PARALEGAL SPECIALIST

This vacancy is for a GS-0950-9/11, PARALEGAL SPECIALIST located in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard, D8 LEGAL STAFF -DL. Duty location will be determined upon selection.

Duties

You will serve as a/an PARALEGAL SPECIALIST and be responsible for the legal, administrative, and clerical support required by the Eighth District legal staff. Performs legal, administrative, and clerical assignments on Uniform Code of Military Justice, Freedom of Information Act, Standards of Conduct, administrative and criminal investigations, military personnel actions, claims, real property, law enforcement, navigation determinations, marine safety and port security as directed by the Staff Judge Advocate/ District Legal Officer.

Being a Coast Guard civilian makes you a valuable member of the Coast Guard team. Typical work assignments include:

• Providing paralegal services within the guidelines established by the Chief Counsel and the bounds of the state law/bar ethical restrictions.
• Assisting in FOIA administration, including reviewing responsive documents, reviewing responsive documents for release ability, redacting portions of withheld documents, and drafting associated memoranda and correspondence with requesters.
• Aiding legal staff with review of cases involving misconduct and crimes under the Uniform Code of Military Justice including legal research; advising on and reviewing investigations; obtaining a courtroom; hiring a court reporter; the issuance of subpoenas; travel and lodging arrangements for the judge, counsel, court-members, and witnesses.
• Researching and assisting attorneys in drafting legal advice regarding ethics opinions, including gift acceptances, outside employment, and post-government employment.
• Maintaining the following: general correspondence, reader, and day files; investigative files; claims and penalty files; trial courts-martial records; non-judicial punishment files.

Salary

• $59,966 - $94,317/year

Conditions of Employment

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Key Requirements:

1. Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
2. Must be registered or exempt from the Selective Service. See www.sss.gov
3. A one-year probationary period may be required.
4. Suitable for Federal employment determined by background investigation.
5. This position requires a NACI clearance.
6. Selectee must provide a valid state driver's license and safe driving record.
7. Time in Grade requirement must be met by the closing date of the vacancy.

Qualifications

To qualify at the GS-09 grade level, applicants must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level in the federal sector. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work.

Specialized experience: Drafting legal memoranda or research documents; compiling and evaluating statistical data; conducting legal research into various sources of the law, including agency directives, prior appeal decisions, federal regulations, statutory materials, and federal court opinions; assisting in the preparation of attorney advice; assisting with the drafting of legal opinions, decisions, and letters; and providing guidance in the area of agency policy, regulatory modification, and legal interpretation.

OR

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

A combination of specialized experience and education.

To qualify at the GS-11 grade level, applicants must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level in the federal sector. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work.

Specialized experience: Drafting legal memoranda on various questions so researched. Digests and indexes legal material such as decisions, opinions, administrative rulings, legal references and analyses of precedent involved; Conducts research for the purpose of tracing and establishing legislative histories of bills and reviews proposed legislation, as appropriate; Performs extensive and thorough legal research into the legislative history, precedent cases, decisions, and opinions that may be applicable to particular legal matters; performs evaluation, investigation, and resolution of cases, ensuring they are processed in accordance with directives, regulations, policies, and case law and conform to established case-processing procedures

Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work.

OR

at least one of the following if using education to qualify at this grade level:

(A) a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree;

OR

(B) 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related.

OR

(C) A combination of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in or related to the work of this position AND education graduate level education that provided the specific knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this position and experience. Experience and education combinations are computed by first determining the total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determining the total of qualifying education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at that grade level.

National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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.

The Office of Personnel management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule, C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. Education This position does not have a positive education requirement. If you are including education on your resume, report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See Required Documents section for detail. FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications click here Other Information

Any Offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Personnel Management guidance and U.S. Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.

E-Verify
DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

Fair Chance Act
The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Homeland Security and its Components from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to irma.m.morales@uscg.mil.

Suitability Statement
If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

Shared Certificates Statement
Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.

Special Employment Consideration
The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

Recruitment incentives may be authorized.

If selection is made below the full performance level, the incumbent may be promoted up to the target grade without further competition, if all legal and regulatory requirements are met and when recommended by the supervisor. However, promotion to the full performance level is not guaranteed and is dependent on successful performance at the lower grade level(s).

If you need a reasonable accommodation for the application and hiring process, please contact irma.m.morales@uscg.mil. Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Visit Reasonable Accommodation.

Required Documents

Resume showing relevant work/volunteer experience, education, and training. Include the start and end dates (from month/date/year to month/date/year) and the number of hours per week worked/volunteered.

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

• Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
• An SF-50 showing 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.
• Award 50's do not provide sufficient information. Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
  • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; 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 documentation (Member Copy 4 of DD-214, Revised October 2013 SF-15 https://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/sf15.pdf and VA letter, if applicable. NOTE: The revised October 2013 SF-15 is the latest copy and all others are not usable. Please see Feds Hire Vets for detail.

• Veterans claiming 5 point veterans' preference must submit legible Member 4 Copy DD214(s) indicating Character of Service.
• 30% Disabled Veterans must submit their Member Copy 4 DD-214(s), which includes Character of Service, and VA Disability Letter with percentage of disability OR documentation of disability determination from a branch of the Armed Forces which reflects a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more.
• Other 10 point Preference Eligibles must submit applicable Member Copy 4 DD-214(s), which includes Character of Service, and provide documentation of 10 point preference described on the back of the SF-15.
• If you are a current active duty military member who does not have a DD214 and is claiming eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces indicating you will be discharged/released under honorable conditions from active duty within 120 days from the date you submit your certification as part of your application for this announcement. See the "How to Apply" section of this announcement for information on specific requirements for VOW certifications.

CTAP/ICTAP documentation, if applicable.

Schedule A documentation, if applicable. Note: Coast Guard welcomes and encourages applications from persons with disabilities. Qualified applicants with disabilities may be eligible for special hire, non-competitive appointment under Schedule A eligibility.

Military Spouses (if applicable) - You MUST submit verification of the marriage to the service member (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage) AND: (1) a copy of your spouse's active military orders; OR (2) verification of your spouse's 100% service-connected disability (VA Letter and/or DD-214); OR (3) verification of the service member's death while on active duty (DD-1300/Death Certificate). You are not eligible if you were not married to the veteran at the time of death or have since remarried.

Interchange Agreement with Other Merit Systems Eligible: Documentation of eligibility as listed in each individual interchange agreement.

Other noncompetitive or special appointing authorities (e.g., Peace Corps, VISTA, Public Land Corp, Military Spouse, VRA, 30% Disabled Veterans, Certain Former Overseas Employees, Foreign Service, etc.) must provide substantiating documentation as required.

Any other supporting documentation required for verification as described in the announcement.

Political Appointees: OPM must authorize employment offers for former or current Political Appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information.

How to Apply

To begin your online application, click "Apply Online" to create a USAJOBS account and follow the prompts or log in to your existing account. Your application packet must include a completed assessment questionnaire, a resume, and any applicable and or required supporting documentation. Please see the "Required Documents" section below for additional information. All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English. We encourage you to apply online.

Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. The address below is for inquiries only. You may apply more than once, but the most recent application is the only one that will be used. You must submit your resume, your online questionnaire, and any supporting documents by 11:59 PM eastern standard time on 12/02/2024.

It is your responsibility to verify that any information entered or uploaded is received and is accurate. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. Determining your eligibility and qualifications is dependent on the supporting documentation and information provided, which may impact your referral for further consideration. If a document is not legible, you will not be able to view it in your 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/.

• If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact Irma Morales at irma.m.morales@uscg.mil to obtain an alternative application.

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.