This position serves as a Paralegal Specialist in the Office of the General Counsel, providing comprehensive legal support across a range of administrative and regulatory matters. Responsibilities include conducting legal research, supporting ethics compliance, assisting with litigation preparation and case management, and coordinating responses to requests under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
Duties
Provide paralegal support for OPM's ethics and standards of conduct and financial disclosure reporting programs, including review of filings and coordination with filers. Conduct legal research and analysis related to ethics, standards of conduct, FOIA, Privacy Act, tort claims, garnishments, and related matters. Review, analyze, and process FOIA and Privacy Act requests and appeals, including applying exemptions and preparing draft responses. Analyze administrative tort claims and garnishment actions and prepare recommended documentation for review. Assist attorneys with litigation support, including discovery, document review, preparation of administrative records, and use of e-discovery tools. Coordinate with program offices and external stakeholders to gather information, ensure compliance with statutory deadlines, and support case development.
Salary
Qualifications
Qualifications for the GS-11 Level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience includes: Providing paralegal support in legal or regulatory matters such as ethics, standards of conduct, FOIA, Privacy Act, or litigation support; Conducting legal research and analyzing statutes, regulations, case law, or administrative guidance; Reviewing and processing legal documents or records and preparing draft memoranda or recommended actions for attorney review; and Coordinating with internal or external stakeholders to collect information and meet established deadlines. OR Successful completion of a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, in a related field. Related fields of study may include Legal Studies, Law, Paralegal Studies, Public Administration, Political Science, Criminal Justice, Library and Information Science (with a legal research focus), or Ethics and Compliance. Qualifications for the GS-12 Grade Level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal service (or equivalent) performing all of the following: Providing paralegal support on complex legal matters involving ethics and standards of conduct, financial disclosure reporting, FOIA or Privacy Act requests, administrative tort claims, garnishments, or litigation support Independently conducting legal research and analysis of statutes, regulations, case law, and administrative guidance; reviewing and evaluating records for legal sufficiency and responsiveness, including applying exemptions or exclusions. Preparing draft legal memoranda, determinations, or recommended actions for attorney review; and Coordinating with program offices or external entities to obtain information and ensure compliance with statutory or regulatory deadlines. Merit promotion applicants must meet the time-in-grade requirement as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. One year at the GS-09 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-11 level. One year at the GS-11 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-12 level. You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days of 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.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: Your Resume showing the applicant's name, email address, work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment, and duties performed to include pay plan, series, and grade level for relevant federal experience. Your resume must show complete information for each job entry to support minimum qualifications. Only the first 2 pages of the resume/application will be used to verify minimum qualifications. Please be sure to include specific dates of employment and work schedule(s). Do not include the following types of information in your resume: Classified or government sensitive information Social Security Number (SSN) Photos of yourself Personal information, such as age, sex, religious affiliation, etc. Encrypted and digitally signed documents Other supporting documents: Cover Letter, optional College Transcript(s), if qualifying based on education Most recent Performance Appraisal, optional Your most recent Promotion, Within Rate Increase (WRI/WGI), or Appointment/Conversion SF-50 or Notification of Personnel Action if applying as a current or former Federal / OPM Employee showing you are/were in the competitive service and the highest grade or promotion potential held, required if applying as a current or former Federal / OPM employee. Worker's Compensation Separation: Agency certification of inability to place employee AND Notification of Separation OR Separation SF-50. Disability Annuity Termination: Notification from OPM of disability annuity termination AND Separation SF-50 of the last position held. Military Reserve or National Guard Technician Special Disability Retirement Annuity under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456: Certification of special disability retirement annuity from a military department or National Guard Bureau AND Separation SF-50 of the last position held. Veterans Employment Opportunity Act, Veterans Recruitment Appointment, and 30% Disabled Veteran Eligible: DD-214, SF-15 Form and VA letter, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions within 120 days. Schedule A, Persons with Disabilities Appointment Eligibles: Schedule A letter from a physician, local, state, or federal rehabilitation office citing your eligibility under 5 CFR 213.3102 (u). Certain Family Members Eligible under E.O. 12721: Your most recent non-award SF-50 and performance appraisal. Certain Military Spouses Eligible under E.O. 13832: Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders; OR verification of the member's 100% disability (VA Letter); and/or verification of the member's death while on active duty (DD-1300 and Death Certificate) AND verification of the marriage to the service member (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage). Interchange Agreement with Other Merit Systems Eligible: Documentation of eligibility as listed in each interchange agreement. Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.
How to Apply
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: 1. Click the Apply Online button. 2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. 3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. 4. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. 5. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. 6. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. 7. Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link. 8. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. For more general information, system requirements, reasonable accommodation information, and to request assistance regarding the USA Hire Assessments, review the following resources: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=USA_Hire_Assessments To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status: Click on this: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application. You may preview the assessment questionnaire by clicking here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12867832
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