Supervisory Legal Administrative Specialist

For more information on the Department of Justice and the United States Attorneys' Offices, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/. For more information on the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Texas, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx. As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.

Duties

If selected for this position, you will support Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Civil Division representing the United States in civil lawsuits in state and federal courts throughout the Southern District of Texas.

Typical work assignments will include:

• Performs substantive paralegal projects for attorneys working on complex civil cases;
• Analyzes and making recommendations on management issues in office operations, use of personnel, money and materials;
• Interfaces with administrative staff and management officials to assure legal support services and administrative requirements are met;
• Acts as a liaison between the district and other government offices to ascertain records, reports, documents, etc., requested with pending legal matters;
• Reviews and analyzes directives, orders, manuals, and guidance correspondence to support compliance with district policies, procedures, and Department of Justice/Executive Office of the United States Attorney regulations;
• Plans and organizes work projects and assignments to be accomplished by subordinates, prepares schedules for completion of work in order to meet deadlines and ensure an even workflow of work;
• Implements and advises staff of new policies and/or modifies existing procedures;
• Provides trial team management by assigning legal support for each civil trial;
• Plans work to be accomplished by staff;
• Identifies the developmental and training needs of staff;
• Hears and resolves complaints and grievances from employees; effects minor disciplinary measures as required.

Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.

Salary

• $102,203 - $132,870/year

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 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 http://www.sss.gov/.
• If selected, you may be required to complete a one year probationary period.
• Time-in-Grade: Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements within 30 days after the closing date of this announcement.
• You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days after the closing date of this announcement and before placement in the position.
• If selected, you will be subject to the satisfactory completion of a one year supervisory or managerial probationary period unless this requirement has been met previously.

Qualifications

GS-12: To be eligible at the GS-12 level, you must meet at least ONE full year of Specialized Experience as defined below.

Specialized Experience: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level.

Specialized Experience is defined as performing the following types of duties: providing paralegal support to a professional attorney staff; performing extensive legal research in support of complex case work; conducting analysis of statutes, legislative intent, judicial precedents, agency rules and regulations, etc.; and providing and organizing legal staff support for civil cases.

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 http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/

Other 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; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. EEO Statement: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. Required Documents

You must provide 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) (cover letter optional).

- Required if you are a current or former Federal employee: a recent copy of an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, showing title, series, grade, and full performance level (FPL); AND a copy of your most recent performance appraisal. Please note your SF-50 must include your FPL in the remark section (e.g., appointment, reassignment, promotion actions), pay adjustments and awards do not include this information so they are not acceptable.

- 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.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/09/2025 to receive consideration.

1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.

2. Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package. (It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation are submitted prior to the closing date.)

3. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, please click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12788872

You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application. If you are unable to apply online, contact Patricia Folkes at 713-567-9729 or Patricia.Folkes@usdoj.gov as soon as possible to arrange an alternative application process.

You must specify in your questionnaire under what authority you wish to be considered and submit appropriate documentation to verify your eligibility.

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 http://www.sss.gov/.

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, marital status, status as a parent, disability, age, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, or on the basis of personal favoritism.