Student Trainee (Paralegal Specialist)

Clarification from the agency

You must be a current student for the Summer or Fall semester. If you are a recent graduate, you are not eligible for this paralegal specialist internship program.

Who May Apply: Applicants must be CURRENT students for the Summer or Fall semester in an accredited high school, college; professional; technical, vocational, and trade school; advanced degree program; or other qualifying education institution pursuing a qualifying degree or certificate in a field related to the position. Such fields may include law, legal studies, paralegal studies, or other related field. In addition, the individual selected is expected to continue as a student for at least one year after appointment; therefore, students graduating prior to December 2027 will not be considered.

The Environment and Natural Resources Division is seeking a student to fill a paid paralegal specialist intern position. Ideally, students who are able to work 40 hours per week during standard working hours is preferred. Students attending evening classes in a graduate program are ideal for this position.

The student paralegal specialist intern will be assigned to projects in several substantive areas of the Division's work and will also have the opportunity to obtain experience working with lawyers at one of the Nation's premier litigation organizations.

As a Student Trainee (Paralegal Specialist), your typical work assignments may include the following:

• Assisting with the Division's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) docket, including the processing of FOIA requests and appeals and analyzing documents for responsiveness and privileges;
• Performing document management tasks;
• Performing cite-checking, reviewing records and factual materials, and conducting legal research in various databases including Westlaw, Pacer, and Lexis; and
• Working closely with attorneys on special projects, including tracking litigation in priority areas for the Division.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen or national.
• You must complete a background investigation including pre-employment drug testing.
• Selective Service Registration is required, as applicable.
• You must maintain a bank account for direct deposit of salary.
• Must be at least 16 years old.
• Must meet Student Intern Program requirements.
• Must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment in a degree or certificate program that is related to the position.
• If this is your first appointment in the Federal service, your salary will be set at Step 1 of the grade selected.

Qualifications

Student Pathways Program: This is a Student Internship opportunity that provides students enrolled in a qualifying educational institution with paid opportunities to work in Federal agencies while completing their education. In order to qualify, candidates must meet the program requirements and educational requirements listed below. If this is your first appointment in the Federal service, your pay will be set at step 1 of the grade selected.

Program Requirements: Applicants must be enrolled or formally accepted for enrollment for the current semester as a full-time or part-time student into an accredited college or university in a degree-seeking program or other qualifying educational institution pursuing a qualifying degree or certificate in a field related to this position. Such fields may include law, legal studies, paralegal studies, or other related field.

• Must be in good academic standing and maintain at least a 2.5 cumulative grade point average (GPA).
• If selected, must sign a Student Pathways program agreement; furnish course registration information at the start of each school term; and provide verification of academic status (transcript) at the end of each academic term.
• For this position, applicants should not graduate prior to December 2027.
• The preferred candidate would be available to work 40 hours a week.

Qualification Requirements

In addition to the program requirements listed above, candidates must meet the minimum education or experience requirements to qualify for the 0999 series either at the GS-7 or GS-9 grade level:

GS-7:
A. Must have a bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement (SAA), or
B. Must have one full year of graduate level education, or
C. Must have at least 1 year of specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-5 Federal grade level performing legal research and reviewing and summarizing information in a prescribed format on case precedents and decisions, or
D. Must have a combination of education and specialized experience, that together meet the qualification requirements for this position.

Superior Academic Achievement: This provision applies to persons who have completed all the requirements for a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university as evidenced by one of three methods described below (within a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled):
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.
2. Grade-point average (G.P.A.) -- Applicants must have a grade-point average of: a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their 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. Grade-point averages are to be rounded to one decimal place. For example, 2.95 will round to 3.0 and 2.94 will round to 2.9.
3. Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society -- Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies.

GS-9:
A. Must have a master's or equivalent degree or two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education, or LL.B or J.D., or
B. Must have at least one year of specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-7 Federal grade level performing legal research; reviewing and summarizing information in a prescribed form on case precedents and decisions; and preparing written analysis of legal questions containing well-supported conclusions and citations, or
C. Must have a combination of education and specialized experience when combined, is equivalent to 100% of the qualification requirement. (Only graduate education in excess of the first full year may be used in this calculation).

NOTE: An academic year of undergraduate education is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in an accredited college or university.

You must submit an unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. For qualification purposes, degree requirements must be met within 30 days of the closing date of this job announcement and your transcript(s) submitted must reflect this.

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 skill and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

To preview questions, please click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12991154.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

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.

The ideal candidate will have strong analytical, research, and writing skills, the ability to balance a diverse workload and set of priorities, and excellent judgment. Also desirable are interest in environmental, natural resources, Indian, and/or administrative law, a commitment to public service, a strong work ethic, ability to work on teams, ability to meet deadlines, and organizational skills and attention to detail. Selection for employment will be based on factors including academic achievement, work experience, and clinical or other experience.

Note - 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 qualifications 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 applicants.

Your application must demonstrate your ability to perform the following competencies (knowledge, skills, and other characteristics):

• Attention to Detail
• Flexibility
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Problem Solving
• Self-Management
• Technology Application

Please Note: Additional candidates may selected if more positions become available in the Division within 90 days after the HR office issues the selection certificate.

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

• Official position title;
• Employer name and contact information;
• Start and end dates (month and year);
• A detailed list of duties & accomplishments,
• Your highest salary (or Federal grade/step) achieved; and
• Indicate full-time or number of hours worked per week if part-time.

Additional required documents must be submitted by the closing date of the job announcement. Documentation requirements may vary from applicant to applicant based on your eligibility claims. It is your responsibility to carefully review the list below to determine which documents are required for your application.

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

1. Resume (not to exceed two pages)
2. Cover letter (optional)
3. Unofficial school transcripts with GPA displayed
4. Proof of current school enrollment for Summer or Fall 2026.
5. Documentation to support your claim for veteran preference and, if applicable
6. Your online responses to the Occupational Questionnaire

School Transcripts:

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. Please do not submit electronic transcripts with documentation security protection. These may prevent our application system from accepting and processing the document.
4. If submitting a foreign transcript, you must have the transcript reviewed by an approved foreign education review organization recognized by the Department of Education. Your transcript must also be in English or have an English translation included.

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. For more information on each type of Veterans Preference, and the documentation required for each, see FedsHireVets.

Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.Do not include the following types of information in your profile or resume:

• Classified or government sensitive information
• Social Security Number (SSN)
• Photos of yourself
• Personal information, such as age, religious affiliation, etc.
• Encrypted and digitally signed documents

If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate content, you may not be considered for this vacancy.

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