Paralegal Specialist

Duties If selected for this position, you will join a well-respected team that is responsible for providing complex paralegal support to the Criminal Division.
Typical work assignments will include: Uses multiple online legal systems, researches state and federal statutes, legal and factual issues and any other source of information pertinent to the resolution of an issue.
Reviews current legislation, regulations, directives and decisions of various courts and/or administrative bodies.
Organizes and prepares research material, determines pertinent information, reconciles conflicting facts, identifies and gathers additional information when necessary, weighs diverse and complex facts, makes sound interpretations, prepares initial summary and makes recommendations as to appropriateness of data and compatibility with applicable laws, policies or regulations.
Prepares documents that pertain to the analysis, evaluation and relevance of technical evidence or questions which arise during the litigative process and require reconciliation of conflicting policies and facts.
Reviews, proofreads and edits lengthy and complex legal documents.
Verifies citations and statutory references against original sources.
Reviews administrative records and discovery production for privileged content and other content for redaction.
Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.
Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.
S.
Citizen or National Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory pre-employment adjudication.
This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing.
Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable If selected, you may be required to complete a one year probationary period.
You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
Qualifications GS-9: To be eligible at the GS-9 level, you must meet at least ONE of the following conditions, as defined below: Specialized Experience: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level in the Federal service independently performing a variety of analytical paralegal or legal work which demonstrates a practical knowledge of law, the litigation and judicial process, and applicable rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
Specialized experience is defined as experience analyzing legal decisions; collecting, analyzing, and evaluating evidence in connection with hearings, appeals, litigation, or advisory services; applying various laws, court and/or administrative decisions and interpretations related to social security litigation.
Education: One of the following types of education in a related field (e.
g.
, Criminal Justice, Law): a Master's or equivalent graduate degree (such as an LL.
B.
or J.
D.
); OR 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree.
Education at the graduate level must be in an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position.
Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed graduate education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements.
In order to qualify based on a combination, graduate education must be in excess of 1 full year.
GS-11: To be eligible at the GS-11 level, you must meet at least ONE of the following conditions as defined below: Specialized Experience, Education OR a combination of Education and Experience.
Specialized Experience: One year of full-time specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level in the Federal service independently performing a variety of analytical paralegal or legal work which demonstrates a practical knowledge of law, the litigation and judicial process, and applicable rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
Specialized experience is defined as experience applying various laws, court and/or administrative decisions and interpretations related to social security litigation; preparing briefs and presentations of oral arguments; performing research to assist in the development of cases; preparing indices of legal and administrative material.
Managing discovery and evidence in electronic and hard copy formats; providing technical support, such as enlarging charts and photographs, duplicating tapes and videos, and marking exhibits.
Education: One of the following types of education in a relate field, an LL.
M; a Ph.
D.
or equivalent doctoral degree; OR three full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in law, criminal justice, public administration, business administration, or a closely related field that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of a Paralegal Specialist.
(Must provide Transcripts to verify) Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of specialized experience and graduate-level education which when combined equal 100% of the requirements.
To calculate your percentage of graduate education, first determine the total number of graduate hours that exceed 36 semester hours (or your school's definition of two years of graduate study), then divide the total number of your excess graduate semester hours by 18 (or your school's definition of one year of graduate study).
To calculate your percentage of qualifying experience, divide your total number of months of qualifying experience by 12.
Now, add the two percentages together.
The sum of the percentages must equal at least 100%.
(Only graduate education in excess of the first two years may be used in this calculation.
) Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)- The ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies.
If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in the announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy.
To be well-qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and receive a score of 85 or better on established ranking criteria.
You must provide proof of eligibility to receive selection priority.
Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form.
Additional information about ICTAP eligibility is at: https://www.
opm.
gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)-The CTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies.
If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility, 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy.
To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and receive a score of 85 or better on established ranking criteria.
You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application.
Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at https://www.
opm.
gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.
Education 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, see https://www.
ed.
gov OR Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States.
It is your responsibility to timely provide such evidence by submitting proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency with your application materials.
More information may be found at https://www2.
ed.
gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.
html.
All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.
Additional information Payment of relocation expenses will not be authorized.
The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; telework; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System.
Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born 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.
See www.
sss.
gov.
Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees.
If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office.
Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.
Reasonable Accommodation Statement: 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.
EEO Statement: The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, status as a parent, genetic information, disability, age, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, or on the basis of personal favoritism.
Diversity Statement: 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.
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 complete application package (resume/supporting documentation, online questionnaire, and USA Hire Competency Based Assessment) will be evaluated and rated using 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 online 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.
In addition, qualified veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 10% or more are placed at the top of the highest quality category (i.
e.
, Best Qualified).
You will be rated on the following Competencies (see The OPM Website for definitions): Attention to Detail, Case Development, Case Presentation, Customer Service, Decision Making, Flexibility, Integrity/Honesty, Interpersonal Skills, Learning, Legal, Government and Jurisprudence, Reading Comprehension, Reasoning, Self-Management, Stress Tolerance, Teamwork, and Writing 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.
The assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies.
You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered.
You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.
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.
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.
Required Documents As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits.
Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee.
You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package, which includes: -Required: Your responses to the Online Occupational Questionnaire (This is completed automatically during the apply online process).
-Required: Your resume showing relevant experience and dates (month/day/year) of employment and work schedule for each (e.
g.
, part-time XX hours per week or full-time).
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.
(cover letter optional).
-Required if you meet qualifications based on education: An unofficial college transcript (Note: If you are selected for this position, official transcript will be required prior to your first day.
) and foreign education evaluation documentation, if applicable, as described under the "Qualifications" section of this vacancy announcement.
-Required, if applicable: Veterans' Preference documentation.
Veterans' Preference- If you are entitled to Veterans' Preference, you must indicate the type of preference you are claiming in your application and submit the appropriate documentation, as specified below.
In order to verify your Veterans' Preference entitlement, please submit a copy of the Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty); or if you are a current Active Duty member you must submit a certification on appropriate military branch letterhead that indicates: 1) your service dates, 2) expected discharge or release date from active duty with a release/discharge date no later than 120 days from the closing date of this announcement, and 3) the character of service (e.
g.
, Honorable); or other official documentation (e.
g.
, documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that shows your military service was performed under honorable conditions.
In addition, if you are a disabled veteran, a Purple Heart recipient, or widow/widower if a veteran, the spouse of a disabled veteran or the parent of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference" dated October 2013 and all the other required documentation identified on the reverse side of the SF-15 to support your preference claim.
-Required, if applicable: CTAP/ICTAP documentation (a copy of a separation notice or other proof of eligibility for priority selection; a copy of an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, showing current position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location; AND a copy of your most recent performance appraisal.
-If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you must submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found at: https://help.
usastaffing.
gov/Apply/index.
php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire 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 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 all the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 01/18/2024 the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
The application process is as follows: 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 01/18/2024.
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 both on screen and via email notification.
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.
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 preview the Assessment Questionnaire, please click the following link: https://apply.
usastaffing.
gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12257782 To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (https://usajobs.
gov).
There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Edit my 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.
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/status/.
Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.
e.
, physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 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.
Agency contact information Theresa Bossard Phone 205-244-2072 Email Theresa.
Bossard@usdoj.
gov Address Northern District of Alabama 1801 Fourth Ave.
North Birmingham, AL 35203 US 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 Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
.
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.
To be considered for the position, you must meet all qualifications, including meeting or exceeding the cut score on the required assessments.
Fair and Transparent The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent.
Please read the following guidance.
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Reasonable accommodation policy Financial suitability Selective Service New employee probationary period Signature and false statements Privacy Act Social security number request Required Documents To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package, which includes: -Required: Your responses to the Online Occupational Questionnaire (This is completed automatically during the apply online process).
-Required: Your resume showing relevant experience and dates (month/day/year) of employment and work schedule for each (e.
g.
, part-time XX hours per week or full-time).
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.
(cover letter optional).
-Required if you meet qualifications based on education: An unofficial college transcript (Note: If you are selected for this position, official transcript will be required prior to your first day.
) and foreign education evaluation documentation, if applicable, as described under the "Qualifications" section of this vacancy announcement.
-Required, if applicable: Veterans' Preference documentation.
Veterans' Preference- If you are entitled to Veterans' Preference, you must indicate the type of preference you are claiming in your application and submit the appropriate documentation, as specified below.
In order to verify your Veterans' Preference entitlement, please submit a copy of the Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty); or if you are a current Active Duty member you must submit a certification on appropriate military branch letterhead that indicates: 1) your service dates, 2) expected discharge or release date from active duty with a release/discharge date no later than 120 days from the closing date of this announcement, and 3) the character of service (e.
g.
, Honorable); or other official documentation (e.
g.
, documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that shows your military service was performed under honorable conditions.
In addition, if you are a disabled veteran, a Purple Heart recipient, or widow/widower if a veteran, the spouse of a disabled veteran or the parent of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference" dated October 2013 and all the other required documentation identified on the reverse side of the SF-15 to support your preference claim.
-Required, if applicable: CTAP/ICTAP documentation (a copy of a separation notice or other proof of eligibility for priority selection; a copy of an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, showing current position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location; AND a copy of your most recent performance appraisal.
-If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you must submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found at: https://help.
usastaffing.
gov/Apply/index.
php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire 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.
Help This job is open to The public U.
S.
Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.
S.
Clarification from the agency All U.
S.
Citizens