PARALEGAL SPECIALIST

This is a Washington National Guard Title 5 Excepted Service Technician position: PARALEGAL SPECIALIST Location: 194th Wing Camp Murray, Washington 98430 Air National Guard Units Appointment Type: Temporary, Indefinite, excepted service Advertised as: Title 5 May be used to fill one or more vacancies. *Ensure you read this announcement in its entirety, complete all application requirements, and your USA Jobs profile name is accurate*

Duties

A GS-0950-11, PARALEGAL SPECIALIST:

• Advises the Staff Judge Advocate on all command issues on behalf of command staff, researching interpretation of federal/state statutes and regulations, and ensuring that legal guidance and support is furnished in a timely manner. Advises Wing leadership on options, which are legally permissible, or desirable, after consultation with the SJA. Prepares, researches, and drafts written legal opinions after SJA review with regard to applicable laws, regulations, instructions, directives, and policies in the area of Administrative Law including, but not limited to: Reports of Survey; Line of Duty Determinations; formal and informal investigations and commander inquiries; legal sufficiency reviews; Inspector General and Equal Employment Opportunity investigations; fiscal law; unfavorable personnel actions; standards of conduct; family advocacy; and public relations. Supports and assist with CDI investigations, reports and briefings. Conducts classes and training for commanders and unit members. Represents the SJA and Wing Commander on legal committees, working groups, and inter-disciplinary teams as well as legal conferences and meetings
• Provides legal assistance on a non-interference basis to members of the ANG and their dependents as authorized by AFI 51-504, CNGBI, NGR, and other AF/JA guidance. In line with professional responsibility standards, legal assistance with respect to the following legal matters may be provided to eligible beneficiaries with the supervision of the SJA, or draft opinions/documents for the SJA to execute thereof: wills, powers of attorney, living wills and health care directives, notary services, dependent care plans, casualty affairs (death incident to the performance of military duty), employment problems arising from the performance of military duty and subject to the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) or a similar state statute, land-lord tenant problems specifically related to performance of military duty, tax problems specifically related to performance of military duty, matters arising from the performance of military duty and subject to the Service members Civil Relief Act (SCRA), or a similar state statute, providing Special Victim's Counsel (SVC) services, or area defense counsel services, when necessary. Provides deployment legal assistance to ensure personal legal readiness of military members; participates in deployment readiness exercises, mobility lines, and Yellow Ribbon events. Prepares preventative law articles and products for publication and distribution and delivers preventative law briefings. Maintains currency in applicable law and completes education and training requirements, as detailed in AFI 51-504, CNGBI, NGR, and other AF/JA guidance.
• Provides research, analysis, guidance, and support to administer courts-martial, non-judicial punishment, administrative boards and other legal actions and administrative processes. Reviews procedures, timing criteria and documents relative to the administration of justice under the Uniform Code of Military Justice and associated state/territory code. Performs research to identify factual and legal issues to uncover relevant information for summaries of precedent cases, interviews, testimony, depositions, and related case material for use by the attorneys. Performs research and preparation of notes and memoranda regarding allegations and possible charges, maintains logs and files, and files motions. Prepares and files charge sheets, disposition sheets, and other records. Maintains transcript files and exhibits. Provides assistance to serviced units concerning the administrative preparation, coordination, and implementation of documents regarding military justice.
• Reviews changes in regulations on the Freedom of Information Act & updates & advises other legal personnel & field staff of changes. Consults & assists in formulation of NGB regulations regarding the release of information. Reviews Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. Analyzes specific criteria & conducts required research for the information requested & coordinates with organization's functional managers for release of appropriate information. Provides summaries & rationale to the FOIA Officer to determine appropriate action for non-releasable information. Ensures necessary documents are prepared for release & assesses fees. Maintains statistics for annual reporting requirements & tracks collections for FOIA fees. Accepts complaints, summons, documents, or inquiries; identifies the type or purpose; screens for completeness; & identifies the action to be performed. As required by the action, performs preliminary investigation & gathers pertinent information, researches legal & factual issues, interviews claimant, involved parties and potential witnesses and builds case files, & recommends disposition of claim.
• Other duties as assigned.

Salary

• $83,935 - $109,122/year

Conditions of Employment

• Federal employment suitability as determined by a background investigation.
• May be required to successfully complete a trial period.
• Participation in direct deposit is mandatory.
• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• A resume and supporting documents must be submitted (see "How to Apply").
• This position is subject to provisions of the DoD Priority Placement Program.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain the appropriate security clearance of the position.
• This position is covered by the Domestic Violence Misdemeanor Amendment (30 Sep 96) of the Gun Control Act (Lautenberg Amendment) of 1968. An individual convicted of a qualifying crime of domestic violence may not perform the duties of this position.
• Position requires ability to establish effective professional working relationships with coworkers and customers, contributing to a cooperative working environment and successful accomplishment of the mission.
• May occasionally be required to work other than normal duty hours; overtime may be required.
• Duties and responsibilities may significantly impact the environment. You are responsible to maintain awareness of your environmental responsibilities as dictated by legal and regulatory requirements, your organization, and its changing mission.

Qualifications

GENERAL EXPERIENCE:
Experience, education or training that demonstrates the ability to analyze the legal impact of legislative developments and administrate and judicial decisions, opinions, rulings and determinations on agency programs; conduct research for the preparation of legal opinions on matters of interest to the agency. Practical knowledge and use of basic legal principles and concepts to interpret and apply or explain to others the application of a body of law, regulations, precedents, and practices covering one or more recurring types of legal actions encountered in an agency.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE:
Must have at least 36 months experience or 1-year specialized experience, education, or training equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the formal and informal rules of evidence and skill necessary to evaluate the adequacy and/or admissibility of evidence, to request additional data or further investigation, when needed, or to develop narrative or graphic exhibits to support specified legal arguments and coordinate actions with other federal agencies or state and local jurisdictions that have closely related responsibilities.

***Note: If this vacancy announcement indicates Specialized Experience, "1 year equivalent to at least next lower grade level", you must provide your last SF 50, if you are a current or former Federal Employee and you want to be considered under this provision.

Education Education Requirements: High School Diploma or GED Degree Required: None. Substitution of Education for Specialized Experience: Not Applicable. Other Information If you are a male applicant who was born after 12/31/1959 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency (https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx). - Certain incentive(s) may be available pending funding and approval but are not guaranteed.. ********This is an indefinite position. If an individual employed in the excepted civil service accepts this position, he/she will receive an indefinite appointment. If a Reduction-In-Force occurs the indefinite appointee will have no reemployment rights to his/her former position or any other position. If funding level and employee manning levels permit, incumbent may be converted to permanent technician status without further competition. ****** EQUAL OPPORTUNITY: The WA National Guard is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), 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. If you are unable to upload a document online please send the document via email to our WA HRO Distro Box. Required Documents

To apply for this position, you are required to submit a complete application package. If you fail to provide this documents/information, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and will not be considered any further. Resumes must be in your own words. Resumes that are verbatim, from this announcement, will not be considered.

A complete application package includes:

1. Resume must NOT exceed two (2) pages, IAW Merit Hiring Plan and must include:
   • Contact information
     • Full Name
     • Email Address
     • Phone Number
   • Relevant work history that demonstrates specialized experience for the position you are applying to
     • Position Title
     • Organization/Department/Unit
     • Hours worked per week
     • Dates (format must include Month and Year) of employment
     • Duties performed
     • Series and grade for federal positions, if held
   • Resumes exceeding 2 pages will not be considered. For more guidance please see new resume guidance.
   • If your resume includes the below listed content, it will not be used to make an eligibility/qualification determination, and you will not be considered for this vacancy.
     • Classified or government sensitive information
     • Social Security Number (SSN)
     • Photos of yourself
     • Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
2. Do not include encrypted and/or digitally signed documents because they become corrupted and you will not receive credit for submitting them.
3. If you believe you are eligible for Veteran's Preference in hiring, you must claim preference and provide supporting documentation.*** To determine if you qualify for Veteran's Preference in hiring, please use the following link provided by the U.S. Department of Labor.***
   • Completed SF15, etc. (SF15 is required for 10-point preference) You will not receive 10 point preference without a completed SF15. The SF15 will indicate additional required documents, that you MUST provide with your application to receive 10 point preference.
4. Other support documentation (optional or required based on the vacancy announcement)
   • Cover Letter
   • SF-50 (latest non-award SF-50)
   • Transcript (s)

***For current National Guard/Reserve members, please document your military work experience as follows: (You may adjust the format, so that you do not exceed the two (2) page resume limit, as long as your resume clearly reflects your military employment history.)

List month joined (to/from) based on your enlistment contract (DD4) or (Oath) for Officers. If you have gaps in service, list them separately.

Example:04 Sep 2019 to 03 Sep 2023
Washington Air National Guard
Traditional Member
20 hours per month
POSITIONS TITLE MOS/AFSC
Personnel Superintendent 3S091
Duties

Military Orders During this period: (list multiple periods if everything else is the same: Order Type, Duties, & Purpose

04 Nov 2019 to 03 Dec 2019
40 hours per week
15 Mar 2020 to 14 May 2020
40 hours per week
Type of Order: ADOS/AT/ST/AGR
Order Purpose:
Duties:

***If there are multiple purposes on a single order (ie. BMT then Tech Training/AIT), list specific periods. Example: Order cover 02 Sep 2020 to 12 Mar 2021:

List 02 Sep 2020 to 01 Nov 2020 as BMT and 02 Nov 2020 to 12 Mar 2021 as Tech Training/AIT

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application/Occupational Questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To view the Occupational Questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12933921

A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement 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.

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.

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/.