View Common Definitions of terms found in this announcement. Organizational Location: This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of Information Governance and Privacy, in Orlando, Florida and Washington, District of Columbia. This is a non-bargaining unit position. Salary: The salary range indicated in this announcement reflects the lowest and highest potential salaries for this position.
Duties
As a Paralegal Specialist (FOIA/PA), GS-12 you will perform the following duties: Processes and oversees the processing of the most complex and difficult FOIA/PA case requests; Researches, analyzes and prepares documentation for legal issues that arise in the context of processing complex FOIA/PA requests; Confers and negotiates with managers, staff and requesters at all levels on FOIA/PA legal/policy questions; Examines case files prepared by other paralegal specialists to determine issues and sufficiency of evidence and documentation; AND Trains other staff members in screening, indexing, coding, and controlling case documents. This announcement closes on 02/21/2025 for receipt of applications. Due to high volume of applicants, the first 100 applicants will receive first consideration. Additional applicants, beyond the first 100, may be considered, upon management's request.
Salary
Qualifications
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. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position. You qualify for the GS-07 grade level if you possess one of the following: Experience: One (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-05 grade level or equivalent performing duties such as: Performing review and analysis of incoming correspondence and determining how to appropriately handle; Researching, analyzing and summarizing information for use in case precedents and decisions; Preparing correspondence to respond to inquiries from the general public; Coordinating with other state, local, and/or Federal agencies/offices as required. OR Education: Possess one (1) full year of graduate level education or a bachelor's degree and claim eligibility for superior academic achievement based on one of the following: a grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale; or class standing in the upper third of the graduating class or major subdivision; or membership in a national scholastic honor society. OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of successfully completed education and experience. This will be calculated using your resume and unofficial transcripts or a list of courses/course hours submitted with your application. Time in Grade Requirement GS-07: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-05). You qualify for the GS-09 grade level if you possess one of the following: Experience: One (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-07 grade level or equivalent performing duties such as: Processes FOIA cases; Receives FOIA actions and prepares all necessary correspondence, notices, internal memoranda, or other documentation necessary using electronic case management system; Researches and interprets provisions of the FOIA & Privacy Act, draws conclusions, and usessome judgment in determining and applying specific exemptions to documents and/orinformation; Knowledge of record systems to determine the location of materials and documents. OR Education: Possess a master's or equivalent graduate degree or two (2) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education, or an LL.B. or J.D degree. OR Combination of Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed Graduate school education beyond the first full year and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level. Graduate education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. Time in Grade Requirement GS-09: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-07). You qualify for the GS-11 grade level if you possess one of the following: Experience: One (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-09 grade level or equivalent performing duties such as: Keeps abreast of the status of recent developments in the field of public disclosure, including recent court and departmental decisions, and current legislative activities; Assists in preparing training material; Provides advice regarding FOIA regulations, disclosure of agency records, exemptions from full or partial disclosure, and confidential business information; AND, Processes complex and sensitive FOIA cases. OR Education: Possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education, or an LL.M. degree. OR Combination of Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed Graduate school education beyond the first full two years and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level. Graduate education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. Time in Grade Requirement GS-11: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-09). Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Qualification claims will be subject to verification. National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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. 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, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.
Required Documents
Resume showing relevant experience, education and training. Work experience must include: job title, duties, employer's name, employer's telephone number, employer's address, starting and ending dates (MM/YY), hours worked per week, and indicate whether or not we may contact your current supervisor. 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 (for more information, see the Frequently Asked Questions about the Five-Page Resume Limit). Are you a current or former federal employee? If you are a current career or career-conditional Federal employee or a former Federal employee who has reinstatement eligibility you must submit the following by the closing date of this announcement, or you will not receive consideration as such: Submit a copy of a recent SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" documenting proof of competitive status, tenure (tenure code 1 (career) or tenure code 2 (career-conditional) in Block 24 and Position Occupied 1 in Block 34), position title, occupational series, grade level and step. If you are applying for a higher grade, please provide the SF-50 which shows the length of time you have been in your current/highest grade. If you have promotion potential in any of your positions, please provide an SF-50 stating your highest full performance level to support having met the time-in-grade requirement of having served 52 weeks at the grade level (or equivalent) below the grade level(s) for this position. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include appointment/conversion, within grade/range increases, and promotion actions. Note: Award and Pay Adjustment SF-50s are NOT acceptable. Are you qualifying based on education? Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) or a list of coursework with hours completed. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. For example, specific courses accepted for college-level credit by an accredited U.S. college or university, or foreign education evaluated by an organization recognized for accreditation by the Department of Education as education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. college or university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications for more information. Are you a veteran? You must provide acceptable documentation of your preference or appointment eligibility. The member 4 copy of your DD214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," is preferable. If claiming 10 point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form (SF-15), "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference." If applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification. This must indicate your dates of service, your rank, and confirm that you will be separated under honorable conditions. View more veterans' information. Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Interagency Career Transition Plan (ICTAP)? If so, submit a copy of your agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) noting your current position, grade level, and duty location. Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment: Position title, type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee), agency and beginning and ending dates of appointment. You may be asked to provide a copy of your recent performance appraisal and/or incentive awards.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the Occupational Questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12682702 and submit the required documentation outlined under the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section. The complete initial Application must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 02/21/2025. PLEASE NOTE: If your materials are not received by the closing date, your application will be evaluated solely on the information available and you may not receive full consideration or may not be considered eligible. Also, if you do not provide a valid email address, you may not be notified of the outcome of your application. To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log into your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process. Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. If you need further assistance, contact the Human Resources Office representative listed on this announcement at least one day prior to the closing date for further instructions. One or more positions may be filled using this vacancy announcement. Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
