The mission of the Antitrust Division is to promote competition by enforcing the antitrust laws to protect economic freedom and opportunity on behalf of the American people. The Antitrust Division has an opening for Paralegal Specialists to join its dedicated team and gain invaluable experience working in the public interest to protect the competitive process. Are you ready to contribute to matters of national importance that promote a competitive and productive American economy?
Duties
The Antitrust Division is seeking to fill Paralegal Specialist positions in the Civil Program Offices in Washington, DC. Within the Division, Paralegal Specialists perform legal duties in support of attorneys engaged in antitrust cases and matters. NOTE: This is a TERM appointment (not-to-exceed 4 years). Term appointments are non-status, non-permanent appointments of limited duration. Term employees are eligible to earn leave and generally have the same benefits as permanent employees including health and life insurance, within-grade increases and Federal Employees Retirement System and Thrift Savings Plan coverage. As a Paralegal Specialist, you will: Review, code, categorize, and analyze electronic and hard copy documents in accordance with case priorities, using case management programs and document review platforms. Perform legal or factual research and draft memoranda using section or attorney files, library reference files, corporate records, private and governmental studies, case management programs and document review platforms, and other pertinent sources, to supply needed factual information for inclusion in memoranda, briefs, and similar documents. Assist attorneys and law enforcement partners in conducting interviews with investigative sources and prospective witnesses. Communicate and coordinate with law enforcement agents to collect and track investigative files, including, but not limited to, search warrant and subpoenaed documents. Please note: Additional selections may be made beyond the total number of vacancies specified using this vacancy announcement.
Salary
Qualifications
In order to qualify for this position, you must meet the Specialized Experience Requirements. Specialized experience is experience that has provided you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position as described above, and that is typically in or related to this position being filled. To qualify for this position at the GS-07 level, your resume must reflect at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level. Specialized experience must demonstrate the following: GS-07 level: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level performing 3 out of 4 of the following: Developing, authorizing, or examining claims or applications that required resolving conflicting data and interpreting a body of laws, rules, regulations and policies. Preparing or reviewing contracts or other legal instruments for legal sufficiency and conformance with applicable laws. Selecting and analyzing information to determine the intent of statutes, treaties, and executive orders or legal decisions, opinions, and rulings. Investigating and analyzing evidence of alleged or suspected violations of laws or regulations. OR EDUCATION SUBSTITUTION: One (1) full year of graduate level education (Transcripts required) OR COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: Must possess an equivalent combination of specialized experience and graduate education as described above that demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of this position. (Transcripts required) OR SUPERIOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT PROVISIONS: A grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher for all completed undergraduate course work or for all courses completed in the last two full years of undergraduate work; A GPA of 3.5 or higher for all courses in the major field of study, or those courses in a major completed in the last two full years of undergraduate work; Rank in the upper one-third of a college, university, or major subdivision; or Membership in a national honor society or successful completion of one full year of graduate level study. (Transcripts required) To qualify for this position at the GS-09 level, your resume must reflect at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level. Specialized experience must demonstrate the following: GS-09 level: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level performing 3 out of 5 of the following: Preparing and organizing charts, graphs, and other materials to be used as exhibits in court. Preparing routine correspondence. Taking accurate notes during attorney proffers and witness interviews and preparing memoranda from those notes. Performing legal or factual research to supply needed factual information for inclusion in memoranda, briefs, and similar documents. Reviewing and coding electronic and hard copy documents using case management programs, (i.e., Relativity). To qualify for this position at the GS-11 level, your resume must reflect at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level. Specialized experience must demonstrate the following: GS-11 level: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level performing 3 out of 5 of the following: Auditing investigative files, including internal records, subpoenaed records, and records obtained via search warrant, for production in discovery. Working with attorneys and law enforcement partners in the preparation of witnesses for court appearances or grand jury testimony. Coordinating with attorneys in creating document review protocols. Leading technical support staff with the preparation and organization of electronic document review platforms, (e.g. Relativity). Providing guidance and advice to junior paralegals and/or distributing assignments to junior paralegals on behalf of attorneys. Substitution of education requirements allowed are outlined below. GS-09: 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Master's degree or Master's or equivalent graduate degree or L.L.B. or J.D., if related. NOTE: Transcript(s) must be provided. GS-11: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or L.L.M., if related. NOTE: Transcript(s) must be provided. OR Combination of graduate education and professional experience: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience may be used to meet total experience requirements. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by12. 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. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level. NOTE: Transcript(s) must be provided. IMPORTANT: A full year of work is 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited based on time spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement. 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.
Education
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Applicants MUST submit a copy of transcripts with your application. An unofficial transcript is acceptable to qualify, but it must include your full name, name of the school, the date and degree awarded (if conferred), and the list of classes, grades and credits earned. You will be required to submit an official transcript prior to appointment if you are selected. All academic degrees and course work must be completed at an institution that has obtained accreditation recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Click here to check accreditation. *Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that 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. *All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.
Required Documents
1. A copy of your resume or equivalent - Applicants will be evaluated based on a comparison of the position requirements against the quality and extent of experience or related education as reflected in their resume and cover letter. Applicants are encouraged to ensure work experiences, as represented in their resume, clearly show the possession of knowledge of the subject matter pertinent to the position, and the competencies and technical skills to successfully perform the duties of the position. A cover letter is optional. RESUME REQUIREMENTS - ALL APPLICANTS: Only resumes up to a total of two pages will be accepted. Applicants with resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. You must submit a resume supporting your specialized experience and responses to the online questionnaire. The federal government has very specific resume requirements. If you have not written a federal resume before, you may want to read through a helpful Resume Writing FAQ on the USAJOBS Help Site to learn what details you should, and should not, include in your resume. A CV (curriculum vitae) may not contain enough information to meet these resume requirements. Your resume should list all work experience (paid and unpaid); you must list the full name and address of each employer. For all types of work experience, indicate the start and end date (include month and year); you must also list the average number of hours per week that you worked. Your resume should also include any education and training you have completed (list the program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date). 2. A completed assessment questionnaire. A preview is available here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13021177 3. A copy of your transcript - If there is a basic education requirement, you are qualifying based on education, or a combination of education and experience, you must submit a copy of your transcript. While unofficial transcripts are acceptable for initial application, an official transcript will ultimately be required if you are selected for the position. 4. Documentation of eligibility for special hiring authorities (if applicable) to prove appointment eligibility. Examples include Schedule A disability letter, Peace Corps volunteer letter and: Documentation of eligibility for CTAP and ICTAP (if applicable) - You must provide written notification of your eligibility for CTAP and/or ICTAP; your most recent Performance Appraisal, and your SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action. Veterans' Preference Documentation (if applicable) - If you are a discharged, non-disabled veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character discharge (Member Copy-4), or other documentation of service and separation under honorable conditions. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives. If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, and 6) dated within 120 days of your separation. If you are a disabled veteran, Purple Heart recipient, or mother or spouse of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit a completed SF-15 and all additional proof required by the SF-15, as applicable. If you don't have your Department of Veterans Affairs letter establishing proof of disability, you may request it online or call 1-800-827-1000. NOTE: 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); official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty; 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. (1) If you are claiming 10-point preference, you must submit Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 in addition to the supporting documentation required and identified on the reverse side of the SF-15, Application for 10 Point Veterans' Preference OR a VA letter that shows dates of service or service-connected disability AND character of service. (2) If you are claiming 10-point DERIVED PREFERENCE as a relative you must submit Member Copy 4 of the veteran's DD-214, and an SF-15, Application for 10-point veterans' preference, in addition to the supporting documentation required and identified on the reverse side of this form. If you fail to do so, you will receive consideration as a non-veteran.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 08/10/2026 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. Only resumes up to a total of two pages will be accepted. Applicants with resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. We recommend saving and uploading your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume. The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started. 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/. Please note: Applications mailed using government postage and/or internal federal government mailing systems are in violation of agency and postal regulations and will not be accepted. These instructions outline our application process. You must complete the online application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. ET on the closing date of this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET, Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, you must contact us by noon ET on the announcement's closing date. If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact the Le'Chelle Williams by email at lechelle.williams@usdoj.gov or by phone at 2025982356 to obtain an alternative application. If you require a reasonable accommodation for disability during any part of the application and hiring process, please contact Karen Jung by phone at 202-514-8885 or by email at Karen.Jung@usdoj.gov. The Antitrust Division provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. You must contact us by 5:00 p.m. ET on the announcement's closing date to request accommodation. Callers with hearing or speech impairment can access their state's telecommunications relay service (TRS) to make TTY calls by dialing 7-1-1. Ms. Jung is not the point of contact for questions about the vacancy announcement.
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