Paralegal Specialist

Duties Assists in preparation of litigation cases, assists with discovery, prepares litigation memorandums.
Provides legal research assistance to attorneys and assists with review of bonds, Requests for Service Contract Approvals, and other contract claims matters.
Performs a variety of administrative and office support functions.
Functions as Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) paralegal, ensures timely input, reviews requests, implements change and responsible for preparing annual FOIA report.
Functions as claims paralegal, investigating actual and potential claims against the Government.
Requirements Conditions of Employment Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
This position requires a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE450) upon entry, and annually thereafter.
Qualifications Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below.
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).
You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application.
Additional information about transcripts is in this document.
For GS-07: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes performing paralegal or legal work, applying a basic knowledge of legal research and the ability to interpret legal decisions; drafting a variety of legal documents and correspondences; assisting with preparation of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request responses; assisting with Tort Claims and/or maintaining a Tort Claims journal; assisting in trial preparation by compiling, organizing and indexing various evidentiary exhibits; utilizing various computerized database programs to organize documents.
This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-05).
OR 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.
OR Superior Academic Achievement: Successful completion of all 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.
achsnatl.
org/).
OR 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) by 18.
Add the two percentages.
For GS-09: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes examining and processing a variety of legal documents; processing requests under information disclosure statutes such as Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and or Privacy Act (PA) requests; drafting briefs, pleadings, litigation recommendations, or other legal documents and correspondence; using a variety of electronic or manual filing systems to acquire and store information; document findings and preparing recommendations.
This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-07).
OR 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 do the work of the position.
OR 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 first year (total graduate semester hours minus 18) by 18.
Add the two percentages.
For GS-11: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes performing duties as a legal specialist such as assisting attorneys in preparation of cases; researching and analyzing legal issues such as environmental law and contract claims and appeals; utilizing traditional research resources such as Westlaw, Lexis, Juris or CEALS; performing legal activities gathering and analyzing data to resolve legal issues; and researching and reviewing legal references, case files, and other sources for information and data required by attorneys or court personnel.
This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-09).
OR A 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.
OR 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.
You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency in the following areas: Administration and Management Administrative Law Technical Competence Education FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show 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 further information, visit: https://sites.
ed.
gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
Additional information Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
You will be required to provide proof of U.
S.
Citizenship.
One year trial/probationary period may be required.
Direct Deposit of Pay is required.
.
Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
Selectee may be subject to further application procedures under Administrative Careers with America (ACWA).
If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
This is a Legal Career Field position Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest.
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.
Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement.
If you are minimally qualified, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience.
If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position.
Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.
You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume as that information may be taken into consideration during the selection process.
If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation.
Basis for Rating: Qualified candidates will be assigned to one of three quality categories: Best Qualified, Highly Qualified and Qualified.
Veteran preference eligibles are listed ahead of non-preference eligibles within each quality category.
Best Qualified.
Candidates in this category possess exceptional skills and experience to exceed well above the minimum requirements for the announced position.
Highly Qualified.
Candidates in this category possess good skills and experience above the minimum requirements for the announced position.
Qualified.
Candidates in this category meet the minimum experience requirements for the announced position.
You may claim Military Spouse preference.
You may claim Priority Placement Program (PPP) preference.
DoD Priority Placement Program (PPP) Applicants will receive preference consideration at the full-performance grade level only.
Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP).
If you are a Federal employee in the competitive service and your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority for this position.
To receive selection priority, you must: (1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria (2) be rated well-qualified for the position and; (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility.
To be considered well-qualified and receive selection priority applicants must satisfy all qualification requirements for the position and receive a score of 90 or above.
Additional information about the program is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website.
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.
The documents you are required to submit vary based on whether or not you are eligible for preference in federal employment.
A complete description of preference categories and the associated required documents is in the Applicant Checklist for Public Announcements.
As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply.
If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.
1.
Your resume: Your resume may be submitted in any format and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement.
If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
For qualifications determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week and the dates of employment (i.
e.
, HRS per week and month/year to month/year or month/year to present).
If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete and you may not receive consideration for this position.
For additional information see: What to include in your resume.
2.
Other supporting documents: Cover Letter, optional NOTE: Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office.
Some supplemental documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you.
You may sanitize these documents to remove another person's personal information before you submit your application.
You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.
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 complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 12/04/2023 to receive consideration.
To begin, 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 (https://apply.
usastaffing.
gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12190600).
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.
You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date.
Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.
usajobs.
gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen.
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/.
Agency contact information Army Applicant Help Desk Website https://portal.
chra.
army.
mil/hr_public?id=app_inq Address RE-W2SM01 US ARMY ENGINEER DISTRICT-HUNTINGTON DO NOT MAIL Huntington, WV 25701 US Next steps If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application.
Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position.
If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.
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 The documents you are required to submit vary based on whether or not you are eligible for preference in federal employment.
A complete description of preference categories and the associated required documents is in the Applicant Checklist for Public Announcements.
As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply.
If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.
1.
Your resume: Your resume may be submitted in any format and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement.
If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
For qualifications determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week and the dates of employment (i.
e.
, HRS per week and month/year to month/year or month/year to present).
If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete and you may not receive consideration for this position.
For additional information see: What to include in your resume.
2.
Other supporting documents: Cover Letter, optional NOTE: Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office.
Some supplemental documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you.
You may sanitize these documents to remove another person's personal information before you submit your application.
You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.
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.