1) a copy of your DD-214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," (Member 4 copy), showing the dates of active duty, type of discharge, and character of service, OR

(2) a certification letter 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 no later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted. This letter must contain (a) military service dates including the expected discharge or release date and (b) character of service.
If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference as a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Mother or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, in addition to the documents specified above, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF-15, and if applicable, a completed SF-15.

CTAP/ICTAP eligibility documentation - If you are a displaced Federal employee claiming eligibility under CTAP or ICTAP, you must submit:

A copy of the agency notice (i.e., letter of intent, separation notice, or agency RIF letter),
Your most recent performance appraisal, and
Most recent SF-50 showing current/former position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location.
See USAJOBS' Career Transition Programs for more information.

College Transcripts - If you are using education to qualify for this position, or education is required, you must submit: An unofficial transcript containing a full listing of courses, credit earned, grade and grade-point-average, subject area, degree(s) earned, and dates of award. Note: If you are selected for this position, official transcripts will be required prior to your first day.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application questionnaire and submit your supporting documentation. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 10/22/2026 to receive consideration.

The application process is as follows:

Click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.

Essay Questions: The following four narrative questions provide an opportunity for you to highlight your dedication to public service for the hiring manager and agency leadership (or designee(s)). While your responses are not required and will not be scored, we encourage you to thoughtfully address each question. Please provide a response of 200 words or less to each question (see the application questionnaire). You will be asked to certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) such as a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT or Copilot.

1. How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government? Provide a concrete example from professional, academic, or personal experience.
1. In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? Provide specific examples where you improved processes, reduced costs, or improved outcomes.
1. In this role, you will be expected to professionally and efficiently implement executive direction. Provide an example where you implemented leadership direction on a strategy or policy decision that differed from your own recommendation.
1. How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements? Provide one or two specific examples, and explain how those qualities would enable you to serve effectively in this position.

Need Help?
If you need help with USAJOBs or the application process, please see the USAJOBS Help or Application Manager Online Help websites which includes information on managing your account, creating an application, uploading documents, etc.

Reasonable Accommodation: To request reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact Weston Sperbeck at Weston.V.Sperbeck@usdoj.gov for assistance.

Agency contact information

Weston Sperbeck

Email: weston.v.sperbeck@usdoj.gov

Address: Office of the Solicitor General
2 Constitution Square
145 N Street NE
Room 9W.300
Washington, DC 20530
US

Next steps

You will receive e-mail notifications as your application status is updated by DOJ. However, you can also see your application status any time by logging in to your USAJOBS account and looking on the "Applications" page. Click the position title to expand the display for each application in the list.

We strive to extend a final offer of employment within 90 days from the close of this announcement. Additional selections may be made from this announcement.

Paralegal Specialist Job in Washington, DC