Paralegal Specialist

The Paralegal Specialist position is located in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), in various offices throughout the Office of General Counsel (OGC). The mission is to provide legal advice and services to the SECVA and all organizational components of the Department. The General Counsel is, by statute, the Department's Chief Legal Officer. The Paralegal Specialist works in a para-professional capacity involving the various legal service areas within the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Duties

This is a non-bargaining unit position, but eligible to be represented.

This announcement will remain open for 10 business days. The initial application review cutoff for this announcement is 50 applications. The first 50 applications received will be considered first. Applications received after the initial cut-off number (50 applications) may not receive consideration unless otherwise requested by management.

Major duties include, but are not limited to the following:

• Provides direct legal services to clients on case and/or program assignments, including, but not limited to, handling, from start to finish assigned case and program work.
• Case development will include, but not be limited to, gathering all relevant facts and information needed for case processing, applying legal authority to the issues presented, interviewing witnesses/claimants and other stakeholders, negotiating settlements/compromises within authority, and managing and prioritizing caseload.
• Performs a variety of case and program assignments with minimum oversight and direction.
• Exercises good judgment in consulting with RLG managers, attorneys, and non-supervisory subject experts when faced with obstacles, novel issues, or complex issues where quality legal service cannot be delivered by following established guidance.
• Utilizes all available research systems and resources in conducting legal and/or factual research and writing on assigned cases and/or programs.
• Provides a wide range of legal support and program services to support OGC management and operations, including maintaining complete and accurate time and case status entries, establishing and conducting follow ups, utilizing various electronic systems for sharing information and processing program work.
• Uses sound judgment in recommending improvements in administrative and program systems, procedures and processes, and provides back up and mentoring support on the systems, procedures and processes used to carry out case assignments and program responsibilities.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Compressed/Flexible: Available
Telework: Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position. The selected applicant will be required to report regularly to the closest OGC office.
Position Description/PD#: Paralegal Specialist/ PD33068A and PD33069A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Salary

• $59,966 - $94,317/year

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/31/2024.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07 level. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09 level. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. See the Required Document section below for more information regarding the SF-50s needed to verify time-in-grade.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

GS-09 Level

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-07) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include but are not limited to: Demonstrating a practical understanding of legal activities; Prioritizing and managing assigned cases and program duties to meet deadlines and instructions established by attorneys and/or supervisors; Providing effective direct legal service delivery on assigned matters to include fact finding, problem analysis, problem solving, legal writing, and interpreting regulations and policies; Reviewing complaints, claims, and requests along with supporting documentation under close supervision; Maintaining complete and accurate time and status entries in case management systems; Accessing and obtaining factual and legal information from available electronic systems and research sources; Reviewing subject matter and details of cases and assignments to develop basic knowledge and expertise of applicable law, policies and practices. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 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., if related. OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of both experience and education as shown above. Applicants with Superior Academic Achievement on their Bachelor's Degree may use all graduate level education when combining education and experience to qualify for this position. NOTE: Both the Bachelor's and Graduate Degree Transcripts must be submitted with the application package. Otherwise, ONLY Graduate education in excess of the first full year may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grades GS-9.

GS-11 Level

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-09) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include but are not limited to: Demonstrating a practical understanding of legal activities; Prioritizing and managing assigned cases and program duties to meet deadlines and instructions established by attorneys and/or supervisors; Providing effective direct legal service delivery on assigned matters to include fact finding, problem analysis, problem solving, legal writing, and interpreting regulations and policies; Reviewing complaints, claims, and requests along with supporting documentation under close supervision; Maintaining complete and accurate time and status entries in case management systems; Accessing and obtaining factual and legal information from available electronic systems and research sources; Reviewing subject matter and details of cases and assignments to develop basic knowledge and expertise of applicable law, policies and practices. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; or three (3) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; or LL.M., if related. OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of both experience and education as shown above. To compute this, first determine your total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; next determine your education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; and then add the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for this grade level. ONLY education beyond two (2) full years of graduate education may be used when combining experience and education.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
Analytical Reasoning
Attention to Detail
Client Orientation
Self Management
Legal Research
Writing
Information Management

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; religions; 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.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: The work is predominantly sedentary, requiring some walking, standing, bending, lifting and carrying light to moderate weight and size items such as books, files and paper.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at http://://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. Other Information

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information.

VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Resume

Most Recent Annual Performance Evaluation - For current or former federal employees, the selecting official requests that you provide a copy of your most recent annual performance evaluation/rating. If you have not been issued an annual performance evaluation, please provide a statement confirming that you do not have an evaluation, and include documentation (which may be a personal statement) reflecting your level of performance. This is not a required document, and failure to submit it with your application will not disqualify you from meeting the minimum eligibility requirements of the position.

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• Other (1)
• PCS Orders
• Professional Certification
• Proof of Marriage Status
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):

• Most recent SF-50 (Current Federal Employees must provide an SF-50 dated 1-14-2024 or later; Current Federal Wage System (WG/WL/WS) employees must provide one dated within one year of the closing date)
  • ATTENTION: You may need to submit more than one SF-50 if we cannot verify that you meet time-in-grade by your most recent SF-50. For example, if your most recent SF-50 is a General Adjustment, we need your most recent SF-50 dated 1/14/24 and another SF-50 to verify time-in-grade. Examples of SF-50s for time-in-grade verification include your last within-grade increase or promotion to highest grade held. A promotion SF-50 shows when you started the grade level and a within-grade increase verifies that you were at that grade level for at least one year. Failure to provide your most recent SF-50 dated 1/14/2024 or later and other SF-50s to verify time-in-grade will result in you being disqualified. We cannot verify time-in-grade based on the grade and step you are currently on alone.
• Former federal employee applying under reinstatement eligibility must supply their latest SF-50 as well as any additional SF-50s needed to verify time-in-grade as stated in the above bullet.
• Award SF-50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
• Examples of appropriate SF-50s to include in addition to your most recent SF-50's include:
  • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
  • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
  • SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old."

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx.

How to Apply

All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the 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 12/31/2024 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12643200.

1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.

NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

To verify your application is complete, log into your USA JOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Application 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 USA JOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USA JOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

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. Learn more about federal benefits.

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